The Rest of the Story!

Photo Credit: www.3wordjournal.com

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about a class that Randal Wright was teaching called "3 Word Journals." I moaned that I was going to miss it at the Provo Library but then I discovered that I could catch the class later at the Riverton FamilySearch Library. I was stoked! Well, that class was this past weekend and I loved it! Brother Wright is entertaining and serious at the same time. He tells great stories about his childhood AND the lessons that he learned. What the class boiled do to was being more aware of what you do in your life. What do you observe? What experiences are you having? Brother Wright talked about journals with a passion! When he asked the audience why they didn't journal, most of them said that they didn't have time, their lives are too boring to record, can't stand to write, blah, blah, blah! We have all used those excuses! Brother Wright introduced a new concept to us, or at least to me. So, here's the scoop! I DO have permission from Brother Wright to give you the basic concept of 3 word journaling and NO, I am not getting compensated in any way for my insights. These words are mine and mine alone.

1. Keep a small notebook with you all the time.
2. Write down everyday experiences in just 3 well-chosen words.
3. Go back and spend 15 minutes elaborating on your three words.
4. Glean the life lesson learned from your experience.
5. File under topics.
6. Keep doing this. Pretty soon you will have a whole file of life experiences from which to draw talks, lessons, and helps for your loved ones.

For some really cool examples of how this works, go to 3wordjournal.com and look at the sample entries on the left side of the page. They really are insightful and they show you exactly how fun this can be! As a parting thought, below are the lessons that you will learn from The 3 Word Journal according to www.3wordjournal.com.

1. Record a journal entry in approximately 10 seconds

2. Recall and record all the significant experiences and lessons from your life

3. File every lesson from life by topic and have them instantly available

4. Become a far more interesting conversationalist

5. Prepare effective speeches, lessons and presentations very quickly

6. Easily write a multi-volume history of your life to leave for posterity

7. Have an endless supply of material for teaching, reminiscing, books and blogs

8. Enjoy a hobby for life that you will never tire of

9. Greatly increase your knowledge and make better decisions

10. Feel increased gratitude for what you have and find more happiness in life

11. Discover your strengths and talents and how to use them to reach your potential

12. Realize the weaknesses that are holding you back and how to overcome them

13. Understand more clearly why you feel and act the way you do

14. Set 100 life goals that will provide both direction and motivation to your life

15. Discover your personal mission in life

Major Upgrade to Ancestry's U.S. Yearbooks Collection!

U.S. Yearbooks Collection Gets Major Upgrade

From Ancestry.com

Ancestry.com has announced a major expansion of the U.S. school yearbooks collection available online. The newest upgrade brings the totals to over 35,000 yearbooks and covers the years 1884-2009. According to Ancestry.com that collection is about 155 million records! Wow! The U.S. Yearbook Collection includes close to seven million images from thousands of U.S. high schools, junior highs, academies, colleges and universities.

Oh Thank Heaven for '77!!!

Have You Heard about Billion Graves?

Lase weekend I was able to attend the Saturday seminar held at the Riverton FamilySearch Library. One of the classes I attended was about Billion Graves, a new application created to collect and upload cemetery headstones. Below is the information about Billion Graves that is provided by FamilySearch.org.

Logo Credit: www.billiongraves.com

Cemetery

Application makes it possible to search and display cemetery and burial information.

Volunteers

Application makes it possible for Volunteers to "Give Back" by contributing family history resources to be used by others.

Collect photos of the headstones in your local cemetery with our iPhone or Android camera applications. Then upload the mapped-out photos here. Transcribe information from uploaded headstone photos - then descendants everywhere can easily search for their ancestors. Search for your ancestors' graves using our easy search. You can access their headstone records, photos of headstones, and accurate locations of all the graves. 

Try it out! One more thing you can do with your iPhone! (or Android)

Answers to Burning Questions!

Logo credit: www.fold3.com

Last week I wrote about the name change from Footnote.com to Fold3.com. Along with the name change, the site is changing some too! On the official Fold3 blog, I found that the latest post answers those burning questions that we all are asking! What is happening?!!! Read the latest post by clicking on the above Fold3 blog link!

It's Back to School Time!

Listen to internet radio with Geneabloggers on Blog Talk RadioTonight is another great episode of GeneaBloggers Radio! If you haven't taken the opportunity to listen in, you really need to try it. Thomas MacEntee is the host and he does a really good job with the special guests as well as entertaining us! The program will start at 10 pm Eastern time, 9 pm Central time, 8 pm Mountain time and 7 pm Pacific time. The topic tonight is entitled Genealogy Back to School. The guests will include: Louise St. Denis of the National Institute of Genealogical Studies; Angela McGhie of the ProGenealogy Study Group; and Pat Stamm of the National Genealogical Society Home Study Course. As you can tell, the discussion will center around the educational programs available for genealogists and family historians. Thomas MacEntee is always full of surprises so I'm sure other topics in genealogy are bound to crop up! Tune in tonight and join the fun! "GeneaBloggers Radio is about the most fun you can have with your genealogy on a Friday night!" Those are Thomas MacEntee's words to live by!

BYU Classes for 28 August 2011

Genealogy Goes Prime Time, and It's Not Just for the Retired Anymore!

Genealogy Goes Prime Time, and It's Not Just for the Retired Anymore!
That was the message from the BYU Genealogy and Family History Conference held a couple of weeks ago on the BYU campus in Provo, Utah. Lots and lots of wonderful information and a huge syllabus to study!

The article was written by Laurie Snow Turner and published in the Deseret News. Read the full story and see if you don't agree with the title of the article...and the title of this blog post! The face of genealogy is changing...FAST

The Only Constant is Change!

New Brand will Honor and Remember those who have Served

Press Release

LINDON, UTAH -- (August 18, 2011) – Footnote.com, a premier destination for discovering family history records, today announced it will now focus primarily on offering the finest and most comprehensive collection of U.S. Military records available on the Internet.  The site gathers the most valuable U.S. military records, photos and stories to help family historians and others discover and share the memories of those who served.

As part of this new focus, the name of the site will change from Footnote to Fold3.  The Fold3 name is derived from the third fold in a traditional military flag folding ceremony which “is made in honor and remembrance of the veteran departing our ranks who gave a portion of his or her life for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world.” 

Fold3 is the web’s premier collection and destination for original U.S. military records, helping people find and share more than 74 million images of historical documents and photos. These records include valuable collections from the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, World Wars I and II and America’s more recent engagements in Vietnam and elsewhere.  Specializing in digitization of paper, microfilm and microfiche collections, Fold3 brings many never-before-seen historic documents to the web through patented processes and unique partnerships with The National Archives and other institutions. This combination of innovative technology and access to strategic partners provides subscribers with an easy way to search original documents and discover stories about the people, places and events in the conflicts that shaped America and the world.

“We have already begun expanding Fold3’s robust military collection to include new pension application files and draft cards,” said Brian Hansen, General Manager of Fold3.  “It’s truly gratifying to help researchers easily discover at home what they previously could find only by traveling to an archive.”

Fold3’s significant collections illuminate history that was once hidden. For example, Fold3’s World War II photos, Missing Air Crew Reports and JAG case files include detailed information about the ordeal of Louis Zamperini, subject of the New York Times Best Seller, Unbroken.  Similar stories about millions of service men and women lie undiscovered within the records available on Fold3.

Fold3 will continue to operate as a subsidiary of Ancestry.com, the world's largest online family history resource, which acquired Fold3 as part of its purchase of iArchives in 2010. In addition to connecting more closely to its military collection, the rebranding helps distinguish Fold3’s value as a highly complementary brand to Ancestry.com. Many family historians and genealogists may use Ancestry.com to find an ancestor who served in the military and then use Fold3 to discover the details of their service.

Ancestry Announcement!

Photo Credit: PatriotIcon.org

1940 U.S. Census to be Free on Ancestry.com

PROVO, UTAH (August 17, 2011)- Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online family history resource, today announced that both the images and indexes to the 1940 U.S. Federal Census will be made free to search, browse, and explore in the United States when this important collection commences streaming onto the website in mid-April 2012.

When complete, more than 3.8 million original document images containing 130 million plus records will be available to search by more than 45 fields, including name, gender, race, street address, county and state. It will be Ancestry.com’s most comprehensively indexed set of historical records to date.

Ancestry.com is committing to make the 1940 Census free from release through to the end of 2013, and by doing so hopes to help more people get started exploring their family history. As this census will be the most recent to be made publicly available, it represents the best chance for those new to family history to make that all-important first discovery.
“The release of the 1940 U.S. Census will be an exciting event for any American interested in learning more about their family history,” said Ancestry.com CEO Tim Sullivan. “By making this hugely important collection free to the public for an extended period, we hope to inspire a whole new generation of Americans to start researching their family history.”

“Ancestry.com is working to make the 1940 Census a truly unique interactive search experience...as well as the starting point to help new users easily get started on the world’s leading online family history resource. After finding that first family connection in the 1940 Census, we believe new users will be able to make amazing discoveries by searching our 7 billion digitized historical records, exploring the 26 million family trees created on Ancestry, and collaborating with our nearly 1.7 million subscribing members. We think that 2012 is going to be a great year of discovery for all family historians.”

Google + The Next Big Thing!



Photo Credit: Legacy Family Tree

If you missed the webinar on Google + hosted by Legacy Family Tree and featuring Paul Allen (founder of FamilyLink.com), Dan Lynch ("Mr Google," author of Google Your Family Tree and the blog http://GooglePlusforGenealogists.com) and Mark Olsen (Marketing Manager for FamilyLink.com ) you are in luck! The webinar is available to listen to until August 25th at Legacy Family Tree. This link takes you to the webinar page and you just need to scroll down to the archive section. This presentation will be the first one listed.  After that date, you will have to buy the CD if you want to catch this presentation!

Did You Miss Something?

Dennis E. Simmons
Photo Credit: Ancestry Insider

D. Joshua Taylor
Photo Credit: Association of Professional Genealogists

I wasn't able to attend the BYU Genealogy and Family History Conference this year, although I did volunteer at the BYU Family History Library booth with the vendors. That is always fun, but I really did miss the classes. I particularly hate to miss the keynote addresses that start off each day! So, I though maybe some of you might want to see what the keynote addresses were all about. Right now, two out of the three addresses have been posted here. Scroll down to the bottom and click on download. Stay tuned for the third address. It will be posted soon.

More Than Just Names on a Piece of Paper!

Photo Credit: Rayanne Melick Personal Collection

My kids (ages 22 and 25) think that I spend WAY too much time on family history. I love to take video and label pictures for posterity! Of course, I try to include them, but let's just say that they are less than enthusiastic! Although, there was this one time when my son needed a cool family story for his storytelling class. I came through big time for him! A family story complete with dynamite and mangled body parts! It's a sad story, really, but it is part of my family. In the last few years, I have been able to gather and piece together pictures of this family that was forever changed by a few sticks of dynamite, false bravado, and some poor choices. When I look at those pictures, I can imagine being in the mom's shoes and how hard this time must have been for their family. I have lost a child so I know how it hurts! This family lost one child and another one was maimed for life. As I explain this to my kids, I don't think it sinks in because they are still so young and at that "I'm going to live forever!" stage.  Russell Bangerter wrote an article this month in the Mormon Times detailing his thoughts about pictures and family history. Take the time to read Our Ancestors: More Than Just Names on Paper.  It explains why I spend so much time doing what I do!

Updated YouTube Channel!!!

FamilySearch has announced that they have updated their YouTube Channel. If you have never visited this FamilySearch Channel, you are in for a great treat! There are now different categories listed on the right and all of these videos are inspiring and informative. Here is one example of what you can expect!

BYU Classes for 14 August 2011

Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group Meeting (Formerly Utah Valley PAF Group)

Logo credit: Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group

Photo credit: http://www.uvpafug.org/

It's that time again! The Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group meeting is Saturday, August 13, 2011 from 9am-noon. The featured speaker this month is Laurie Castillo, who will speak on "New FamilySearch Best Practices-Surviving in the Trenches."

A Marriage Created by Technology!

This is the QR barcode for the Grove Creek Family History Blog

I am so grateful to live in the area that I do. Family history information abounds, all we have to do is open our eyes! Today in the local newspaper (Daily Herald) there was an article about using barcodes to access your ancestor history! Wow! Wouldn't that be so cool? You have a little QR (QR stands for "quick response") barcode on your ancestor's headstone. When anyone visits, they just point their smartphone at the barcode and they will be linked to a website with pictures, audio clips, stories, and other things about that person! Can you imagine how this could work? I work diligently on my family history, but sometimes it seems that there is no one to share it with. I think that this is a great idea! The creator of this app is Hudson Gunn, president of Code_IT Barcodes. He envisions partnering with organizations like Ancestry.com and the LDS Church that could really push this information out there to everyone! Again, I'm not selling or recommending anything, just passing some very interesting information along to you! Only time will tell if this really is feasible and helpful or not, but I'm sure interested in this new application! Click on either Daily Herald link to read the whole article.

There is Hope after All!

My last post talked about a class by Randall Wright at the Provo Library on 3 Word Journals. I was dismayed to find that I couldn't attend the class because of a conflict! As I was looking at the Riverton FamilySearch Library class schedule for August, a hallelujah chorus started in my head! Randall Wright will be speaking on 3 Word Journals at the monthly seminar in Riverton! Can I say that I am excited? I am! I will go and I will enjoy and I will ask permission to share my notes! Here is the August 20th, 2011 seminar schedule!

Riverton FamilySearch Library Seminar

Saturday, August 20, 2011, 9:00 am - Noon

13400 South and Bangerter Hwy.

Photo Credit: 3wordjournal.com

9:00 a.m. - Keynote Address - "The Three Word Journal: Finding Your Purpose in Life" - Randal Wright (learn more about this in advance at 3wordjournal.com) Check out the sample chapters!

10:00 a.m. - “New FamilySearch Advanced Issues, Part 1" - Cathy Anderegg

10:00 a.m. - "The Google Genealogist" - Devin Ashby

10:00 a.m. - "Pennsylvania Research, an Overview" - Tim Bingaman

10:00 a.m. - "You sNEWS You Lose - Using Newspapers in Research" - Bret Peterson

11:00 a.m. - “New FamilySearch Advanced Issues, Part 2" - Cathy Anderegg

11:00 a.m. - “Synchronizing PAF 5 Data with New FamilySearch using Ancestral Quest, the Program from which PAF 5 was Derived" - Paul Johnson

11:00 a.m. - "Research Strategies and Web Sites" - Diana Toland

11:00 a.m. - "FamilySearch and Billion Graves - Family History Sources Right at Your Feet" - Tim Cross 

The 3 Word Journal!

Photo Credit: http://www.provolibrary.com/

I have really been thinking about journals and personal history lately. My last post addressed this, but I am still thinking about it, so here goes another one! I guess I am reviewing my life lately and I am wondering what will be written about me when I die. Did I make a contribution to society? Did I make a contribution to my family? What did I teach them? What did they learn from me? Will relatives down the line be interested in my life?

I went to the Provo Library today and saw this flyer! I am going to see if I can find this book. I am always interested in different ways to journal and write personal histories. In our fast paced world, the written word is getting the shaft in favor of short emails and text messaging. This book looks interesting, and no, I'm not being reimbursed or anything like that by companies that I mention. It's just me, wanting to let you know what is out there and around. With the Internet, many things that were once only in one place can now be accessed anywhere in the world. It's awesome!

If this looks interesting to you, you can learn more about it at www.3wordjournal.com. Again, I'm not promoting or being compensated for this, I just thought that you would like to know!

Will You Be Remembered?

Clip art: Microsoft Office Images|

 The other day I was contemplating the mysteries of the universe and my brain landed upon the subject of writing a personal history. Have you written your personal history yet? I have often wished that I had journals of something of my ancestors so that I could know what their lives were like. Sure, I can go to history books ( or google different time periods) and find out what was happening in their lifetimes, but having a personal record would be so much nicer! I find that I would hate to leave this world without giving my kids a little something about their mom. At least, they will find out that "yes, I was young once!" and "yes, I do know how you feel."
Getting started is the hard part, at least for most people. The task seems so overwhelming. Here is a link that gives some ideas and other links to help you get started. Find your own personal style and write, write, write!

P.S. Check out Geneabloggers Radio Program #27 from this past Friday night. The topic was Your Story Matters – Capturing Your Personal Family History

Special guests included Ian Kath from Sydney, Australia, founder of Create Your Life Story; Zach Weiner Storytree.me and Amy Coffin of the We Tree blog. 

Have You Gone Social Yet?

Photo Credit: http://broadcast.lds.org/elearning/FHD/Community/en/Community/Robin_Foster/Going_Social_with_Genealogy/Player.html

Does the mention of  Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, etc. set you on edge? Do you wish that all of this social fluff would go away so you could do some real genealogy? Well, guess what? Going "social" with genealogy is important in the 21st century! Technology has brought us so many new ways to do genealogy and to connect with records and relatives! Sure, we still have snail mail and trips to the dusty old courthouses, but technology is giving us new options to connect.  Not sure how to do it? Feeling out of your comfort zone? Do you need someone to hold your hand? The LDS Church has now provided someone to guide you through the learning curve in a new research class called "Going Social with Genealogy!" The class is 31 minutes long and has both audio, video, and a resource handout. So how about a date "going social" this Friday night?

Church History Library Catalog

The LDS Church History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah

Photo Credit: Wikipedia/Church History Library

Did you know that the Church History Library is the world leader in digital content of religious history? No? I didn't either! Emily W. Jensen of the Mormon Times blog, Today in the Bloggernacle, points us to a Review of the Church History Library Catalog by J. Stapley. Definitely worth your time to read and learn about this great resource!

What Do You Want to Do?

BYU's desktop at the FHL has added a new link that is exciting! Take a look at the 4th link down under Navigation and you will see the title "What Do You Want to Do." You will also see that in the new blue box on the right hand side.

http://lib.byu.edu/sites/familyhistory/

Click on either one of these links and this is what you will see...

http://lib.byu.edu/sites/familyhistory/finding-sources/

 

 

 

Say you are interested in finding some ancestors that you know were in a pioneer company traveling west. Click on the "Find LDS Ancestors" link and this is what you will see...

http://lib.byu.edu/sites/familyhistory/finding-sources/#ldsancestors

Look under "Search Pioneer Companies." When you click on the link, it will ask you for the name you are searching. You can also search by company if you know this or the year involved. This is what I found for my William Gimbert Saunders...

http://lds.org/churchhistory/library/pioneerdetails/1,15791,4018-1-21111,00.html

Now I can read about this ancestor. Also note under the sources that there is a link to read a trail excerpt. Cool, huh!

There is so much more to this desktop that all I can say is GO PLAY WITH IT! Maybe you will be able to knock down a brick wall with specific sources listed that you didn't know about or that you didn't know how to access!. Isn't the Internet wonderful?

This is from FamilySearch...

FamilySearch Adds 12 Million New Records and Images This Week

The England and Mexico Collections Contain the Lion’s Share of the New Additions

19 July 2011

The recent collection updates at FamilySearch.org are too diverse to summarize—seigniorial and notarial records, bishop’s transcripts and parish registers, citizen lists, court case files—you get the picture.  The largest collection updates this week are from England and Mexico—eight million records and images between the two countries’ collections. Another 4 million records and images were added for Austria, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Sweden, USA, and Wales. Search the records online now at FamilySearch.org. See the list below for more details.

FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer–driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter–day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online atFamilySearch.org or through over 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Collection	Records	Images	Comments
Austria, Upper Austria Seigniorial Records, 1537-1888	0	116,182	New browsable image collection.
Belgium Civil Registration, 1795-1920	0	29,195	Added browsable images to existing collection.
Canada, Quebec Notarial Records, 1800-1900	0	150,480	Added browsable images to existing collection.
Canada, Quebec Notarial Records, 1800-1900	0	35,342	Added browsable images to existing collection.
England, Cheshire Bishop's Transcripts, 1598-1900	202,219	0	Added index records to existing collection.
England, Cheshire Parish Registers, 1538-2000	929,054		Added images and index to existing collection.
England, Lancashire, Cheshire, Yorkshire, Parish Registers, 1603-1910	947,377	332,814	New index collection.
Germany, Westfalen, Minden Citizen Lists, 1574-1902	14,707	902	New index collection.
Italy, Civil Registration, 1806-1940	0	4,284	Added browsable images to existing collection for Salerno.
Italy, Waldensian Evangelical Church Records	0	16,082	Added browsable images to existing collection.
Mexico, Guanajuato, Catholic Church Records, 1576-1984	0	2,271,610	Added browsable images to existing collection.
Mexico, Querétaro, Catholic Church Records	0	1,352,091	New browsable image collection.
Mexico, San Luis Potosí, Catholic Church Records, 1586-1970	0	2,110,380	Added browsable images to existing collection.
Mexico, Veracruz, Catholic Church Records	0	2,486,833	New browsable image collection.
South Africa, Methodist Parish Registers, 1822-1996	0	18,726	New browsable image collection.
Sweden, Södermanland Church Records, 1640-1860	19,783	1,302	Added images and index to existing collection.
U.S., Arkansas, Draft Registration Cards, compiled 1948-1959	0	14,402	Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., California, San Mateo County Records, 1856-1967	0	62,131	Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., California, San Mateo County, Colma, Italian Cemetery Records	0	4,902	Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., Louisiana, Second Registration Draft Cards, compiled 1948-1959	0	35,210	Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., Maine, State Archive Collections	0	17,613	Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., Maryland, Register of Wills Books, 1792-1983	0	23,884	Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., Michigan, State Census, 1894	381,961	0	New index collection.
U.S., Mississippi, Tippah County Marriages, 1858-1979	0	17,039	New browsable image collection.
U.S., Montana, Rosebud County Records	0	43,056	Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., New York, Orange County Probate Records, 1787-1938	0	30,344	Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., North Carolina, State Supreme Court Case Files, 1800-1909	0	256,204	New browsable image collection.
U.S., Texas County Tax Rolls, 1846-1910	9,723	0	Added index records to existing collection.
U.S., Texas, Daughters of the Republic of Texas, Membership Applications, 1892-2010	0	3,375	Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., Washington State, Army National Guard Records, 1880-1947	0	11,647	Added browsable images to existing collection.
U.S., Wisconsin, Probate Estate Files, 1848-1933	0	26,634	Added browsable images to existing collection for Green County.
Wales, Probate Abstracts, 1773-1780	0	3,466	Added browsable images to existing collection.

Beauty in Family History!

I was cruising around some genealogy blogs today and found something that I thought was awe inspiring! I just had to share it with you! Go to AAAGeneaology to read the background for this beautiful quilt!

The 9-Block Family Quilt, 5 Generations 
1838 - 2011
Quilted by Kathleen Brandt, 2011
Photo Credit: aaagenealogy.blogspot.com

Thanks, Kathleen Brandt, for sharing this beautiful quilt with the world!

Genealogy Tip of the Day: Avoid That 21st Century Mind

Genealogy Tip of the Day: Avoid That 21st Century Mind: "It may be difficult, but remember when reading or analyzing any document that unless it was created during your lifetime, there might be some cultural, historical, economic, or legal events impacting..."

Source: Michael John Neill, Genealogy Tip of the Day, posted 9 May 2011
http://genealogytipoftheday.blogspot.com/

Using Blogs in Genealogy!

Photo Credit: Chuck Melick

There is a great article called " Genealogy Meets the Blogosphere: Using social media for family history research" in the Mormon Times, 14 July 2011 issue. Hillary Bowler does a great job pointing out the reasons why more genealogists are turning to blogging. The article mentions one of my favorite bloggers, Thomas MacEntee, founder of Geneabloggers. 
All in all, I say, "Right on!" It's time to jump on the blogging bandwagon! By the way, this blog is listed on Geneabloggers along with 1900+ others! You may want to check them out and see what all the buzz is about!

YouTube and FamilySearch

Did you know that FamilySearch has it's own channel on YouTube? Yep, it does! There are lots of videos on different aspects of family history and genealogy. There are also some really cute kids who explain to us what family history is.  For example, this one!

BYU's Conference on Family History and Genealogy

Photo Credit: http://thecricketandseagull.com/

Do you ever wonder what BYU's Conference on Family History and Geneaolgy is all about? Steven Kapp Perry of the Cricket and Seagull Fireside Chats sat down and talked to John Best about this conference. Listen to the interview here! Click on the line below the picture that says, "listen to this weeks podcast."

Write it Down!

This is the second in the ongoing series from FamilySearch called 5 minute genealogy! You should try it! It works!

By the way, happy 4th of July to all my American friends!

Press Release for July Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group Meeting (UVTAGG)

UTAH VALLEY TECHNOLOGY AND GENEALOGY GROUP MEETING (UVTAGG)

The next regular, second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting of the Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group - UVTAGG (Formerly the Utah Valley PAF Users Group - UVPAFUG) will be on Saturday, 9 Jul 2011, from 9 am to noon in the LDS "Red Chapel", 4050 North Timpview Drive (650 East), Provo. Information about the Group, main presentations, classes, and class notes are available on their website http://uvtagg.org and the press releases are at http://blog.uvpafug.org/ . With the organization's name change, these URL's will also be changed eventually.

The main presentation for this meeting will be by David E. Rencher on FAMILYSEARCH PRODUCTS AND FEATURES. FamilySearch continues to make a wide variety of products and services available to genealogists throughout the world. This presentation highlights the many uses of these new products from the view of the Chief Genealogical Officer at FamilySearch. David E. Rencher, AG, CG, FIGRS, FUGA, is employed by the Family History Department in Salt Lake City as the Chief Genealogical Officer for FamilySearch. A professional genealogist since 1977, he is an Accredited GenealogistCM with ICAPGenSM in Ireland research and a Certified GenealogistSM with the Board for Certification of Genealogists®. He is the Irish course coordinator and instructor for the Samford University Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research (IGHR) in Birmingham, Alabama. He graduated from Brigham Young University in 1980 with a BA in Family and Local History. He is a past-president of the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) 1997-2000, a national genealogical society umbrella organization, a past-president of the Utah Genealogical Association (UGA) 1993-1995 and a Fellow of that organization. He is a fellow of the Irish Genealogical Research Society, London and is a vice-president of the Genealogical Society of Utah (GSU). He is currently serving as the Chair of the joint Federation of Genealogical Societies and National Genealogical Society committee for Record Preservation and Access and serves as the Secretary for the Federation of Genealogical Societies, and as trustee for the Umpstead, Jr. and Elizabeth Jemima Philpott Rencher and the Winslow Farr, Sr. Family Organizations. There is further information about him online at http://www.apgen.org/directory/search_detail.html?mbr_id=176 .

Following the main presentation there will be several classes about family history and technology with something for everyone at any level of expertise.

The teachers and classes presently scheduled for this meeting are as follows:
(1) Research at BYU: the Other FHL - 5 Levels, 3 Wings, and Online Resources, by Laurie Castillo;
(2) MAC: Cemeteries, OSX Tips, and Reunion Reports, by Ron Snowden;
(3) Personalized Help, by Don Engstrom & Finn Hansen;
(4) Q&A: FamilySearch Products and Features, by David E. Rencher;
(5) Video of last month's main presentation: Finding and Analyzing Collections of Personal Letters - Erastus Snow, by Don and Diane Snow;
(6) Ancestral Quest, by Gaylon Findlay;
(7) Legacy 7.5, by Joel Graham; and
(8) RootsMagic 4, by Bruce Buzbee.

All meetings of the Group are open to the public whether members of the Group or not. The Users Group has the goal of helping individuals use technology to further their family history and there are usually 100-125 attending the monthly meetings on the second Saturdays. The officers are Gerhard Ruf, President; Laurie Castillo, 1st VP; Don Snow, 2nd VP; Liz Kennington, Newsletter Editor; Kay Baker, Gerry Eliason, and Don Engstrom working with finances and membership; and Bruce Merrill and Marie Andersen, working with the DVD Library. Several of these will be there to answer questions, help with membership, distribute the current issue of the monthly newsletter, and check out DVDs of past presentations and classes to members of the group. Information about the Group, presentations, classes, and class notes can be found at the websites mentioned above. For further information contact President Gerhard Ruf at pres@uvpafug.org (801-225-6106) or 1st VP Laurie Castillo at laurie@everythingisrelative.net, or 2nd VP Don Snow at snowd@math.byu.edu.