New Features in the New FamilySearch Website!

New Features as of December 2010

The December 2010 release has many improvements. Among these are the ability to watch individuals,
receive e-mail notifications when changes occur, and some temple-related changes.

Receive E-mail Notifications for Changes

You can now “watch” individuals in your family tree and receive an e-mail notification when information
about them changes.
For now, the notification identifies the following types of changes:
• Someone changes the individual’s summary.
• Someone starts a new discussion or adds a comment to an existing discussion.
• Someone combines an individual that you are watching with another record.
• Someone separates a record from an individual that you are watching.
The notification e-mail will eventually list more types of changes.

Select the Individuals in a Family Whose Ordinances You Want to Do

When you reserve the ordinances for a family, you can now deselect any family member whose ordinances
you do not want to do.

Reserve Ordinances for Someone Born in the Last 95 Years

If you try to reserve ordinances for someone who was born in the last 95 years, the system now asks whether
you are the closest living relative or have permission from the closest living relative to do the ordinances.
Note: The closest living relatives are, in this order:
• An undivorced spouse. (The spouse to whom the individual was married when he or she died.)
• An adult child.
• A parent.
• A brother or sister.
If you need to obtain permission to do ordinances, verbal approval is acceptable. Family members should
work together to determine when the ordinances will be done and who will do them.
Please honor the wishes of the closest living relative. Doing ordinances against those wishes can cause hard
feelings within families and towards the Church.

More Education!

I am always looking for new educational lessons on family history.  I have discovered another gem, thanks to the PAF Users Group.  Don Snow has taught many classes and has some really great lessons that have been posted online.  There are available at http://uvpafug.org/classes/dons/dons-classes.html.  The nice thing about having lessons online is that you can avail yourself to them at any time (3 a.m. in your jammies!) No excuses!  Thanks Brother Snow!

RootsTech: A New Technology Conference!

Are you a techie who also loves family history?  If so, there is a new conference just for you!  The first annual RootsTech Conference on Technology and Genealogy will be held February 10-12, 2011 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

RootsTech combines several conferences in one.  The BYU Conference on Computerized Family History, the BYU Family History Technology Workshop, and the FamilySearch Developers Conference.  RootsTech is sponsored by Microsoft, Dell, BYU, the New England Historic Genealogical Society, brightsolid, Ancestry.com, the Federation of Genealogical Societies, and the National Genealogical Society.

This is going to be a wonderful and eye-opening conference!  Early registration is $99 through January 7, 2011 then beginning January 8, 2011 the price jumps to $150!  Register at RootsTech.org.

Photoloom Program Training

One of the fun things about serving a service mission at the BYU FHL is that each missionary gets to create very short training videos. These videos are used each week to introduce other programs, research techniques, and all things genealogy related to each of the 150 service missionaries that serve at BYU. I was able to put together a very quick training on Photoloom, one of the new FamilySearch affiliates. It is ten minutes long and can't go into too much detail, but it serves as a great place to start. I hope that you will find it helpful. :)

Lindsay Powell Genealogy Class! This is a Don't Miss Class!!!

Is one of your goals for 2011 to get better at family history?  If you want to take a fabulous class that combines genealogy with the spiritual side of things, this is the class to take! Sign up quickly though, because the class fills up fast! This post is straight off of the BYU FHL blog.

$22.50 Check to "CES Adult Religion". 1st Class-take checks. 2011 WEDNESDAY classes only:

• JANUARY 5 - APRIL 2011 WEDNESDAYS-Noon-2:00 p.m. & 2:00-4:00 p.m. Classes
  Instructions to Sign Up http://www.byufh.blogspot.com/

1. Click on Comments -- bottom of this page
2. In "Leave Your Comment" box, type in your: NAME, WARD & STAKE, E-MAIL, PHONE # plus DAY & TIME you want to attend classes (Wed. 12-2 or 2-4 p.m.)
3. Under that Click Anonymous, then Click: "PUBLISH YOUR COMMENT" 3 or 4 times-or until the comment box is empty. Your info will appear at the bottom of the list.
4. Once you've received confirmation of your saved information, click the upper left backspace arrow twice to return to Home Page. (For assistance contact Cheryl Norman-- 801-756-3112 gcnorman@msn.com)

WHAT TO BRING TO CLASS:

1. $4.00 check to "Lindsay Powell" for manual
2. Scriptures
3. Notebook and pencil
4. Flashdrive (Thumbdrive) OPTIONAL

New Version of the Family History Catalog?

Did you know that FamilySearch recently announced a new version of the Family History Catalog? Go here https://beta.familysearch.org/#form=catalog to see what it looks like! FamilySearch is bringing more and more to the table, making genealogy easier than ever. The old version (http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp) is still online because the FamilySearch website is still in the beta version. Do you want to know the differences between the two? I figured that you would, so I am sending you to the best resource I know to talk about the differences! Go to ancestryinsider.blogspot.com for the dates November 15th and 16th and you can find out for yourself!

Did You Miss A Celebration of Family History?

A Celebration of Family History is now available for purchase at the LDS Distribution Center. It is also available to view from BYU TV. It is the program that was featured in April 2010 in conjunction with the National Genealogical Conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah. This program features family history stories, talks, and incredible music by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.You won't be sorry! By the way, it makes a great gift for the family history guru in your family!

New Features Added this week to the FamilySearch Beta Site

This week there were some new features and enhancements added to the FamilySearch Beta Site. Enhancements are included for the Library Catalog and the Historical Record Search. A new feature is the Give Back Section. For more information about these updates, go here! https://blog.beta.familysearch.org/node/995
By the way, the FamilySearch blog is a great place to visit to stay updated on the inner workings of FamilySearch! The FamilySearch blog is listed under Our Blog List on the right side of the page or just click https://blog.beta.familysearch.org/!

BYU FHC Classes on November 14, 2010

Family History Trip

I am on an awesome family history research trip in the east with limited Internet connections until November 9th! Catch you then!

Photoloom Training

We are doing an hour-long training on the FamilySearch certified program Photoloom. Please come and learn how this program can add visual excitement to your family history!  See you at the Grove Creek FHC at 9:00 am tomorrow OR 8:00 pm Sunday evening!

Need Specific Country Help?

At the Riverton FamilySearch library, there are some consultants that specialize in certain countries.  Don't forget to seek out their help!  If you need help with another country, call the library and check with them as they are adding experts all the time!

• Scandinavian expert Linda Baker is available at the Library on Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
• Danish experts Orla and Karen Pedersen are available at the Library on Wednesdays from 2:00 - 9:00 p.m. and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
• German expert Ray Joos is available at the library on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
• Danish, Norwegian and Russian expert Larry Parkinson is available Tuesdays from 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m
• Don't forget that we have our very own German experts in our library on Tuesday mornings from 9:00 am until 12:00 pm.  Kurt and Sheela Matthia can help you out!

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Major Updates!

Four Major Updates to Family Search Beta

The following announcement  was written by FamilySearch:

At the end of last week we released another substantial update to the FamilySearch Beta website. In addition to the four major updates outlined below, we’ve made a large number of improvements under the hood that aren’t really visible to users of the site but make a big difference in the overall performance and function of the site. Here’s the quick list of updates.

• Redesigned Home Page
• Brand New – Getting Started Section
• Redesigned Learning Resources including online Research Courses
• Just Released - FamilySearch Center Section

Redesigned Home Page. We redesigned the home page to highlight more of the site features like the Getting Started Section, Learning Resources and FamilySearch Centers. We also added a basic browse by location feature under the search form. We plan to make the browse by location tool much more interactive over time and would love to get your suggestions of how to improve it. Click the Feedback link on the site to leave us a suggestion. 

Brand New – Getting Started Section. We have big plans for the Getting Started section of the site. What we released last week is just the beginning. Right now you can look at profiles of some famous ancestors that have been researched by our experts in the Family History Library. You can also choose from a number of designer pedigree charts and fill out your own family tree. Another valuable addition to the Getting Started section isn’t quite ready yet, but you can still see a placeholder for it on the page. A new four-part video series in the Getting Started section will teach people how to begin researching their family history.

Redesigned Learning Resources Section. The learning resources section has been redesigned to try and make it easier to access the tremendous content created by FamilySearch and a community of volunteers. You can quickly search over 40,000 articles containing a wealth of knowledge about how to do research or where to find records all around the world. You can also add your own knowledge by updating an article or creating a new article. We’ve also added over 100 online courses dealing with a range of topics from Beginning English Research to Reading Russian Records. Watch these courses online to learn to research or improve your genealogy skills.

Just Released – FamilySearch Center Section. The newly released FamilySearch Centers section replaces and expands upon the former Family History Library section of the site. You can learn about services available for free in over 4,000 FamilySearch Centers around the world. Looking for the closest FamilySearch Center? Just put your postal code into the FamilySearch Center and we’ll mark it on a map for you. 

We hope you enjoy these new features and continue to provide us with your feedback on what we can do to make the FamilySearch Beta a more valuable tool. Remember, just click the Feedback link on the site to tell us what’s on your mind. 

Church History Library vs. Family History Library

Do you know the difference?  Do you know that BOTH are important to your family history?  The Church History Library focuses on the history of the church as a whole, whereas the Family History Library focuses on multigenerational families and individuals.  The reason that you would want to use the Church History Library is that you can learn about the history of the time period of your ancestors. This additional information puts "meat" on the bones of your family history dates. Did you know that the Church History Library has the most complete listing of Mormon pioneer emigrants and companies who traveled to Utah from 1847-1868?  See for yourself at www.mormontrail.lds.org.  You will be surprised at what you can find!  Of course, the Church History Library has much more than this one database!  Check it out!  Below is an example of what I found for my ancestor, Amelia Evans.

Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, 1847–1868 Evans, Amelia Birth Date: 8 Apr. 1838 Death Date: 8 Oct. 1886 Gender: Female Age: 18 Company: James G. Willie Company (1856) Sources: "Immigration to Utah," Deseret News [Weekly], 15 Oct. 1856, 254.   Read Trail Excerpt     Source Locations Journal History, 9 Nov. 1856, p. 19     Source Locations Patriarchal Blessing Index     Source Locations Rogerson, Josiah, "Captain J. G. Willie's Or, the Fourth Handcart Company of 1856 [No. 1]," Salt Lake Herald, 15 Dec. 1907.   Read Trail Excerpt     Source Locations Smith, Don, e-mail communication, 29 Apr. 2003.     Source Locations

"Celebration of Family History" Videos

The nine videos celebrating Family History that were shown at the National Genealogical Society's annual conference held in April (this year in Salt Lake City!) are now available online. They are unlisted in YouTube's index so you have to know this link to find them. Please share this link with family and friends. They are very moving and inspiring! The link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfXVvWb0qOQ.  The Clan McCloud is my personal favorite!

Are You a Mac User?

MacFamilyTree, version 6, has now been certified to work with new FamilySearch. If you haven't heard of this program, check it out at http://www.syniumsoftware.com/macfamilytree6/topfeatures.html. For those of us who prefer Macs, this is a step out of the schizophrenic world that we live in going between the two major platforms in the computing world! Yeah!

Riverton FamilySearch Library

If this library doesn't doesn't look familiar to you, listen up! This is the new library that was created when the FHC in the south Salt Lake area were consolidated. If you missed my post about it, go back a couple of months for a viral tour of this library. This library also holds classes of all sorts! Go to this list and you will find the perfect class for your needs!
https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Riverton_FamilySearch_Library

Afraid of Making Mistakes?

Are you afraid of making mistakes in new FamilySearch because you don't feel that you know what you are doing? Then training.familysearch.org is for you.  There are practice exercises that you can work through so that the basics of the new FamilySearch program are reinforced in your brain! The nice thing is that you aren't working in the actual database so you CAN'T mess anything up!

BYU Family History Classes on October 10, 2010

BYU has fabulous classes that they offer on the second and fourth Sundays of the month. Here is the latest schedule! We have so much right in our own backyard! Let's use it!

Did You Know?

Did you know that there are 81 lessons available online at familysearch.org? Who says you have to go places and spend money to strengthen your genealogy skills? These classes are FREE and there for the taking! Grab hold and take off!

Expand Your Mind!

Genealogy is a lifelong pursuit. It can't and won't be done in a day! It's always useful to learn a little each day. Try to do one genealogy activity each day. Maybe read that article that you cut out of a magazine months ago, file five papers into your filing system, or spend one hour labeling your pictures. Once you get in the habit of doing something each day, you will find that you are making progress! Progress is good, even by baby steps!

September 26, 2010 Classes at BYU Family History Library

Sunday Classes at BYU on September 12, 2010

Major Update for FamilySearch Beta

Have you been on beta.familysearch.org lately. A major update has just been released. Go see the changes for yourself!  In addition, check out the information under the headings at the top. I particularly like the How To and the Blog sections. There is always something new to learn!

In addition, the Ancestry Insider blog (http://ancestryinsider.blogspot.com) has a couple of recent posts that are very insightful about new FamilySearch and the direction it is heading. Happy Reading!

Salt Lake City Family History Expo 2010-Resources for Family History Consultants

As consultants, we need to be constantly aware of the different resources that are coming to our aid. Here are a few new resources that you will want to play with.
#1 FamilySearch Labs (new technologies) labs.familysearch.org
#2 FamilySearch Research Wiki-wiki.familysearch.org
#3 FamilySearch Forums-forums.familysearch.org
#4 Research Series Classes Online-familysearch.org
     Roll over library tab
     Click on Education
     Click Family History Research Series Online
     Select a lesson

Salt Lake City Family History Expo 2010-The Future of FamilySearch

If you want to know what is coming up with FamilySearch, the Ancestry Insider's post for August 30, 2010 will give you the scoop! Here's the link:  http://ancestryinsider.blogspot.com/

Salt Lake City Family History Expo 2010-The Joy of Family History; How to Inspire Members and Leaders

Having a hard time inspiring people to do family history work? Saturday morning's session gave us some helps and tips to inspire others! "Joy is exhibited, not lectured!" Boy, do I like that! Tell people your inspiring stories instead of the difficulties that you encounter. Bear your testimony. Follow the Spirit as you decide what to do and where to focus. Help Priesthood leaders find joy in their family history and help youth and families catch the vision. Be patient and set small, short term goals! Don't overwhelm people with the whys and wherefores, just help them DO IT!

Salt Lake City Family History Expo 2010-Genealogy Gifts and Games by Kim Woodbury

Do you want to involve your family in your genealogy pursuits but all you get is the rolling of the eyes from them? Involve them in ways that they may not even realize! Kim talked all about gifts and games that you can create using your family history. Think about commercial games that are on the market. Can you adapt them? Think bingo, matching games, go fish, etc. Create calendars, alphabet books, or family yearbooks. With the advent of online publishing, creating these items has become so easy! Do you have a family cookbook? What about Christmas ornaments? As you can see, the sky is the limit! Get creative and think outside the box! Remember, Christmas is just around the corner!

Salt Lake City Family History Expo 2010-Crossing the Ocean with the Internet by Leslie Albrecht Huber

I attended this class and found it very informative! Leslie did a great job of making us aware of the online resources that are popping up constantly. We talked some about the U.S. Passenger Arrival Lists, CastleGarden.org, EllisIsland.org, and others. I also learned about some online indexes, such as European Passenger Departure Lists. I learned that families didn't always leave from the closest port so it pays to check different ports around the area. One of the best things I learned in this class is that Joe Beine has done some tremendous work and posted it for us to use. Here is a link to his site.

GenealogyBranches

Salt Lake City Family History Expo 2010-Beacon of Bloggers

Those of us who are blogging about this conference go to sit in the exhibit hall and talk to people about blogging!  I won't say that I know everything there is to know about blogging, but I did spend considerable time teaching people how to set up a blog! Actually, I think I had the process down to three minutes flat! You too can create a family history blog. Ask yourself these questions before you get started. #1-Purpose of this blog, #2-Who is my audience, #3-What do I want to put on this blog (pictures, histories, etc.?) #4-Am I dedicated enough to keep this going? Once you get started, you need to let all of your family members know what you have created and you may even want to ask them to contribute to the family blog!
I didn't think to have someone take a picture of me while I was doing this! I guess this is where you get to use your imagination!

Salt Lake City Family History Expo 2010

The Salt Lake City Family History Expo opened with a bang! The Keynote Address was given by Thomas Kemp, who is the director of Genealogy Projects, NewsBank, Inc. The title of his address was "Let Your Light Shine!"
Mr. Kemp talked about how each one of us can make a difference! We need to share our genealogy online and push it out so that the information gets out there for others to enjoy. He mentioned that we need to "scrub" up our records to share. I took this to mean that we need to make them the best that we can, with proper citations, etc. Nothing is more frustrating than finding information that you have been looking for and then realizing that you have no idea if it is believable or not because there are no sources! Grrr!
Sharing our information can be done many different ways. Think Facebook, YouTube, Blogs, Scribd.com (use this to park your histories and such). Mr. Kemp even posted this talk so you can read it in full and see the PowerPoint presentation, Kemp, Thomas-Let Your Light Shine! If we will take the time to learn the technology, we can become that light that Mr. Kemp talked about! Remember, you CAN make a difference!

In the Mormon Times...

See what's being said about the Salt Lake Family History Expo 2010! Click on this link to read the article.  http://www.mormontimes.com/article/16703/Family-history-conference-set?s_cid=queue_title&utm_source=queue_title

Tomorrow is the Day!

The Salt Lake City Family History Expo 2010 starts tomorrow at the South Town Exposition Center. Just looking at the schedule tells me that this expo is going to wonderful! Registration starts at 7:00 am (Nah! That's not early!). Please check your last newsletter from me (Rayanne) if you are a consultant at the Grove Creek FHC because it has a coupon for you to attend the consultant classes for free! Hope to see you there! You will definitely see me as I am going to be blogging about the Expo!

Blogging at the Salt Lake Family History Expo!

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Salt Lake Family History Expo Coming Up!

I received this message a couple of days ago from FamilySearch and thought that this should be shared on this blog! Sounds like a wonderful event and I, for one, am going to be there!

                                                                                                                     

Salt Lake City Family History Expo to Be Held in Sandy in August

Dear Family History Consultants, Priesthood Leaders, and Stake Directors:

We want to remind you of the upcoming Family History Expo event in Salt Lake City and also pass along some late-breaking information. Throughout the year we have been providing three key courses to consultants for free. We have just recently added a fourth free course. For this expo the new course will be squeezed in so that instead of three courses of consultant training between 8:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., there will be four. The courses are:

·         The Joy of Family History: How to Inspire Members and Leaders

·         Meeting the Support Needs of the Family History Community

·         New Resources for Consultants: What They Are and Real Examples of How to Use Them

·         Directing Indexing Efforts in Your Stake and Wards

The Family History Expo will be held August 27–28, 2010, at the South Towne Expo Center, 9575 South State Street, Sandy, Utah. The public is welcome in the exhibit area, and all who hold a family history calling, either at the stake or ward level, are welcome to attend any or all of the free training courses on Saturday, August 28.

Besides the free courses offered, over 100 additional classes will be presented by more than 30 national and local speakers as well as staff from the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. With classes ranging from beginner to advanced topics, there is something for everyone. Many classes are dedicated to the latest techniques and technologies being used in genealogical research, as well as the most up-to-date information about different cultures being studied. You can review the class schedule and find out the cost of attending the classes by visiting www.fhexpos.com/expos/

In addition, exhibitors from throughout the U.S. will teach about the latest products and services available in the industry. FamilySearch affiliated software vendors will also be on site and happy to help you test their products “hands on” with new.familysearch.org (FamilySearch Family Tree). Some of the products and services showcased will include genealogy magazines, hardware, software, wall charts, various genealogical societies, and research services.

The Salt Lake City Family History Expo could also be a great opportunity for the ward members you are working with to learn more about finding their ancestors. You may want to share information about the expo with them.

All general questions about the expo should be directed to:

Family History Expos.com
P.O. Box 187
Morgan, UT 84050
E-mail: Expo@FHExpos.com
Phone: 1-801-829-3295
Web: http://www.fhexpos.com/expos/

If you have specific questions regarding FamilySearch or consultant training classes offered at the expo, they should be directed to: 

E-mail: support@familysearch.org                                                                                                                                               

Phone (U.S. and Canada; toll free): 1-866-406-1830                                                                                                                  

Phone (International): Go to http://contact.familysearch.org for more toll-free phone numbers.

We hope this information is helpful to you. 

Sincerely, 

FamilySearch Support

Please do not use “Reply All” to respond to this message.

To change your contact information, reregister at: http://priesthood.familysearch.org or https://consultant.familysearch.org
To remove your registration, send your request to: support@familysearch.org. Please include your name, ward name, and stake name.
Invite others to register at: http://priesthood.familysearch.org or https://consultant.familysearch.org

Teaching Classes? Need Some Help or Ideas?

In the past few weeks, I have had several people ask me where they can get ideas for teaching family history classes. I am not an expert in teaching (I leave that to my trainer husband!) but I have found a few websites that have been helpful to me. One of them is "Teaching Geneaology" by DearMYRTLE. This site can be found at http://www.teachgenealogy.com/. Make sure that you go through all of the tabs listed on the left hand side of the page. I have followed DearMYRTLE  for a few years and I find her style very warm and helpful. I appreciate the latest technology as it allows me to expand my knowledge about various topics and never leave home! What a blessing! Another site that I like is the Ogden Regional FHC site. I like their information under the Learning How tab on the left hand side of their site. Their address is http://www.orfhc.org/.

I have added these links under our Education tab. We have quite a list going now. There are so many places to get information. I would love to hear if anyone out there has favorite family history education sites that they would like to share!

Family Tree's 101 Best Websites of 2010

Family Tree Magazine has announced the 101 Best Websites for 2010. This year they have focused on free websites or websites that don't charge for the main offerings. What a task! I am so grateful that someone out there has taken on this job as websites multiply like rabbits every year! Thanks Family Tree Magazine! Go to their website (http://familytreemagazine.com/article/101-Best-Websites-2010) and check out who made the list!

Any Volunteers?

Sue Maxwell (Granite Genealogy Blog) is the Volunteer Coordinator for the 2010 Salt Lake Family History Expo being held at the South Towne Expo Center in Sandy, Utah August 27-28, 2010. She is looking for volunteers. The cool thing is that you will be able to attend classes for FREE on the day that you don't volunteer. If you are able and willing, contact Sue Maxwell at granitegenealogy.blogspot.com. Scroll down to the bottom of her page and you will find her contact information. Thanks from the bottom of her heart!

Happenings at the Riverton FamilySearch Library

I received this letter from FamilySearch today! It is so exciting to have so many resources so close to us! In conjunction with this post, I added a link under EDUCATION for the Riverton FamilySearch Library. With this link, you can see the list of classes and talks that are scheduled for the Riverton FamilySearch Library through November 20, 2010. I'm thinking that I may have a new "home away from home!"

Saturday Family History Seminar Series at Riverton Library

Dear Family History Consultants,

We invite you and any of your friends, neighbors, ward members, or interested genealogy enthusiasts to attend and to help publicize the Riverton FamilySearch Library’s second monthly Saturday Seminar, which will take place on Saturday, August 21, 2010, from 9:00 a.m. to noon. There will be three hours of instruction by family history experts covering a wide range of technical and research subjects.

All are invited to come and attend these free classes, which range from basic to advanced level. Details of the classes can be found at www.familysearch.org/fhc/riverton.

Sincerely,

FamilySearch

 

2nd Annual Salt Lake Family History Expo 2010

This is another wonderful opportunity to hone your family history skills! Early registration price (by July 30th) is $55. After July 30th the registration price is $65. At the door registration is $75. There are other options to pay by class or one day. Information and registration at www.FHExpos.com.

Ancestry Has a Wiki!

Did you know that Ancestry has a wiki? Did you know that both the Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources and The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy reference books are on their wiki? I don't know about you, but I spend a lot of time checking things out in these reference guides.  I'm glad to now have them so easily available! Best of all, they are free!  Here's the link: http://www.ancestry.com/wiki.

Look at this Partnership!!!

 The Orem Library has become a FamilySearch affiliate!  That means that through the Orem Library you will now be able to order and view microfilm, just like at a family history center!  Click the following link to "read all about it!"

 The Orem Library Orem library partners with FamilySearch | Mormon Times

Utah Valley PAF Users Group

This Saturday, July 10th (9:00 am-Noon) is the monthly meeting of the Utah Valley PAF Users Group.  This group is a great bunch of people who love family history.  Don't let the name fool you! They do waaaaaaayyy more than PAF!  Below is the topic for the main presentation!  This graphic came right off of their website.  To see more, go to http://www.uvpafug.org/.

Our Next Meeting
10 July 2010

Presenter: Bret Petersen

Topic:  Are You My Mother? - Finding Maiden Names In Your Tree We will discuss various record types and research techniques that can provide clues about "missing" mothers.

July 11 Classes at BYU Family History Library

If you haven't taken advantage of the specialty classes offered at BYU in their Family History Library, now is your chance!  They are well worth it! If the image below is a little small for you to read, just click on it and you will be able to see it enlarged.

Third Quarter Family History Class Offerings at BYU

I love to learn!  I love classes!  I love family history! Put these things together and you come up with Family History Classes offered at BYU!  Click on this link (http://net.lib.byu.edu/fslab/consultant/3rdQtr2010.pdf) to go to the schedule for the 3rd quarter family history classes offered at the BYU Family History Library on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month.  If you haven't been to any of these before, I'd encourage you to try them out.  There is a wealth of information in these classes!  Consider it a baby step in your family history education!

Blogging Lessons this Weekend? Are You In?

Want a super simple class on blogging?  Meet me at the Grove Creek FHC at 9:00 am on Saturday, June 26th OR Sunday, June 27th at 8:00 pm (hint...the Saturday class is always smaller!)  Join the blogging world and share your genealogy!

New Features in New FamilySearch

New features have been added recently to New FamilySearch.  Most notably is the discussions tab added after the possible duplicates tab on the Family Pedigree with details screens.  Go to the following link to see all of the new features.
 
https://new.familysearch.org/en/static/help/pdf/qsg_whats_new.pdf

Take a Tour of the New Riverton FamilySearch Library!

Seeing as I was playing in New Orleans last week, I didn't post on Friday like I normally do!  Being out of town, I also missed the open house of the Riverton FamilySearch Library!  Boo hoo!  However, Sue Maxwell (granitegenealogy.blogspot.com) went and took pictures that she turned into a virtual tour for all of us! You have to check out her pictures!  I can't wait to go!  Thanks Sue!!!

Forms Galore!

Have you ever wished that you had a form on which to record your results from the census, etc?  Sometimes when you enlarge the online census images and other documents, you lose the column headings in your view and have to scroll up and down to know what you are writing down. Check out these forms that you can print out to make your job a lot easier! Go to http://lib.byu.edu/sites/familyhistory/print-forms-research-helps/. There is also a permanent link on the right side under Forms. Be sure and check out the different forms at About.com Genealogy Forms! At the very bottom is a Tigger family chart that you can use with children!  What will they think of next?

Schedule of Family History Classes at BYU for Sunday, June 13, 2010

Have You Tried Google Books Yet?

If you missed my post in May about Google Books on the Granite Genealogy Blog, it's time to get busy and check it out!  Here's the link: http://granitegenealogy.blogspot.com/2010/05/free-genealogy-books-using-google-books.html
Sue Maxwell does a great job on her blog!  Make her a weekly read on your "To Do" list!

Conference on Family History and Genealogy

 (Picture owned by Rayanne B. Melick)

The Family History and Genealogy Conference is coming up July 27-30, 2010 at BYU.  If you have never taken the opportunity to attend this conference, this year is the year to attend!  All of the classes are fantastic and you get to spend your time talking with people whose eyes don't glaze over when you mention family history!  Great deal! Here is a sneak peak at the keynote presenters:

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Rooms 2258 & 2260 CONF

Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander – “It Is More than About Names”

Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander served a mission to Finland as a young man and presided over the Austria Vienna East Mission from 1987–1991. Prior to his call as a General Authority, he was responsible for the acquisition of genealogical sources throughout Eastern Europe. Called as a general authority in 1991, Elder Neuenschwander served in the Presidency of the Seventy from 2000–2004. He is married to Joni Kay Lee. Elder Neuenschwander was granted emeritus status at the October 2009 General Conference.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Rooms 2258 & 2260 CONF Curt B. Witcher – “This I Believe: The Urgent Need to Record Living History”

Curt B. Witcher is the manager of the Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, IN. He is a member of the Genealogy Committee of the American Library Association, a former president of both the Federation of Genealogical Societies and the National Genealogical Society, and the current as well as founding president of the Indiana Genealogical Society.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Rooms 2258 & 2260 CONF Daniel C. Lawyer – “The Future of FamilySearch (Something Big is Coming Soon)”

Daniel C. Lawyer is a senior product manager for FamilySearch where he develops the FamilySearch.org web site; the integration of new FamilySearch, Record Search, and Research Wiki, Forums. His vision is to evolve FamilySearch into a site that helps friends and family work together to connect to their common roots.

To register, go to http://ce.byu.edu/cw/cwgen/

Discount for family history consultants if you register by phone!

Memorial Day 2010

I am thankful to be an American. Please don't forget those who gave their lives in the service of our country. Talk to the veterans in your family. Their stories are important and they are our history! Happy Memorial Day!!!

Granite Vault Videos

  Have you ever wondered what the granite vault looks like?  Check out these three videos that were released earlier this month by FamilySearch. Amazing!

50 Most Popular Genealogy Websites for 2010

ProGenealogists just published their list of the 50 most popular genealogy websites for 2010 in conjunction with the NGS and BYU Computerized Conferences last month.  This list contains many favorite and familiar sites along with some new ones that you may not have heard of.  Check it out at http://blog.progenealogists.com/

What's the Hype over Social Networking?

I found this really interesting article that explains about social networking and how to use it as a genealogist.  The link is http://genealogygeek.net/2010/05/why-care-about-all-this-%E2%80%98social-networking%E2%80%99-nonsense/.  Check it out!

Let's Clear up the Confusion!

This memo was posted on the FHCNET message board.  Hopefully it will clear up some confusion that has been swirling around about FamilySearch products.

There is some confusion that needs to be cleared up. The website beta.familysearch.org that will eventually replace the www.familysearch.org site is available to any user free of charge. The beta.familysearch.org website currently provides the millions of additional records and where digitized and indexed records will eventually reside.

The website new.familysearch.org is currently only available to members of the LDS church. Eventually as required features are added to new.familysearch.org, the site will become part of www.familysearch.org and will eventually allow public users to have access to the tree. That time has not been determined and when it does happen plans are to regulate the growth of the site by allowing current users to invite others until we can get the site to a point where it can sustain a significant number of users. Only then can access to the general public to new.familysearch.org be considered.

Thanks,
Ron Tanner
nFS Product Manager, FamilySearch

Have You Looked at FamilySearch Forums?

FamilySearch Forums is another great place to look for help and information!  Check it out!

http://forums.familysearch.org/en/index.php

The Ancestry Insider: A Celebration of Family History

I have been thinking about the NGS Conference and what a great learning experience it was!  However, I think that the absolute highlight of the week was the Family History Gala with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  I just had to link to the following highlights!  Go there and enjoy!

The Ancestry Insider: A Celebration of Family History

Google Books!

Check out the Granite Genealogy Blog for a great article on using Google Books!  For those of you who don't have a Google account, it's time to get busy!  :)

Something to Ponder?

I have a question! Last week as I helped many patrons at the National Genealogical Society Conference in Salt Lake, I noticed something interesting and also disheartening. I made a habit out of finding out where the patrons were from. Overwhelmingly, they were from out of state. They were excited about FamilySearch and what the LDS Church is doing to digitize records and get them posted online. Many of them couldn't believe that the LDS Church was doing this for free! Sadly, many of those that I talked to from Utah didn't think that FamilySearch was such a big deal. Yes, it has problems, but we have come a long way from the past way of doing things. Why are we so jaded and disinterested? Maybe everyone thinks that the work is done? Believe me, it is NOT ALL DONE! Maybe we are complacent? Maybe our ease of having the world renowned Family History Library in our backyard is a problem?  Ok, I'll get off of my soapbox now! :)

Try Historical Newpapers for Free on Footnote!

Historical Newspapers for Free on Footnote During May

During the month of May all the historical newspapers on Footnote.com will be open to the public. A free registration is needed to view the images.

To access the newspaper collections visit www.footnote.com/newspapers

On Footnote you will find newspapers ranging from small towns to major cities and dating back to the 1700’s. Whether a historian or a genealogist, historical newspapers are one of the best resources that provide a unique window into the past.

May Training (May 15th & 16th)

This month's training will cover the FamilySearch Wiki. For those of you who don't know what a wiki is, please come! For those of you who know what a wiki is, please come and contribute to our class!

Saturday, May 15th @ 9:00am in the Grove Creek FHC
Sunday, May 16th @ 8:00pm in the Grove Creek FHC

Please come and invite your friends!

P.S. A link has been added to the FamilySearch Wiki under New FamilySearch.

List of Permanent Microfilms Added!

A list of the permanent microfilms in the Grove Creek Family History Center has been added.  The list is 16 pages long and is searchable. The pdf document was prepared by Ann & Jess Wagstaff and their Wednesday morning crew.  Many thanks for their hard work!  This is a great addition to our blog!

300 Million Names Released!!!

Check out the new names released from FamilySearch on this website www.beta.familysearch.org. Eventually, all of FamilySearch will come together at this site! This was announced at the NGS Conference last week!

BYU and NGS Conferences

Wow! What a week of learning! My brain gets tired just trying to process all of the things that I learned and want to try! I was going to write up some reviews about it but Granite Genealogy and The Ancestry Insider blogs did a great job so you really have to go to their sites (just click on the links on the right hand side) and read what they said! Pay special attention to the info from the Gala Celebration with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on The Ancestry Insider blog. It was an incredible night of celebration!

PAF Users Group May Meeting

UTAH VALLEY PAF USERS GROUP MEETING
The next regular, second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting of the Utah Valley PAF (Personal Ancestral File) Users Group will be on Saturday, 8 May 2010, from 9 am to noon in the LDS "Red Chapel", 4050 North Timpview Drive (650 East), Provo. There is a map showing the location on the group's website http://www.uvpafug.org/. The main presentation for this meeting will be by Don and Diane Snow on FREEWARE AND SHAREWARE FOR FAMILY HISTORY. Their talk will show examples of free software and how they have used it in family history. The handout for the meeting will include the websites to download that freeware, plus many other free programs and will be posted on the Group's webpage. They will also give short reports about the 2010 BYU Computerized Genealogy Conference and the National Genealogical Society Annual Meeting, both held in the Salt Palace last week. They were speakers at the BYU Conference. The Snows have been involved with family history for many years and have served 4 LDS Church family history missions as a couple. Their last mission was to the London Family History Centre in England from which they returned 18 months ago. Don has been a Vice President of the Utah Valley PAF Users Group for many years. They are both retired BYU faculty members where Don taught Mathematics and Diane taught Humanities. This month they have just returned from serving as volunteer teachers in the fledgling Nauvoo Uinversity. See http://www.nauvoouniversity.com/ for information about this new school.

Following the main presentation there will be several classes taught concerning technology and family history. As always there will be classes and topics for all levels of expertise and interest. The classes and teachers presently scheduled for this meeting are as follows. (1) Documenting Sources in PAF 5 and in New FamilySearch, by Duane Dudley; (2) Genealogy on Your MAC - Bells and Whistles, by Venita Parry; (3) Hardware and Software Q&A, by Jerry Castillo; (4) Individual Help with PAF & NFS, by Finn Hansen and Max & Kathy Henrie; (5) Q&A: Freeware and Shareware for Family History. by Don and Diane Snow; (6) Video of last month's main presentation: FamilySearch's Extended Tree, by Tim Cross; (7) Ancestral Quest, by Merlin Kitchen; (8) Legacy 7.4, by Joel Graham; and (9) RootsMagic 4, by Sue Maxwell.

Training at the Family History Center

This was the class taught on Roots Magic by Ann Wagstaff.  We learned a lot and had a great time!  Please come join us next month for our training!  My apologies to those of you who I caught with closed eyes!

Will we ever get the hang of so many programs?  Just keep trying, just keep trying!

Keeping Up in Family History!

We have added connections to blogs that we feel are valuable and insightful. We realize that we can never link to everything of importance so we thought we would combine efforts and point you in the direction of many wonderful sources. If you have found a blog particularly useful or insightful pertaining to family history, please let us know so that we can share the wealth!

Remember This!

Family history work is fundamental to protecting the sacredness of the institution of the family.

Elder Russell M. Nelson-April 2010 General Conference

Microfilms on Permanent Loan

In the next couple of weeks we will be posting a listing of all of the Grove Creek FHC microfilms that are in our center on permanent loan.  We feel that this will be a great addition as patrons and sometimes consultants don't often know what is already at the center.  Please remember that this center is a great resource for Pleasant Grove, Utah family information.  See you soon!

Upcoming Training!

April Training:  Using Roots Magic to Clear Temple Ordinances and Sync Your Records by Ann Wagstaff

Saturday, April 17th at 9:00 am in the FHC
Sunday, April 18th at 8:00 pm in the FHC

Please come join us and pass the word along!

A Tidbit from the Utah South Area Family History Training Center Newsletter

Want a Great Single Page Introduction to new FamilySearch? 

Try the one that is available through Mormon Times. It can be accessed and printed.  Go to mormontimes.com On the left side of the screen under “Mormon Living” click on Family History.   In the center of the page is a section or column filled with articles on Family History that have appeared in the Mormon Times.  Scroll to the bottom of the column and click on “Click here for a full list of stories from this section”. When the list comes up, scroll down to a Feb. 26, 2010 article, “Readers Offering Advice on Using New FamilySearch”.  This is a very good article by Aaron Shill.  There you will find a box on the right side with four items listed in it.  The fourth item is a downloadable PDF.  The title is” Here’s How to Begin Using New FamilySearch. “

I have checked this out and the article is quite informative!