02 February 2011

2011 FGS Conference registration is open


“Pathways to the Heartland” - A Conference for the Nation’s Genealogists

February 2, 2011Austin, TX. Registration for the 2011 Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference, scheduled for 7-10 September 2011 in beautiful Springfield, Illinois, is now open. This year’s conference theme is “Pathways to the Heartland,” and the local host is the Illinois State Genealogical Society.

This year's conference offers an exciting opportunity for anyone interested in researching their family history. Over 165 educational sessions and 13 luncheons are designed to balance the needs of genealogists at all levels, exploring a variety of records, strategies, and other tools available to those interested in researching their family history.

Session sponsors include FamilySearch (offering extensive Focus on Societies, Migration and Immigration, and Technology tracks), Ancestry.com, the National Archives and Records Administration, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Association of Professional Genealogists, Board for Certification of Genealogists, and others. In addition, the Genealogical Speakers Guild and ICAPGen will present their own tracks of sessions by their members that you won’t want to miss.

Conference Highlights

·        Librarians Day: On Tuesday, September 6, 2011, ProQuest is sponsoring a full day of free sessions designed for librarians, archivists, and other information professionals serving family history researchers.
·        Focus on Societies: On Wednesday, September 7, 2011, all new programs and focus group sessions to help improve the operations and effectiveness for genealogical societies’ officers, as well as their members and volunteers.
·        Conference Sessions: A wide variety of genealogy-related lectures and workshops for all experience levels.  Topics include Mid-Western research, migration and immigration, military, strategies and techniques, technology, and writing.
·        Special Events: Include An Old Fashioned Prairie Social, the FGS 35th Anniversary Celebration, and Spotlight on Societies—all providing an excellent environment to meet and network with others interested in family history and genealogy. This exciting week of genealogy closes with a Farewell Brunch on Sunday.
·        Exhibit Hall: Filled with a wide array of vendors and organizations, and a special Spotlight on Societies area will showcase local and regional genealogical and historical societies.

There are more activities and research opportunities too numerous to list. However, you can learn all about the 2011 FGS Conference and register for this exciting four-day event at http://www.fgs.org/2011conference. Be sure to also visit or subscribe to the FGS Conference Blog at http://www.fgsconferenceblog.org/ for more information and travel advice.

We look forward to seeing you in Springfield in September!

Learn More and Stay Connected

·        Subscribe to Conference eUpdates: [email protected] (place “Subscribe” in Subject line)
·        Visit the Conference News Blog: http://www.fgsconferenceblog.org/
·        Follow the Conference on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/fgs2011 and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/fgs2011
·        Discover Springfield: http://www.visit-springfieldillinois.com/

About the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS)

The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) was founded in 1976 and represents the members of hundreds of genealogical societies. FGS links the genealogical community by helping genealogical societies strengthen and grow through resources available online, FGS Forum magazine (filled with articles pertaining to society management and genealogical news), and Society Strategy Series papers, covering topics about effectively operating a genealogical society. FGS also links the genealogical community through its annual conference -- four days of excellent lectures, including one full day devoted to society management topics. To learn more visit http://www.fgs.org/

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Contact:      
Federation of Genealogical Societies
PO Box 200940
Austin, TX 78720-0940
phone: +1 (888) 347-1500
fax: +1 (866) 347-1350




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2 comments:

  1. For Immediate Release
    March 14, 2011

    FGS 2011 Conference goes green

    Innovative Environmental-Friendly Initiatives Abound

    March 14, 2011 – Austin, TX. The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS), along with local host Illinois State Genealogical Society (ISGS), announce several environmental-friendly initiatives for its upcoming national conference, “Pathways to the Heartland,” scheduled for 7-10 September 2011 in Springfield, Illinois. These include:

    · Flash Drives for Conference Syllabus: With the help of conference sponsor FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org), the FGS/ISGS 2011 Conference will provide each attendee with a 2GB flash drive containing the conference syllabus. Not only will this eliminate the need for a printed syllabus* or CD, it also provides attendees with a flash drive for saving and backing up genealogy research data!

    · Ride Sharing Program: Working with RideBuzz, attendees can now participate in the FGS/ISGS 2011 ride sharing program. Especially with rising gas prices, not only would you be helping the environment and saving money, but you can meet conference attendees in your area.

    Visit the FGS/ISGS 2011 Conference ride sharing program on RideBuzz at http://www.ridebuzz.org/events-group/fgsisgs-2011-conference-12865.html or visit the Travel & Lodging section of the FGS 2011 Conference website at https://www.fgs.org/2011conference/travel/ for more information

    * Attendees will be able to print syllabus materials using the FGS 2011 Conference website (http://www.fgs.org/2011conference) and can purchase a printed syllabus for $30 when registering for the conference.

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  2. FGS 2012 Conference - Call for papers

    Deadline for Submissions is 1 June 2011

    February 15, 2011 – Austin, TX. The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) announces a Call for Papers for the FGS 2012 Conference to be held 29 August – 1 September 2012 in Birmingham, Alabama. The deadline for submission of papers is Wednesday, 1 June 2011.

    The annual FGS conference will be held beginning Wednesday, 29 August through Saturday, 1 September 2012 at the Birmingham Convention Center, Birmingham, Alabama. The Sheraton Hotel, conveniently located adjacent to the convention center will be the host hotel. The conference will be held in conjunction with the Alabama Genealogical Society as the local host society. Outstanding nearby research facilities and attractions will enhance the conference experience.

    The program committee is accepting a wide range of lecture proposals from interested scholars and researchers for potential presentations at the conference. The format of this conference begins with an all-day “Focus on Societies” program for genealogical society officers, board members, volunteers and other interested parties. This is followed by a three-day genealogical conference in which a variety of topics will be considered, but priority will be given to the following:

    · Fundamental
    o Basic genealogical instruction
    o Methodology and problem solving techniques
    o Burned courthouse research
    · Domain Expertise
    o International and Ethnic research, particularly German, English, Welsh, Irish, Scots-Irish, French, Italian, Swiss, Slavic African- American, Native American and Jewish
    o Military
    o Immigration
    o Internet resources
    o Genetics and family medical history
    · Focus on Society Management
    · Regional Interests
    o Five civilized tribes
    o Trail of Tears -- 1832
    o Southern migration
    o Early territorial research

    Proposals for paid workshops will also be considered. Presentations may be co-presented or as part of a panel discussion if the topic seems appropriate for this method of presentation.

    Speakers receive an honorarium, travel compensation, and conference registration as well as per diem and hotel nights based on the number of lectures presented. Each speaker is limited to presenting a maximum of four lectures, but may submit more proposals for consideration. Additional details about the financial package are available here (http://fgs.org/conferences/speakerpolicy.php).

    Presentations will be one-hour long, which includes a ten-minute question/answer period. Interested speakers should submit their proposals by 1 June 2011. The following information should be included:

    · Title of presentation with a detailed but concise, one-page outline
    · Brochure summary (150 Characters for description)
    · Audience skill level (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced)
    · Audio-Visual requirements (LCD projectors are not provided)
    · Format of presentation (PowerPoint, overhead projection, other)
    · Biographical data and resume of past lectures within the last three years. Those that have not presented at a regional or national conference before are encouraged to submit recording of a recent presentation.

    Proposals should be submitted electronically to [email protected], or send two copies to:

    Federation of Genealogical Societies
    FGS/AGS 2012 Program Chair
    PO Box 200940
    Austin, TX 78720-0940 USA

    The invitations to speakers will be mailed no later than 1 September 2011 and the deadline for syllabus materials for presenters is 31 May 2012.

    If necessary, questions may be directed to Dean J. Hunter, AG at [email protected].

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