UpFront with NGS

11 April 2016

NGS Releases Mobile App for 2016 Family History Conference

Arlington, VA, 11 APRIL 2016—The National Genealogical Society (NGS) announces the release of its mobile app for the NGS 2016 Family History Conference, which will be held 4‒7 May 2016, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The app is available for iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone, and web-enabled devices. To download the free NGS mobile app, go to http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/attend/mobile-app/.

With the NGS 2016 mobile app, you can:

§ Stay organized with up-to-the-minute exhibitor, speaker, and event information

§ Sync the app across all of your devices with Multi-Device Sync

§ Receive important real-time communications from NGS

§ Build a personalized schedule with times and locations of sessions

§ Locate and bookmark exhibitors on the convention center maps

§ Take notes and download event handouts and presentations

§ Rate and comment on the sessions you attend

§ Find attendees and connect with your colleagues through Friends

§ Stay in-the-know and join in on social media with #NGS2016GEN

§ And much, much more!

We encourage you to begin using the app now so you can improve your conference experience in Fort Lauderdale.

Founded in 1903, the National Genealogical Society is dedicated to genealogical education, exemplary standards of research, and the preservation of genealogical records. The Arlington, Virginia, based nonprofit is the premier national society for everyone, from the beginner to the most advanced family historian, seeking excellence in publications, educational offerings, and guidance in research. It also offers many opportunities to interact with other genealogists. Please visit the NGS Pressroom for further information.

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NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.

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Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com

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Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.

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09 April 2016

Notice of NGS Annual Meeting & List of Nominating Committee Nominations

The Annual Meeting of the National Genealogical Society will be held at the NGS 2016 Family History Conference at the Greater Ft. Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center, 1950 Eisenhower Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at 5:15 p.m. EDT on Saturday, 7 May 2016. The 2016 election of officers and board members of NGS will be held at said Annual Meeting. The following is a list of the nominations made by the NGS Nominating Committee:

President	Benjamin B. Spratling, JD	Alabama	2016–2018
Vice President	Teresa Koch-Bostic	New York	2016–2018
Secretary	B. Darrell Jackson, PhD, CG^SM	Michigan	2016–2018
Treasurer	Daryl S. Johanson, CPA	Texas	2016–2018
Director Region 3	Jean Atkinson Andrews, CG	South Carolina	2016–2020
Director Region 4	Pamela Stone Eagleson, CG	Maine	2016–2020
Director at Large	Kathryn M. Doyle	California	2016–2020
Director at Large	Sharon Cook MacInnes, PhD	Virginia	2016–2020

Pursuant to the Bylaws of NGS, additional nominations may be made by a petition signed by not less than one hundred (100) members of NGS and submitted to the Nominating Committee at least fourteen (14) days prior to the election. NGS members who wish to submit such a petition may e-mail it to the Nominating Committee at nominations2016@ngsgenealogy.org or send it via U.S. mail to NGS Nominating Committee, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22204-4370. To be considered for the 2016 election, any additional nominations made by such a petition must be received by 23 April 2016. No additional nominations may be made after 23 April 2016 or from the floor of the Annual Meeting. For information on open positions for the 2016 election including requirements for board membership, visit the website http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/2016_elections or write the NGS Nominating Committee at the address stated above.

The list of Nominating Committee members and additional biographical information on board nominees can be found at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/2016_elections.

Release Date: 9 April 2016

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NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.

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Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

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Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com

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Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.

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07 April 2016

The Family History Guide (FREE Resource)

One of the semifinalists in the 2016 Innovator Showdown at Rootstech was The Family History Guide.

Dick Eastman (Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter) gives you a great overview of this new website in his post, The Family History Guide is Now Available Online.

The Family History Guide is a huge website aimed for beginners and advanced genealogy researchers alike. It is not a simple ebook published in PDF or some other format. Instead, it is a full interactive guide that contains some of its information on the Family History Guide’s own web site and adds hundreds of links to other web sites that also contain useful information...

I will admit that once Rootstech ended, I haven’t given much thought to the Innovator Showdown, the semifinalists nor winners.

Have any of you checked them out? If you have, please share which is your favorite and why?

Finalists	Location	Video Submission
Tap Genes 1st Place $20,000 cash $25,000 in-kind prizes*	Chicago, Illinois, USA	Your health. Your legacy. Their future. Preserve your family's health story. http://rootstech.devpost.com/submissions/45744-tapgenes-discover-your-family-s-health-story
Studio (by Legacy Republic) 2nd Place $14,000 cash $25,000 in-kind prizes*	Santa Clara, California, USA	Solving America’s one-billion photo album problem. http://rootstech.devpost.com/submissions/45750-studio-by-legacy-republic
Twile 3rd Place $6,000 cash $25,000 in kind prizes* Peoples Choice Award! - $10,000	Doncaster, South Yorkshire, UK	Twile turns your family tree in to a rich, visual time line of your family history. http://rootstech.devpost.com/submissions/45738-twile
Ancestor Cloud	Provo, Utah, USA	The market place for family discovery. http://rootstech.devpost.com/submissions/45758-ancestorcloud
JRNL	Las Vegas, Nevada, USA	A journaling platform that allows users to capture and organize meaningful content from their life. http://rootstech.devpost.com/submissions/45753-jrnl
The History Project	Oakland, California, USA	Where memories come to life. http://rootstech.devpost.com/submissions/45453-the-history-project

Semi-Finalists	Location	Video Submission
Famicity	Paris, France	Famicity, a service to preserve and enhance a family legacy, from roots to the future. http://rootstech.devpost.com/submissions/45118-famicity
GenSoup	Vienna, Austria	Online family history for central and eastern Europe. We bring your ancestors to life! http://rootstech.devpost.com/submissions/45469-gensoup
Kindex	Kaysville, Utah, USA	Indexing for families, by families. http://rootstech.devpost.com/submissions/45783-kindex
Legacy Scribes	St. George, Utah, USA	Preserve a legacy by digitizing a journal. Transcribe, access online, and share with family, friends, or the world. http://rootstech.devpost.com/submissions/45503-legacy-scribes
Scribbitt	Yuba City, California, USA	Expansive journaling for today, genealogy for the future. http://rootstech.devpost.com/submissions/45452-scribbitt
The Family History Guide	Sandy, Utah, USA	Your free learning, resource, and training center for family history. http://rootstech.devpost.com/submissions/45454-the-family-history-guide

Editor’s Note: Some related posts include Rootstech Innovator Showdown -- 12 Semifinalists -- Who will win? and Forbes + Rootstech = Great Press for Genealogy!

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NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.

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Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

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Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com

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Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.

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Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!

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06 April 2016

A Billion Records FREE via American Ancestors (NEHGS) [Ends 13 April 2016]

From our Friends at American Ancestors (NEHGS) ...

American Ancestors by NEHGS Announces an Unprecedented, Historic Event for Genealogists: A BILLION Records FREE! AmericanAncestors.org/Free-Billion

April 6, 2016—Boston, Massachusetts — America’s oldest and largest genealogical society announces a historic event for family historians around the world. From April 6 to April 13, American Ancestors by New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) is offering FREE access to all of its online records on AmericanAncestors.org. More than one billion records covering 18 countries— including the most important family history research materials for early America created by the experts and scholars at NEHGS—and all are open to anyone who registers for a free account. Start searching now at AmericanAncestors.org/Free-Billion.

To assist family historians of all levels in locating more pieces of the family tree puzzle, NEHGS is granting this unprecedented free access to its entire collection of genealogical databases from Wednesday, April 6, 2016, at 12:00 a.m. (EDT) through Wednesday, April 13, 2016, at 11:59 p.m. (EDT). Free accounts on AmericanAncestors.org ordinarily allow visitors only a sample of the vast offerings that NEHGS provides family historians of all levels. This unprecedented free access promotion by NEHGS from April 6 through April 13 offers the Society’s entire collection of online content for eight full days to anyone who registers for a free account.

About American Ancestors and NEHGS

Holding the largest collection of original family history materials in the country, the New England Historic Genealogical Society, founded in 1845, is the nation’s oldest and largest genealogical society. Our website, AmericanAncestors.org, offers access to more than 1 billion searchable records and leading scholarly resources to help you advance your family history research. Our expert staff helps researchers of all levels explore their past and their families’ unique place in history. Located in Boston, our research center houses millions of manuscripts, books, and original items to preserve the stories of families in America and beyond.

Editor’s NOTE: Underline/bold added by this editor.

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NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

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Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.

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Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!

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05 April 2016

Some "Rich" Folklife Archives

Since UNC Chapel Hill has a Southern Folklife Collection, I read with great interest Alan Lomax's Massive Archive Goes Online (housed on the website of the Association for Cultural Equity).

Folklorist Alan Lomax spent his career documenting folk music traditions from around the world. Now thousands of the songs and interviews he recorded are available for free online, many for the first time. It's part of what Lomax envisioned for the collection — long before the age of the Internet.

More material of Alan Lomax can be found in the Lomax Family (collection) at the American Folklife Center (Library of Congress).

Of course, I had to see if there are other Folklife collections available to researchers and discovered the Florida Folklife Collection, South Georgia Folklife Collection, and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.

Are there other folklife collections you are aware of that family historians might want to explore?

An appreciation of regional, ethic, or other groups’ traditional expressive culture always benefits our research into family and the context of the lives of our ancestors.

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NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.

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Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!

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04 April 2016

FREE Access -- Fold3 Civil War Collection [ends 15th April 2016]

Civil War research has just gotten easier, at least for the next 10 days or so. Do you have ancestors who served in the Civil War? Fold3 will be allowing free access to its Civil War collection to remember the commencement of the Civil War and commemorate Confederate History Month.

The Fold3 Civil War Records collection includes:

“.. paying tribute to those who fought in the bloody war—both North and South—and discover information about famous participants as well as your own Civil War ancestors through documents, photos, and images that capture the experiences of those involved in America’s deadliest conflict.”

Did you find something new about a Civil War era ancestor?

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NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.

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Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!

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01 April 2016

SC adds a new online electronic records archive

Besides the South Carolina Department of Archives and History and its online records, which is always a favorite place of mine to do online SC research, we now have the South Carolina Electronic Records Archive (SCERA).

On this site you will find Electronic Records transferred to the South Carolina Department of Archives and History by state and local government agencies for permanent retention. You will also find digitized copies of physical records held at the archives and made accessible online for your convenience. Feel free to explore this site. You may use keyword/full-text search to find specific items or you can browse these holdings. We suggest that if you do use a keyword search, you also browse nearby records to see related materials.

Whereas the South Carolina Department of Archives and History (SCDAH) has online records that are historical, SCERA definitely has a mix of historic records and then also more modern records, including records as new as those created in 2014.

Initiatives to put more records online and readily accessible to all, is always laudable.

Has your state similarly recently launched an online records initiative?

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NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!

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