UpFront with NGS: September 2016

30 September 2016

Archives Month – It’s Time to Celebrate!

Archives Month – It’s Time to Celebrate!

Tomorrow starts one of my favorite months – American Archives Month! After all, I spend a lot of time in archives and so value them!

And, to be honest, I always love the plethora of neat posters created by archives in celebration! A delightful smorgasbord for the eyes! See a few of them at the end of this post.

Share a link to the poster for your state via blog, FB or emailed comment! I’ll include images from the posters that you let me know about!

Some events which occur annually during this month are …

1. Ask An Archivist Day … The Society of American Archivists is sponsoring an #AskAnArchivist Day on October 5th to kick off Archives Month. Ask An Archivist Day is an opportunity to respond to questions from the public tweeted with the hashtag #AskAnArchivist. This is an opportunity for your state archives to engage with your public via your Twitter accounts.

2. Electronic Records Day … CoSA is sponsoring Electronic Records Day 2016. The purpose of Electronic Records Day is to raise community awareness of our digital records, and of the need to manage and preserve them.

What will you be doing to celebrate American Archives Month?

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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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29 September 2016

Want to have some fun with historic images? GIF IT UP might be for you! (starts 1 October)

Want to have some fun with historic images? GIF IT UP might be for you! (starts 1 October)

The Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) is again holding it GIF IT UP competition starting 1 October.

Here is the scoop …

Calling all gif makers, creatives, history nuts, animators, and more! GIF IT UP — DPLA’s annual competition seeking innovative and endlessly looping uses of archival videos and images — returns on October 1.

The rules are simple:

1. Find your favorite piece of copyright-free material from DPLA, Europeana, Trove, or DigitalNZ

2. Create a sweet gif

3. Submit it for a chance to win some nifty prizes

To find out more about the 2016 competition, including available prizes and submission rules, visit https://dp.la/info/gif-it-up/.

… GIF IT UP is all about exploring DPLA and the other participating digital libraries for the perfect piece of open content. If you’re not sure what type of material you should be looking for when creating a gif, here are some helpful suggestions to get you started.

Seeking some inspiration? Check out the winners from 2015 and 2014.

Which GIF IT UP past winner is your favorite?

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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 September 2016

BCG's FREE Day of Quality Genealogy Education (7 October) ... in person and broadcast online

BCG's FREE Day of Quality Genealogy Education (7 October) ... in-person and broadcast online

From our friends at the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) and Legacy Family Tree Webinars ….

Top genealogists Pamela Boyer Sayre, Elizabeth Shown Mills, Ann Staley, Jeanne Larzalere Bloom, David McDonald, and Judy Russell will present six one-hour lectures held at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City Friday, 7 October 2016 between 9 AM and 5 PM mountain U.S. time. The lectures are free and open to the public (registration is not required), sponsored by the Board for Certification of Genealogists. Most will also be broadcast online (free registration is required, see below). The board is an independent certifying body and author of the updated 2014 Genealogy Standards.

Times, topics, and speakers:

9:00 AM - "Enough is Enough. Or Is It?" Pamela Boyer Sayre, CG, CGL

10:15 AM - "FAN + GPS + DNA: The Problem-Solver's Great Trifecta." Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL

11:30 AM - "Black Sheep Ancestors and Their Records." Ann Staley, CG, CGL

1:30 PM - "Bringing Life to Our Ancestors: Manuscript Collections." Jeanne Larzalere Bloom, CG

2:45 PM - "Document Transcription & Analysis: A Workshop." David McDonald, CG

4:00 PM - "When Worlds Collide: Resolving Conflicting Evidence." Judy G. Russell, CG, CGL

“Whether you stop in for the lectures or join online, you will learn more about how to apply good methodology to your family research,” said President Jeanne Larzalere Bloom, CG. “The Board for Certification of Genealogists strives to foster public confidence in genealogy by promoting an attainable, uniform standard of competence and ethics. Educating all family historians of every level is part of this mission.”

For questions or more information contact [email protected].

Register for the Online Broadcasts

Five of the six classes will be broadcast online by BCG's webinar partner, Legacy Family Tree Webinars.

Visit www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com/BCG to sign up individually (free), orclick here to sign up for multiple classes at once.

These will be some quality educational programs from leaders in our field that you will NOT want to miss!

Whether attending in person or online, which talks can’t you wait to listen to?

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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 [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 September 2016

Win Door Prizes -- WikiTree Source-a-Thon to kick off Family History Month (1-3 October 2016)

Win Door Prizes -- WikiTree Source-a-Thon to kick off Family History Month (1-3 October 2016)

WikiTree will be holding a source-a-thon this coming weekend!

It's the world's first Source-a-Thon, a 72-hour sourcing marathon.

Our goal is to clear out the Unsourced Profiles category on WikiTree. Including sources is in our community's Honor Code but inexperienced genealogists don't always record them. Sometimes the source is "Aunt Mabel," as Mags put it. This doesn't mean the information isn't worth preserving or sharing. It's a starting point — information waiting to be confirmed.

We have a monthly Sourcerers Challenge where generous genealogists help verify unsourced family information on WikiTree. The Source-a-Thon is like a Sourcerers Challenge on steroids. This will be a big community event that attracts attention to the importance of sources and helps improve the accuracy of our great big, shared free family tree.

Like a marathon, this is a competition, but most participants won't be serious competitors. Most of us will be doing it for the challenge of sourcing as many profiles as they can, for the mission, and for the fun of it.

We will be hosting live Google Hangouts throughout the weekend to cheer each other on. During every chat we will draw a winner for a door prize. Every participant who is online and adding sources during that time will be eligible.

Learn more here. You WILL need to register in advance – this will get you a race number.

Quality accurate sources are of fundamental importance to our genealogy. Here’s a chance to improve the qualify of unsourced information. After all, it is one of the “complaints” often heard in our community that researchers perpetuate un-sourced information! Now you can help be part of the solution and not the problem.

Will you be participating?

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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!

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

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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23 September 2016

The Wait is OVER -- NMAAHC Opens TOMORROW, 24 September 2016

The Wait is OVER -- NMAAHC Opens TOMORROW, 24 September 2016

Tomorrow the newest Smithsonian Museum opens - the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC)! Though the passes for visiting in-person tomorrow were gobbled up quickly, you can still be a part of the experience …

Follow @NMAAHC all weekend-long during our Grand Opening celebration!

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat for some of the best moments from our Grand Opening Dedication Ceremony this Saturday and all weekend long from the Freedom Sounds Festival. We'll also be streaming live on Facebook. Share your moments from wherever you are using #APeoplesJourney and check out our Social Media toolkit for more ways to connect and be a part of #MakingHistory.

Learn more here.

Don’t have a ticket to visit the museum? You can still enjoy the Freedom Sounds: A Community Celebration to honor the opening of NMAAHC.

Best wishes to NMAAHC on its grand opening and success with its goal of [being] “a place where all Americans can learn about the richness and diversity of the African American experience, what it means to their lives and how it helped us shape this nation. A place that transcends the boundaries of race and culture that divide us, and becomes a lens into a story that unites us all.”

Will you be attending? If so, please let us know what invoked in you the most powerful responses, whether tears, laughter, anger, happiness, etc.

Editor’s Note: Also check out Though The NMAAHC Doors Are Not Yet Physically Open, Some "Virtual Doors" Are OPEN! #NMAAHC.

Editor's Note: 26 September 2016 -- added in full name of new museum

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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 September 2016

Some Genealogy Fairs You HAVE to Attend from Home (Jammies Optional)!

Some Genealogy Fairs You HAVE to Attend from Home (Jammies Optional)!

The National Archives (NARA) is again hosting a Virtual Genealogy Fair (26-27 October). Here is the full schedule.

Session Schedule (eastern daylight time EDT)

Day 1: Wednesday, October 26

Time	Activity
10 a.m.	Welcoming Remarks by Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero
10:05 a.m.	Introduction to Genealogy at the National Archives by Claire Kluskens
11 a.m.	The Best National Archives Records Genealogists Aren't Using by Lori Cox-Paul
12 p.m.	National Archives Innovative Online Resources and Tools to Help with Your Genealogical Research by Sarah Swanson and Kelly Osborn
1 p.m.	You too can be a Citizen Archivist! Getting the most out of the National Archives Catalog by Suzanne Isaacs and Meredith Doviak
2 p.m.	Department of State Records for Genealogical Research by David Pfeiffer
3 p.m.	American Battle Monuments Commission by Ryan Bass

Day 2: Thursday, October 27

Time	Activity
10 a.m.	Nonpopulation Census: Agriculture, Manufacturing, and Social Statistics by Claire Kluskens
11 a.m.	The Morning After – Changes as Reflected in Morning Reports by Theresa Fitzgerald
12 p.m.	The Iwo Jima Flag Raisers – Chaos, Controversy and World War II Marine Corps Personnel Records by Bryan K. McGraw
1 p.m.	What's New in the Lou: A Look at the Latest Accessions at the National Archives at St. Louis by David Hardin
2 p.m.	The Faces of the National Parks Service by Cara L. Moore
3 p.m.	Closing Remarks by Acting Executive for Research Services Ann Cummings

When it comes to virtual genealogy fairs, NARA is not the only one scheduled this fall.

The North Carolina Government and Heritage Library and the State Archives of North Carolina is holding its 1^st Virtual Family History Fair (15 October). Here is the full schedule.

10:00a.m. “Genealogical Research at the North Carolina Government and Heritage Library and the State Archives of North Carolina.” Library and Archives staff members will discuss the types of materials, collections, and services available at their respective repositories. Presented by North Carolina Government and Heritage Library and the State Archives of North Carolina Staff.
11:00a.m. “Freedmen’s Bureau Records: More Valuable to ALL Southern Research Than You Might Have Thought!” Many pertinent records are found in the Freedmen’s Bureau Records of Field Offices for the various states. It is very important to note that a common misunderstanding is that this record group only encompasses records of freed slaves. While it does contain records of freedmen, it includes a lot information about impoverished southern families, regardless of race. Presented by professional genealogist Diane L. Richard, principal of MosaicRPM.
Noon. “Online Research Tools from the North Carolina Government and Heritage Library and the State Archives of North Carolina.” Discussion on online resources from both the Library and Archives such as the North Carolina Digital Collections as well as a few resources that you might find helpful from other institutions. Presented by State Archives and Government and Heritage Library Staff.
1:00p.m. “Genealogy and Local History Collections.” Public libraries are a valuable resource when conducting local or family research. Join us for a panel discussion featuring local history and genealogy librarians from across North Carolina.

What other upcoming “virtual” genealogy/family history fairs/conferences do you know of?

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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.

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

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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Follow NGS via Facebook, Flipboard, Google+, Twitter, YouTube