Federation Of Genealogical Societies (FGS) Now Has Annual Conference Program Guide Available and Online Registration Activated for the Upcoming August 21 – August 24, 2013 Conference in Fort Wayne, Indiana

Hi Everyone!

The FGS now has the Annual Conference Program Guide available to look at and save as a PDF file for the upcoming August 21 – August 24, 2013  Annual conference that will take place in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The title of the Conference is “Journey Through Generations”.

The FGS has also activated the online registration process to get yourself registered for this conference.

You can view the 16 page conference program guide here at:

2013 FGS Annual Conference Guide

The society will take online registration but will also take registration by mail.  You can just download and print the online form, fill it out and mail it back to the FGS.

It appears the costs are as follows:

• Early registration prior to July 1, 2013 for full conference is $190
• Late registration after July 1, 2013 for full conference is $240.
• Early registration prior to July 1, 2013 for a single day of the conference is $80
• Late registration after July 1, 2013 for a single day of the conference is $100

In addition to the basic fees noted above, the conference brochure notes that there are other fees related to the conference syllabus and a host of other workshop fees should you choose to participate.  There are also separate fees for individual luncheons on each day of the conference should you choose to participate in these programs.

Take a look at the link I provided to the full program guide.  All of the programs, registration material, fees, special programs, keynote speeches are noted.

I encourage the genealogical researcher to at least once in their lifetime attend one of these multi-day national genealogical conferences.  You will be in genealogy research/education heaven!

Here is a link to 2013 conference information from the FGS website at:

2013 FGS Conference Information

Please take a look at the above link.

While at the site, see all of the other resources and materials that are offered by the Federation of Genealogical Societies.  You can even find information about past conferences.

Enjoy the program material, see what interests you, and make your plans to go to this annual conference.

Tony Kierna
Genealogy Coordinator
Schaumburg Township District Library

Upcoming Genealogy Webinars/Programs Sponsored By The Wisconsin Historical Society; PDF Registration Form; Fees Required To Participate

Hi Everyone,

One of our librarians made me aware that the Wisconsin Historical Society is sponsoring genealogy webinars as well as on-site genealogy programs .

You know that in the past I have indicated my strong feelings about genealogy webinars as a great tool to advance your genealogy research skills.  I have posted much about webinars being offered from a variety of societies and organizations.

Here is one more resource for you to consider to help your own research.

I did see that registration is required in order to participate in the online webinars or to attend in person the genealogy programs that are being conducted in Madison, WI.

Fees are also required in order to participate.  As is typical with fee structures, members of the Wisconsin Historical Society or the Wisconsin State Genealogy Society receive a discounted fee when they participate.  Non-members of either organization  can also participate in these webinars and programs but usually at the highest fee schedule.

I saw that fee schedules seem to range from the $25 to $35 level for members of the above organizations to a $40 fee for non-members to participate.

Here is the link to the Wisconsin Historical Society part of their website that will provide you with information about these upcoming programs and registration information.

Genealogy Webinars And Programs Sponsored By The Wisconsin Historical Society

There are currently 9 webinars/programs scheduled on the calendar between now and June 2013.  Take a look at the topics.  See if any fit your interests.  It appears registration can be accomplished via  a phone call, an e-mail or a mailed in registration form you can download as a PDF.

Just remember that some of the programs are in webinar format that you connect to online via your computer to participate. Other programs are actually conducted in Madison, WI at what appears to be the site of the Wisconsin Historical Society.

I am still looking over the site, but one thing I have not seen is an “archive” of completed webinars that perhaps might be available to view by anyone at no cost.  They may not exist yet.  Also, they may only be available for members of the Wisconsin Historical Society or members of the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society.

I posed a query with the Wisconsin Historical Society about an “archive” of previously recorded webinars and who can access those if they exist.  They did respond to my query and indicated they currently have only a 2 week window during which presented programs are in the “archive”.  They will be investigating this short window to see if it can be extended for a longer time to include many more presented programs.

The Wisconsin Historical Society just started this webinar/program process in September 2012.  They are learning as they go and will be making the process even better in the future.

Take advantage of these wonderful webinars.  It will make you a better genealogical researcher.

Tony Kierna
Genealogy Coordinator
Schaumburg Township District Library

Northwest Suburban Council Of Genealogists (NWSCG) Next Program Scheduled For Saturday Morning, April 6, 2013 At 10:00 AM; “Pursuing The “Dash” – Preparing For Your Genealogy Research Trip” By Dan Wertz

Hi Everyone,

I just received a program notice from the Northwest Suburban Council of Genealogists indicating that their next genealogy program is scheduled for Saturday morning, April 6, 2013 at 10:00 AM.

The society will be meeting on Saturday, April 6, 2013 at 10:00 AM at the Arlington Heights Senior Center at 1801 W. Central Rd. in Arlington Heights, IL.

There is no prior registration needed.  There is no fee to attend.

The society offers an early informal gathering at 9:30 AM that would allow you to exchange information and ask questions with others present at the time before the formal program starts.

Please be sure to view the link below that will get you to the program description material supplied to me by the society. 

The speaker for the morning program will be Dan Wertz.  The speaker will present a program titled “Pursuing the “Dash” – Preparing For Your Genealogy Research Trip“.

Please take a look at the full PDF announcement of the program by going to:

Northwest Suburban Council of Genealogists (NWSCG) April 6, 2013 Program Notice

You will find more details about the program location, the program contents and some information about Dan Wertz, the speaker for the morning from the above link to the program information.

Tony Kierna
Genealogy Coordinator
Schaumburg Township District Library

March 2013 Schaumburg Township District Library Genealogy Program Handouts Uploaded As A PDF for March 12, 2013 Genealogy Program

Hi Everyone!

I have added the March 2013 Schaumburg Township District Library Genealogy Program Handouts as a PDF file into the PROGRAM HANDOUTS Category on the right sidebar of the blog.

Here is a direct link to the March 2013 Handouts for your convenience:

March 2013 Schaumburg Township District Library Genealogy Program Handouts

Take a look at it if you choose to browse through it in advance of our Genealogy Program that will take place on Tuesday evening, March 12, 2013 at 7:30 PM at our main library location at 130 S. Roselle Road in Schaumburg, IL.

You can read the handouts online or you can save them as a PDF file to your own computer for reading offline and more detailed searching through all of the contents.

You will also note that I have started “highlighting” in this uploaded PDF key points within the handout  by using  the “yellow highlighting” function within Microsoft Word.  This will allow your eyes to visually see key points within the handouts that I want to emphasize.  I hope you will enjoy being able to more easily see these key points within the set of handouts through this highlighting technique.  I plan on highlighting within the Handout file on a going forward basis.

Please note that the Handouts PDF file has embedded Bookmarks to allow you to move to the handouts of interest to you quickly without having to scroll through the entire document.  Just open the Bookmark window in the PDF file and select the handout of interest for quick access.

You can also get to the handouts of interest to you quickly via the Table of Contents at the beginning of the document.  You will find hyperlinks that will get you directly to the handout of interest to you from the Table of Contents.

Please note that you can access directly any and all URL Links that you find within the Handouts PDF.  You can get directly to the website being mentioned from within the handout being mentioned.

Enjoy the handouts.

Tony Kierna
Genealogy Coordinator
Schaumburg Township District Library

March 2013 Schaumburg Township District Library Genealogy Newsletter Uploaded As A PDF for March 12, 2013 Genealogy Program

Hi Everyone!

I have added the March 2013 Schaumburg Township District Library Genealogy Newsletter as a PDF file into the NEWSLETTER Category on the right sidebar of the blog.

Here is a direct link to the March 2013 Newsletter for your convenience:

March 2013 Schaumburg Township District Library Genealogy Newsletter

Take a look at it if you choose to browse through it in advance of our Genealogy Program that will take place on Tuesday evening, March 12, 2013 at 7:30 PM at our main library location at 130 S. Roselle Road in Schaumburg, IL.

You can read the newsletter online or you can save it as a PDF file to your own computer for reading offline and more detailed searching through all of the contents.

Please note that the Newsletter has Bookmarks and Hyperlinks within the document to make for fast navigation from within the Table of Contents.  You can quickly get to the spots that interest you from the Table of Contents.

Enjoy the newsletter.

Tony Kierna
Genealogy Coordinator
Schaumburg Township District Library

Reminder: Our Next Genealogy Program At STDL Is Tomorrow March 12, 2013

Hi Everyone!

It is that time once again when we will be having another Genealogy Program at the central location of the Schaumburg Township District Library on Tuesday evening, March 12, 2013 at 7:30 PM.  We are located at 130 S. Roselle Road in Schaumburg, IL.

There is no pre-registration required in order to attend the program.  There is no fee charged to attend.  Anyone can attend this program.  You do not have to be a library card holder with the Schaumburg Township District Library in order to attend.

Here is a summary of the information about the program:

The Genealogy program will be held on Tuesday, March 12, 2013 at 7:30 PM in the 2nd floor Classroom.  There is no formal presentation for this gathering.  Instead, we will have our breakout group discussions so participants can work within a small group of people having specific interests in a common genealogical topic.  The object is to share information and experience on this topic among those in the breakout group.
 
We are planning on having the same breakout groups we had in our previous breakout groups based on various nationalities.  These will be Polish, Czech, German, Irish, British, Italian, Scandinavian, as well as Colonial American.  There will also be a Beginners Group as well as a “Share Your Family History Book/Report” table that will allow those that have created a Family History Book to share with others at the table how they created it.

A laptop computer connected to our projector will also be available in the room to use by those in attendance.  Participants are also encouraged to bring in their own lap top or net book to connect wirelessly to the library’s WiFi Network. This will allow the user to share information with other participants in areas of genealogical research.
 
Some of the above mentioned groups may be eliminated if there are not enough participants in any one group to make it beneficial.  Some groups that have not been identified may be added.  
 
The doors to the room will open at approximately 7 PM so participants can pick up the handouts, review books and journals and interact with other participants.  Tony Kierna, the STDL genealogist, will start the program at 7:30.  Introductions of new participants will occur as well as a brief review of handouts and genealogical matters.  It is expected that the breakout groups will form at around 7:45-8:00 PM.  We will end the session by 9:30 PM.
 
For further information contact Tony Kierna at 847-923-3390.

Tony Kierna
Genealogy Coordinator
Schaumburg Township District Library

New Poll On Right Sidebar Of The Blog; Simple Question Being Posed; “Have You Uploaded Your Genealogy Research To A Site Like Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, RootsWeb.com, GENI.com etc.?”; “Yes” Or “No”?

Hi Everyone!

Well, here goes another Poll that is now on the right sidebar of the blog right at the top of the blog homepage.

This time I am just asking for a simple response to a very basic question.

“Have You Uploaded Your Genealogy Research To Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, RootsWeb.com, GENI.com etc.?”  Yes or No

Simple, direct and to the point.

Uploading your family history research to many of the popular online genealogy sites opens up the possibility for you to make connections to as yet unknown cousins who are probably searching online sites to make connections themselves.  You yourself are also probably searching these sites to make connections to unknown cousins.

These uploads provide you with the ability to be discovered and maybe even form collaborative relationships with these unknown cousins to increase even more of the family history you are researching.

Many may still feel a little squeamish about uploading material because you are now “out there”.  Being private does still have its benefits!  Being discovered can have some unplanned effects, many good, some bad.  But as they say “If you take no chance, you have no chance!”

What kind of researcher are you?  One who looks forward to new connections with total strangers each of whom shares the same family connections as you.  The more connections you make the happier you are!  The more the merrier!

Or are you still operating below the radar.  The horror stories are just too much to bear and the uncertainty of what could happen still makes you play on the sidelines!

Which one are you?

Take a look at the new Poll.  Consider providing a reply.

Let’s see how active this poll can be.

The more the merrier!

Tony Kierna
Genealogy Coordinator
Schaumburg Township District Library