UpFront with NGS: July 2015

31 July 2015

RootsTech Innovator Showdown will accept submissions starting 1 September 2015

Here’s a date to put on your calendar – 1 September 2015. From that date until 1 December 2015, submissions for the Innovator Showdown (at Rootstech with $100,000 in prizes) will be accepted. The finals will be held live at Rootstech on 5 February 2016.

The announcement states ...

FamilySearch International is looking for the next big social and mobile application that will influence not only an industry worth billions, but also generations of families—past, present, and future!

Held in conjunction with RootsTech, happening February 3–6, 2016, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, the 2016 Innovator Showdown will be a global innovation competition with $100,000 in total prizes for developers and entrepreneurs with ideas and products that enable people of all ages to discover, preserve, and connect with their families across generations.

Learn more on the Innovator Showdown page.

See who won the prizes in the 2015 Innovator Showdown.

Do you have a neat genealogy-related social and/or mobile app idea? This might be your chance to make your idea into a reality!

Editor’s Note: Related Upfront with NGS post, Developer Challenge Winners from Rootstech 2014

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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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Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to [email protected]. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.

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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 [email protected]

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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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30 July 2015

Did you know that NARA has an eBook Collection?

So much National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) news so few days to post!

Well, in this case, it falls into the category of not “new” news and it was news to me!

Did you know that NARA has an eBook collection? I didn’t! I am well aware of its print publications collection including microfilm catalogs, guides, general information leaflets (GIL) and more ...

As usual, I was on the trail of something unrelated when I stumbled across this collection.

Here is an example of the available formats for the publication Making Their Mark: Stories Through Signatures.

I just had to explore further as now I was curious to know if the Library of Congress (LOC), the Smithsonian, etc, have eBook collections.

Do you know of any other national U.S. institutions that have eBook collections?

Editor’s Note: Of course, we always recommend the Internet Archive as a wonderful source for FREE access to ebooks and texts! The gateway page gives you a great sense of what institutions are represented.

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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 [email protected]

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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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29 July 2015

Newest Edition of NGS Magazine Available to NGS Members Now! (Apr/May/Jun 2015)

The Apr/May/June 2015 issue of the NGS Magazine (PDF 6.2 MB) is now online in the Members Only section of the website.

Features

Patricia O’Brien Shawker, CG, FMGS, by Malissa Ruffner, JD, CG

Highlights at the NGS 2016 Family History Conference in Florida, by C. Ann Staley, CG, CGL

Resources for locating District of Columbia ancestors, by Sharon Hodges

Testing family lore: She married a distant cousin in Virginia, by J. H. Fonkert, CG

Contrasting German migrations: Eighteenth- and nineteenth century waves, by James M. Beidler

Hope in war: Research challenges a family legend, by Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG

What happened to Eliza? A case study in female name changes, by Nicole Gilkison LaRue

Columns
National Archives, by Claire Prechtel-Kluskens

Reference desk, by Kathy Petlewski, MSLS

Genetic genealogy journey, by Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL

Technology, by Jordan Jones

Departments
President’s message, by Jordan Jones

Editor’s corner, by Darcie Hind Posz, CG

NGS/Genealogy news

Editor’s Note: Please note that online access to the NGS Quarterly and NGS Magazine are available only as long as your membership is active. If you wish to discontinue this option and continue to receive print copies of the journal, please with our website and update your profile to indicate the same.

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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 [email protected]

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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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28 July 2015

LOC -- "Every Photo Is a Story," strategies for examining photos

Photos are easy to love though sometimes dating them can be a challenge. When we are seeking clues to our ancestors, where they lived and who they are, dating a photograph can be quite important.

The Library of Congress (LOC) has a new Flickr site: "Every Photo Is a Story," strategies for examining photos based on Frances Benjamin Johnston's stunning "Blue Garden" lantern slides from the last century.

Every photo is a story waiting to be discovered. Using Frances Benjamin Johnston's lantern slides as a jumping off point, Prints and Photographs Division reference librarian Kristi Finefield discusses strategies for "reading" photographs with historian Sam Watters in a wonderful new series of videos from the Library of Congress.

This album includes images which tell the story of the “Blue Garden” at Beacon Hill, the Newport estate of Arthur Curtiss and Harriet James. The story of the “Blue Garden” is one of many Sam Watters uncovered during his research, as he strove to identify and interpret more than 1,100 lantern slides. Along the way, he uncovered intriguing stories about individual photographs (what do you make of the man mowing the lawn, for instance?) and was able to set these beautiful, hand-colored lantern slides in the context of the larger story of American life and aspirations in the early 20th century.

Learn More:
• Have a look at the “Every Photo is a Story” Web site, which links to all of the "Every Photo is a Story" videos, accompany exercises to test your photo reading skills, and resources for further exploration. (Note: The videos are also accessible through YouTube.)
• Read about the Frances Benjamin Johnston lantern slides that Sam Watters researched and view the album showing more than 600 of the garden slides .
• Watch the “Books and Beyond” lecture Sam Watters recorded in 2012, where he discussed his book, Gardens for a Beautiful America, 1895-1935.
• Explore resources and activities listed on the Prints & Photographs Division's“Researcher’s Toolbox” page.

Did you watch the videos and do the “Try It Yourself Exercise(s)”? What did you think?

Did they help you solve a personal photo mystery?

Editor’s Note: Related Upfront with NGS posts FREE Book on Dating 19th Century Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, and Cased Tintypes (2014), FREE Video Series -- Caring and Preserving Family Papers, Photographs and More (2014), and Photos and Identification -- How Do We Make Sure Descendants in the Future know WHO, WHEN & WHERE? (2013)

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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 [email protected]

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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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27 July 2015

URGENT! -- Arizona State Genealogy Library in jeopardy

Access to one of Arizona’s largest genealogical collections is being threatened in a move from the Arizona State Library in the Arizona State Capital to the Arizona State Archives, 1901 W. Madison, both in Phoenix, Arizona. In the email sent to the Family History Society of Arizona President, Ro Hein, from Laura Stone, Digital Content Director from the State Library, the following was mentioned:

“The Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records is preparing to announce that the Polly Rosenbaum Archives and History Building will house the genealogy research center. Researchers will now have access to a rich portfolio of resources, including unique Arizona materials, online genealogical sources and expert staff for support. The former location of state genealogy resources at the State Library of Arizona, located in the Historic Capitol Building, will close to the public on July 31.”

There is a grave concern that the books, vertical file materials, periodicals, microfilm/microfiche materials and other physical items will NOT be moved to the Archives building, and that there will only be access to digital databases such as Ancestry.com and HeritageQuest Online. We do not know the reasoning behind this “immediate” move to the State Archives but we need to be vigilant and pro-active to stop this from occurring. What will happen to the 20,000+ genealogy books and materials presently housed in the Genealogical collection? We know that the State Archives does not have room to house all these materials.

We in the concerned genealogical community are very concerned about the future of the Arizona State Genealogy collections. We are asking all genealogists to take time out of their busy schedules to send an email to the Secretary of State Michele Reagan <www.azsos.gov/contact>, to the Arizona State Librarian Joan Clark <www.azlibrary.gov/about>, to Digital Content Director Laura Stone <[email protected], to the Arizona Governor Doug Ducey <http://azgovernor.gov/governor/form/contact-governor-ducey, your legislative representative and any other interested parties. In your email, share experiences you have had with the genealogical library staff, the connections to ancestors you have made through using the resources, and the outreach that has been offered by the genealogical staff for over thirty years. Share that the genealogical collection is a special collection that needs to be saved and not placed into boxes. Be polite, but firm in your message. And, in the email to Secretary of State Reagan and Governor Ducey, add the phrase, “Genealogists vote”. Genealogists have a vested interest in keeping the State Genealogy collection where it is, and politicians want to be retained in office, so voting matters to them.

Please send your emails and letters to the above-mentioned people quickly. The move is supposed to take place this Friday, the 31^st! We need to stop them.

Thank you for your support of the Arizona State Genealogy Library.

Linda Caldwell McCleary, M.L.S.

Arizona Genealogical Advisory Board (AzGAB) Past President

National Genealogical Society (NGS) Life Member

Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) Past Board Member

FGS/NGS Records Preservation and Access Committee Member

Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) Former Director

Brigham Young University Professional Genealogy Certificate

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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 [email protected]

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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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WikiConference USA to be held at the National Archives (9-11 October 2015)

Just a few days after announcing the opening of the Innovation Hub, NARA Keeps on Innovating -- Innovation Hub now open!, NARA and partners have announced a Wiki Conference to be held in October.

Wikimedia DC and Wikimedia New York City are excited to announce WikiConference USA 2015. The event, co-organized by the National Archives and Records Administration and the Wiki Education Foundation, will be held from October 9–11, 2015, at the National Archives building in Washington, D.C.

This venue reflects the alignment in missions between Wikimedia volunteers, the National Archives, and the Wiki Education Foundation: to make knowledge freely accessible to the world.

“We are pleased to host the Wikimedia community, with whom we have had a long and beneficial collaboration,” said Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero. “This exciting conference is an opportunity to continue our shared work of making information open, accessible, and engaging to the public in new and innovative ways.”

WikiConference USA is open to anyone, regardless of their involvement with Wikipedia or the Wikimedia projects. We welcome the curious, the skeptical, and anyone wishing to engage in meaningful conversation about the Wikimedia movement in the United States, free culture and digital rights advocacy and outreach, community building, and technology.

The conference, which launched in New York City in 2014, will follow the focus on the grassroots efforts of the Wikipedia and Wikimedia movement in the United States, free culture, and digital rights. WikiConference USA will include workshops, panels, and presentations on Wikimedia’s outreach to cultural institutions, community building, technology development, and role in education.

Scholarships will be available to cover the cost of travel and stay in Washington, D.C. for those in need.

To register for the conference, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wikiconference-usa-2015-tickets-17796698404.

Read the full press release for future details.

Check out the conference website.

Will you be going? Do you actively provide content to Wikipedia or other Wiki projects?

I spend a lot of time on Wiki pages. I love having an ever evolving and growing type of encyclopedia at my finger tips! A great place to get “some” context for whatever I need information on. Sometimes the content of a Wiki page is sufficient for my purposes and when genealogy or history-related content is involved, it’s normally just the tip of the iceberg for my research!

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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 [email protected]

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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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24 July 2015

Social Security Applications & Claims Index, 1936-2007 Published

Any longtime readers know that Upfront with NGS rarely publishes Ancestry.com database updates (or those for FamilySearch, MyHeritage, FindMyPast, etc) as they are so frequent and publicized by so many.

That said, a recent notification about a “new” database peaked my curiosity when Lisa Louise Cooke blogged about it.

Because all too often, ancestors moved away from their place of birth and/or lived in a state where birth records may not have been required until as late as WWII – social security paperwork can be one place where parents are listed and that paperwork can be challenging to get one's hands on. This is compounded by the same individuals living in states where access to vital records (including death records) is often very restrictive.

The Social Security Death Index (SSDI) often helps us possibly determine where a person died if we can match a name and possible birth date (if provided). Though, that is all this database will tell us – no names of parents, no names of spouses, no birth place information, etc. We then always (and we want to anyway) then search for death certificates, obituaries, burial records and more to help fill in the missing details.

Well, the newest Ancestry.com database might just help fill in those gaps that much sooner -- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007.

For example, here is my mother’s entries in both the SSDI database and the new Applications and Claims one.

SSDI – name, SS #, birth and death dates

Social Security Applications and Claims Index – name including middle name, SS#, gender, race, birth date & place, father & mother [emphasis is mine to show info not found in SSDI database]

I have heard that people are using it to find out unknown maiden names & parents of family members, Elizabeth Shown Mills found proof of a much argued about a middle name, etc. Remember that Social Security Applications were filled out by the individual giving the information – your ancestor! So, first-hand knowledge (combined with possibly some clerk errors). Since you can search on the father and mother fields, you might also be able to identify suspected siblings or children currently missing from your tree!

Though Ancestry.com is a subscription service, many state and local libraries and other repositories provided access to the database via Ancestry Library Edition. You often have to physically visit the facility to gain the access and it still means that you don’t have to be a subscriber.

Now that you’ve taken a look – did you either learn something new or confirm something suspected?

Editor’s Note: Some past Upfront with NGS posts on the SSDI are Important Changes to Social Security Death Index (2011), Social Security Administration extends FOIA restriction to 100 years (2011), The Legal Genealogist & SSDI Hearings: OUCH! (2012) & Commemorate 4th of July by Signing the Genealogists’ Declaration of Rights -- We Need Your Support! (2015)

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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 [email protected]

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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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23 July 2015

Facebook (FB) + NGS = Lots of neat news about genealogy & history-related resources!

Psssst ... I have a secret ... when you read Upfront with NGS you aren't seeing all the neat genealogy news items I stumble across ....

Last month I talked about Facebook (FB) as a wonderful and FREE resource, Facebook (FB) -- Are you taking advantage of its wonderful and FREE genealogical resources?

Today, as I was sharing (“sharing” is how a post on FB from one source can be reposted to one’s own timeline, the timeline of a friend, or in my case to a “page I manage”) news items found on FB to the NGS FB page, it dawned on me that if you are reading the content of Upfront with NGS via an email feed, Google+, or Twitter, you are missing out on the content that is cross-posted ONLY on the NGS FB page.

I visit FB somewhere between 3-4 times a day for a few minutes at time to just “trawl” for news items of interest. Since most of the feeds that I see are genealogically related, they are ripe to be “shared” (aka reposted) to the NGS FB page and I do so. Most of this is content that isn’t quite suited to become a full-fledged Upfront with NGS post for a variety of reasons and yet it’s news important to our family history community. The end result is a “share” to the NGS FB page!

For example, over the last two weeks, I have “shared” on FB the following posts which did not (nor will not) become Upfront with NGS posts:

Holding heritage in their hands – newspaper article regarding family members visiting the area where their ancestors lived and seeing a family bible
The American civil war then and now -- Superimposing historic images over moderns ones is always fascinating and when you add in some audio to give context to the images they become even more haunting
Reminder about the summer season of WDYTYA? starting this Sunday on TLC
Genealogy Camp for Kids at NARA
New York pauper’s cemetery opens to mourners for first time -- We've blogged about this cemetery before, Hart Island -- NYC’s Public Burial Ground -- Over 1 Million Burials -- Trying to Reveal Their Stories,http://upfront.ngsgenealogy.org/…/hart-island-nycs-public-b…, and now here's a post about the cemetery being open to mourners in a less limited fashion than was available before.
A cartoon “Why Einstein Quickly moved on to General Relativity”
Mocavo free weekend to try premium Gold features (it was this past weekend)
The Mixed-Up Brothers of Bogotá -- after a hospital error, two pairs of Colombian identical twins were raised as two pairs of fraternal twins.
Perry donates “invaluable’ historic papers to County Archives – large part of local history restored after 1878 courthouse fire
Marie Curie’s Research Papers Are Still Radioactive 100+ Years Later – a challenge to archives access we don’t often think of

And, there are dialogues that take place on a FB page that you don't see elsewhere. Due to the nature of FB, “you” the reader can easily post comments to a post or another readers’ comment. This can create a dynamic platform for sharing thoughts, reactions, related information and so much more with members of our genealogical community! We love when people post comments!

You probably won’t find every news item of equal interest. I know that I don’t. That’s why the scrolling nature of looking through posts on my FB wall can be easy and painless. I just scroll down the page and only stop when I see something new (some news does end up reposted many times) and it gets my attention. I then check it out, assess if I think it’s interesting enough to share, and then do so with a brief introductory sentence.

I always keep my FB “News Feed” organized via “Most Recent.” This means that when later in the day (or the next day or sometimes a few days later) I revisit my FB page, I can just scroll down until I see the last post from my previous session. This makes it easy to be efficient as I “trawl” for news that I think will interest NGS members either as the basis for an Upfront with NGS post or as a “share” on FB.

So, if you aren’t yet on FB or have not yet “liked” the NGS FB Page, you might be missing out on some interesting tidbits of news.

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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 [email protected]

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

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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22 July 2015

NARA Keeps on Innovating -- Innovation Hub now open!

More news from NARA ... last week we discussed NARA in two posts, One Person Can Do So Much! Virtual Volunteering (NARA) and Do You Have Suggestions for NARA’s Digitization Priorities?

This week NARA is again in the news as it has opened an Innovation Hub.

The Innovation Hub is open. Located on the first floor of the National Archives building in Washington, D.C., the Hub has two sections: a meeting area, and a citizen scanning room where researchers can scan our records with state-of-the-art equipment at no cost as long as they also contribute a copy of their digital scans for our online catalog...

We have planned transcription parties as well as hosting Wikipedian meetings as well.

Read all that AOTUS (Archivist of the

United States

, David S. Ferriero) has to say about this innovative project.

The original concept as discussed in Open Government Plan, National Archives and Records Administration is ...

With a focus on agile development, the work will focus on exploring new ideas, developing proof-of-concept pilots and web applications as well as furthering the collaboration with the public through scan-a-thons, hackathons and challenges. The Innovation Hub will explore a variety of projects, including:

o Citizen archivist crowdsourcing tools

o An external collaboration network where researchers and NARA staff can engage on historical topics related to National Archives records

o Tools for citizen digitization efforts

o Collaboration efforts with the Wikipedia community

It will be interesting to see where this goes and how individuals (e.g. citizens) can support digitization and Wikipedia community activities.

Editor’s Note: Thanks to Dick Eastman for posting about this; I caught the cross-post on Facebook.

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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 [email protected]

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

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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