NGS 2012 Family History Conference: May 2012

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Farewell to the NGS 2012 Family History Conference

Another successful conference is over, and we hope you enjoyed it. Be sure to complete the conference survey, and start making plans for the 2013 Conference in Las Vegas!

Julie Miller, 2012 Conference Chair

Ann Hilke, NGS President, and Kay Freilich, 2012 NGS Fellow

Photos by Scott Stewart

Photos by Jennifer Hershberger

Friday, May 11, 2012

2012 Conference Facts and Moments

During the NGS Luncheon on Friday, NGS President Ann Hilke announced the total attendance of the 2012 Conference: 2,156 people!

The reception on Friday night celebrating the 100th anniversary of the NGS Quarterly marked a significant milestone in the history of the National Genealogical Society. Pick up a copy of the commemorative booklet in the NGS booth in the Exhibit Hall.

Representatives of the conference committee and local host societies working on the NGS 2013 Family History Conference in Las Vegas are here this week to observe details as they make plans for another fabulous conference next year. Information about the 2013 conference is available at the Las Vegas Local Host Societies booth, also in the Exhibit Hall.

Indiana Historical Society exhibit in Conference Exhibit Hall

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center exhibit

Josh Taylor and Graeter's Ice Cream

Tyler-Davidson Fountain in Cincinnati's Fountain Square

Photos contributed by Jennifer Hershberger

Barbara Renick and Elizabeth Kelley Kerstens

Photo by Scott Stewart

A Night at the Public Library

Over 400 conference attendees took advantage of the extended hours at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County on Thursday night. The first 200 people received 1848 Cincinnati Panorama posters donated by the Friends of the Public Library Shop, and everyone had a chance to see the original Panorama and experiment with the touchscreen display.

Although tables and aisles were crowded, the energy of 400 genealogists researching at once was almost tangible! Many people stayed until 11:30 p.m. and then showed up early for the first session at 8:00 a.m. on Friday. Many thanks to the Library for providing refreshments, tours, and bringing in additional staff to assist researchers. Another large group of attendees visited the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center during extended hours sponsored by FamilySearch.

Photos by Phyllis Hegner, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County

Thursday, May 10, 2012

NGSQ Reception and Scanning by Ancestry

The time for the NGS Quarterly 100th Anniversary Reception is 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. on Friday evening.

If you have items you'd like to have scanned, stop by Room 238 to take part in Ancestry's scanning.

Day One in Photos

Gathering for the Opening Session

Ann Hilke, NGS President, and Sunda Peters, Ohio Genealogical Society President

Kenny Burck, Local Host Co-Chair, and German musicians leading attendees to Exhibit Hall

Opening of the Exhibit Hall

FamilySearch demo

Photos by Scott Stewart

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Day One of the Conference!

The Opening Session this morning featured Patricia van Skaik's fascinating presentation about the 1848 Cincinnati Panorama, award winners (to be announced on the NGS blog), door-prize drawings, and announcements of future NGS conference locations:

7-10 May 2014, Richmond, Virginia
13-16 May 2015, St. Charles, Missouri

At the end of the session the Germania Jagdhorn Blaesergruppe, five horn musicians of the Germania Society clad in traditional outfits, played German marches while leading the audience down to the opening of the Exhibit Hall.

There was plenty of time to browse and shop in the Exhibit Hall - loaded with everything a genealogist could want - before the first session started at 11:00 a.m.

The three session time-slots offered thirty opportunities to learn from experts about BCG skillbuilding, methodology and research, working with records, military records, photos, ethnic research, migration, writing, and GenTech.

At the end of the day, over 200 attendees visited the Cincinnati History Museum, had dinner, and heard a presentation about the history of the beautiful Art Deco Union Terminal Railroad Station building that is now home to three museums.

On Thursday, don't forget the free extended hours at both the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. For information and directions, check the information desk in front of Registration, or ask anyone wearing an "Ask Me" button.

1848 photo courtesy of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County; other photos contributed by Jennifer Hershberger.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Pre-Conference Day

Welcome to the NGS 2012 Family History Conference! Hundreds of people checked in today and many participated in the pre-conference events:

Librarian’s Day workshop for librarians who work with family history patrons

Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky bus tour

BCG Education Fund “Editor’s

Ink, Writer’s Lead” workshop featuring Thomas W. Jones and Melinde Lutz Byrne (shown in photo, holding a very unusual artifact for a genealogy class: a generalized trilobite fossil). These two experts presented insights about everything from the broad view of genealogical writing as an art to the power of individual words – an inspiring combination for genealogists who want to polish their writing.

Tomorrow registration starts at 7 a.m. and the Opening Session is at 8 a.m. in the Junior Ballroom on the third floor. You’ll experience a new approach to ancestors’ lives through digital images from the world-renowned daguerreotype, the Cincinnati Panorama of 1848, integrated with original documents from the past. Two lucky winners attending the Opening Session will receive a free conference registration for the NGS 2013 Conference in Las Vegas, courtesy of NGS, and a seven-night stay at the Salt Lake Plaza Hotel at Temple Square, courtesy of the Salt Lake Plaza Hotel. You must be present to win!

After the Opening Session surprise guests will lead everyone down to the Exhibit Hall for its opening at 9:30 a.m. See pages 34-62 in the conference program for descriptions of the exhibitors.

To keep track of program and event changes, check the bulletin board in the NGS registration area. Some lunch tickets are already posted for sale, so check the board if you missed the deadline and would like to attend one of the conference luncheons.

Photo contributed by Phyllis Garratt.

National Underground Railroad Museum – Dining Options in ‘The Banks’

If you are taking advantage of complimentary admission to the National Underground Railroad Museum on Thursday evening (6:00 - 9:00 p.m.), then you will be next door to The Banks. The Banks is a new mixed-use development on the Ohio River between the Great American Ball Park and Paul Brown Stadium. Phase One of The Banks is open for business with a number of new restaurants that you may wish to visit before or after touring the Museum:

Holy Grail at the Banks
161 Joe Nuxhall Way
513-621-2222
Mon-Sun 11 am – 2:30 pm
Appetizers, Burgers, Pizza, Sandwiches and a kids menu

Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill
145 Second Street E
513-721-8629
Appetizers, Burgers, Sandwiches and Full Entrees

Johnny Rockets
191 Freedom Way
513-834-6110

Moerlein Lager House
115 Joe Nuxhall Way
513-421-2337
Mon-Thurs 11 am – 12 midnight
Fri-Sat 11 am – 1 am
Full restaurant menu

(Take Fifth Street to Walnut Street and turn right. Follow Walnut for 3 blocks to Second Street. Turn left on Second Street and then right on Joe Nuxhall Way. This will get you in the general vicinity of these restaurants.)

Thanks to FamilySearch and the National Underground Museum for providing complimentary admission to the National Underground Railroad Museum. After your tour, take advantage of extended hours at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County (6:30 – 11:30 p.m., Thursday). A Google map showing the locations of the Duke Energy Convention Center, the National Underground Railroad Museum and the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County can be found at http://g.co/maps/ssnnb.

There are many other dining locations near or en route to the events. For more dining recommendations, visit the Cincinnati USA Convention and Visitors Bureau located in the Duke Energy Convention Center.

Contributed by Liz Stratton

Free WiFi in Conference Hotels

Everyone who made a reservation through the NGS room block in one of the three conference hotels should have free internet in their room. If you're told otherwise, explain that free WiFi is included in the NGS contract, and if you're still told you have to pay, talk to the NGS staff at Registration. The three hotels are the Hilton, Hyatt, and Millennium. You will most likely have to check the box on the hotel's home page indicating that the cost should be charged to your room, but the cost will not appear on your bill.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Tell Us What You Think of the 2012 Conference

The National Genealogical Society Board of Directors and staff are interested in receiving your feedback on the 2012 Family History Conference.

Your satisfaction is essential to us and feedback is an important aspect in maintaining the highest level of excellence. We invite you to tell us about your experiences at the conference by taking a brief survey. It should take no longer than two to five minutes of your time and your responses will help us prepare for the NGS 2013 Family History Conference.

There are two surveys: one for individual lectures, and one for the overall conference.

Lecture Surveys are at http://ngs2012sessions.questionpro.com. You can also take the survey under the News Flash section in the conference app.

Conference Survey is at http://ngs2012.questionpro.com. You can also take the survey under the News Flash section in the conference app.

We thank you for taking a few minutes out of your busy schedule to give us your feedback. The surveys will be open during the conference and will stay open through Sunday, 20 May 2012.

Cincinnati’s Culinary Classics

Wave after wave of immigrants has passed through the Queen City on paths to a better life in the New World. Each new immigrant group left its culinary mark on Cincinnati. Some foods became so beloved that they are shipped to Cincinnati emigrants throughout the country. Many of these delights are available near the Duke Energy Convention Center. Below is a sampling of a few favorites.

Cincinnati Chili
For a quick lunch, give Cincinnati chili a try. The chili was originally created by immigrants from Macedonia. People ordering Cincinnati chili are in for a big surprise if they are expecting a bowl of Texas-style beef and beans! Cincinnati chili is a thin meat sauce infused with cinnamon, cloves and allspice served over either spaghetti or a hot dog. There is a long-running debate about which local chili parlor serves the best Cincinnati chili – Skyline Chili and Gold Star Chili always vie for the top spot. Both have locations in the downtown area. Go native and order your spaghetti by describing the toppings. A “Two-way” is chili and spaghetti, a “Three-way” adds cheese, a “Four-way” adds onions and a “Five-way” adds beans. A chili-topped hot dog is a “Cheese Coney.”

Experience Arnold’s in Person!
Arnold’s Bar and Grill, a long-time Cincinnati favorite, has been made famous by the NBC show, Harry’s Law. The set on “Harry’s Law” closely mirrors the decor of Arnold’s in Cincinnati. Established in 1861, Arnold’s was forced to expand its pub service to include food to survive Prohibition. Arnold’s is about a half mile from the Convention Center. Local musicians provide entertainment most evenings. As an added bonus for daytime visitors, Arnold’s is near the Ohio Book Store, which has five floors of new and used books nestled in an historic building. Bibliophiles will want to take the time to peruse their shelves for rare finds. The Ohio Book Store has a large collection of local histories, prints and more.

Graeter’s Ice Cream
No meal is complete without ice cream! Since 1870, five generations of Graeters have been scooping out Graeter’s Ice Cream. On National Ice Cream Day in 2002, Ben Cohen listed Graeter’s first in “10 Great Places to Scream for Ice Cream.” Ben, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, was a fan of Graeter’s Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. My favorite has always been Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip. Strawberry Chocolate Chip, this month’s seasonal flavor, is a close second. Graeter’s downtown location is on Fountain Square, 3/10 miles from the Convention Center. Which flavor is your favorite? Even if you don’t have time to try them all, Graeter’s ships ice cream throughout the United States.

There are so many great historic and ethnic restaurants that it is impossible to include them all. To find exactly what you are looking for, ask your hotel concierge or stop by the Cincinnati USA Convention and Visitor Bureau booth in the Duke Energy Center from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday for additional dining recommendations.

Contributed by Liz Stratton

Exhibitor Spotlight: Kentucky Historical Society, Booth 624

The Kentucky Historical Society’s Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History, which includes the Martin F. Schmidt Research Library, will operate under extended hours 8-12 May: Tuesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Thursday until 8 p.m. Tuesday’s hours will include free admission to the Center’s museum and special exhibit. These hours do not include the Old State Capitol or the Military History Museum.

The Kentucky Historical Society’s library has been collecting materials that document families and local history since 1838. Today, the Martin F. Schmidt Research Library boasts the largest collection of print, manuscript and graphic materials documenting Kentucky families in the country. The library provides access to over 90,000 published works, 12,000 rolls of microfilm, 1,900 cubic feet of manuscript materials, over 200,000 photographic images, 2,000 maps and 9,000 oral history interviews. Researchers also have access to over 30,000 vertical files of contributed research.

KHS is also meeting the ever-growing technological needs of its researchers through three online catalogs, freely accessible through its website. Each catalog will guide you through the Library/Archival collections, Digital Archives material, or Museum Objects collection. These catalogs serve as access portals to over 140,000 images, with new images added each day.

Be sure to follow our blog, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter (@KyHistSoc). Don’t forget to stop by our booth 624 and enter for your chance to win one of four prize packages including a year-long membership! We’ll be giving away one membership package each day!

Exhibitor Spotlight: Accessible Archives, Booth 436

Accessible Archives continues to expand its American County Histories database with the addition of the eleven Southeast states. They join the previously-available county collections of the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions. Accessible Archives will add coverage of additional areas of the country – Southwest, Central and West – throughout the course of the year. The initial addition, The Southeast, will complement the New England and The Mid-Atlantic regional collections. Included states are Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Future plans call for additional coverage of states within the Southwest, Central and West regions. For further information, visit our website and our blog.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

More Conference Events

While planning what to do during the Conference, don’t forget these events included with your registration:

Wednesday, 9 May, 5:15 p.m.
NGS American Genealogy: Home Study Course Roundtable

Join NGS Education Manager, Patricia Walls Stamm, CG, CGL, in a roundtable discussion about the NGS American Genealogy: Home Study Course. Current students taking the in-depth, self-paced course as well as others who are considering enrolling are invited to the program.

Thursday, 10 May, 3:00 p.m.
Strategy for Records Preservation and Access

Are the states where you live and do family history research changing your access to vital records? The Records Preservation and Access Committee for the genealogical community will be having a strategy session open to all interested conference attendees. Learn how to follow the legislative process and send an effective response to the appropriate policy makers.

Thursday, 10 May, 6:00–9:00 p.m.
Evening at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

FamilySearch and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center invite all conference attendees to enjoy free admission on Thursday evening at the Museum, located at 50 East Freedom Way on the banks of the Ohio River. The Museum houses many unique and inspiring exhibits including The Slave Pen, From Slavery to Freedom, and the film Brothers of the Borderland. Come for an hour or stay for the entire three hours.

The event does not include transportation. Walking from the Duke Energy Convention Center or the conference hotels takes less than 15 minutes. Attendees may also share a taxi or use their own transportation. Parking is available in the Central Riverfront Parking Garage at $1 every half hour or $8 daily maximum.

Thursday, 10 May, 6:30–11:30 p.m.
A Night at the Public Library

The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County and the Hamilton County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society welcome conference attendees to extended hours in one of the nation’s leading genealogy libraries. The Library features holdings from all fifty states and more than twenty foreign countries as well as unique resources from Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Additional library staff will be available to guide researchers to their areas of interest. There is no limit on the number of participants and no need to register, but you must show your conference badge for entry after 6:30 p.m. when the Library reopens for the NGS event.

The Library is located two short blocks east and two blocks north of the Duke Energy Convention Center, even closer from some of the downtown conference hotels. Researchers may walk, call a taxi, or provide their own transportation for this event. Maps will be available at the conference information booth near registration. Parking is available at metered on-street spaces, at several pay garages, and surface lots within a short walking distance of the Library.

Saturday, 12 May, 8:30 am – 12 noon
Youth Kamp

This is a great opportunity to involve your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews in family history. The Kamp will feature a variety of age-appropriate activities for kids age 8 to 16 and includes a session that focuses on scouting’s genealogical badges. The event is free, but registration is required by 11 May. Visit the Youth Kamp page to find out more.

Saturday, 12 May, 5:15 p.m.
NGS Annual Meeting

Meet the NGS officers and board members and hear an update on NGS programs, courses, and publications from NGS President Ann Hilke, CG.

Speaker Highlight: Elissa Scalise Powell, Sessions F-312 and S-445

Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL, is a Trustee for the Board for Certification of Genealogists, a co-director of the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIPitt.org), the Professional course coordinator at Samford University’s IGHR, and an instructor in Boston University’s Genealogical Research Certificate program and the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. Elissa’s two lectures are:

F-312: They Went West on the O-Hi-O: Using the GPS to Follow a Family’s Trail

This lecture is not about the GPS that replaces your car’s maps but the GPS that maps out whether we have enough proof to come to a conclusion. Following the Colglazier family of Indiana back up the Ohio River to their origins in Clermont County, Ohio, and probably Pennsylvania, we look at evidence in land, probate, census, and tax lists. Using the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS) and sifting through “red herrings,” the audience is led on a records trail and asked if each of four research questions was “proven.” This fun frolic demonstrates standard analytical techniques and invites audience participation.

S-445: The Mighty Ohio: Migration West from Pennsylvania

No doubt about it, many Pennsylvanians helped to settle Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and other communities along the Ohio River and National Road. In order to understand this migration, we should consider the five W’s and H:
• WHO and WHAT: How can you find your ancestors’ migration path?
• WHEN and WHERE: migration routes leading out of Pennsylvania
• WHY: Push and pull reasons for migrating
• HOW: trails, roads, railroads, rivers and canals

Friday, May 4, 2012

11-13 May Events to Enjoy after the Conference

If you’ll have some time to spend in Cincinnati after the Conference ends, check out these events going on next weekend:

Four tenths of a mile: Aronoff Center for the Arts, three performances on May 11, 12, 13: “The Capitol Steps;” Broadway in Cincinnati: “Les Miserables;” Cincinnati Music Theatre: “Titanic,” http://cincinnatiarts.org/aronoff

Six tenths of a mile: Cincinnati May Festival, America’s premier choral festival since 1873, with performances on May 11 and 12 in beautiful Music Hall and on May 13 in the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington, http://mayfestival.com

One mile: Cincinnati Reds home games in the Great American Ball Park against the Washington Nationals on May 11, 12, 13, http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com

Three miles: Cincinnati Zoo, second oldest zoo in the U.S. and a National Historic Landmark, with one of the largest zoo collections in the country, featuring a baby camel among many Zoo Babies in May, with free admission for mothers on May 13, http://cincinnatizoo.org

Nine miles: Appalachian Festival on May 11, 12, 13 at Coney Island on the Ohio River, a cultural heritage event with bluegrass music, dance, storytelling, living history and arts and crafts, http://www.appalachianfestival.org

Speaker Highlight: Jeanne Larzalere Bloom, Sessions W-128 and F-303

Jeanne Larzalere Bloom, CG, is a country gal who ended up settling in the big city of Chicago. As suggested by the title of her lecture, “You’re Not in Kansas Any More: Essential Resources and Strategies for Urban-Area Research,” Jeanne is a fifth-generation Kansan.

Although her ancestors were country folk and avoided big cities, Jeanne’s research specialties are Chicago and Cook County. She is passionate about big-city research. Jeanne’s philosophy is that urban-area research can be intimidating and challenging but it is not impossible.

Jeanne conducts projects for government agencies, attorneys, authors, newspapers, heir-search firms, professional genealogists, and family researchers in and outside of the United States. Her international clients are from Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, England, France, Ireland, Israel, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

On behalf of the Department of the Army and the Department of the Air Force, Jeanne searches and identifies family members of unaccounted-for servicemen from World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

Jeanne often encounters problems with challenging cases. For instance, there can be conflicting information about identity, dates, and places. Or there is no direct proof of a parent-child relationship.

“The Family Tapestry: Integrating Proof Arguments Into the Genealogical Narrative” is based on the techniques—a reasonably exhaustive search for information and thoughtful, rigorous analysis—Jeanne uses to address brick-wall problems.

Exhibitor Spotlight: Stories To Tell, Booth 303

As a family historian, have you dreamed of publishing your family story in a book? There is no better way to pass down the stories that make family history relevant and exciting. If you haven’t published before, an experienced editor can answer your questions, provide valuable guidance, and speed your book to completion and successful publication.

Stories To Tell is a team of editors and book designers who help authors to create memoirs and family history books. Stories To Tell editors help at every step: to improve the book's contents, to edit both the text and images, and to design a professional, unique book. They assist with the publishing process, for private printing and commercial publishing.

Nancy and Biff Barnes, the partners of Stories To Tell, specialize in family histories and memoirs. They are experts on self publishing, which is often the best course for family histories. They have worked with hundreds of authors to develop non-fiction, fiction, and creative non-fiction. Stories To Tell serves authors nationwide.

Jump start your family history book project at this year’s NGS Conference. Visit booth #303 in the exhibit hall to meet with a Stories To Tell editor. If you have a book draft in progress, bring it along and receive a free consultation.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Two Local Host Co-Chairs Go on the Air for the Conference

Kenny Burck's "Cincinnati Edition" interview will be broadcast at some time between 7 and 8 a.m. on Sunday, May 6, on WVXU, Cincinnati's public radio station.

Patricia Van Skaik will appear on WXIX-TV, Channel 19 in Cincinnati, at 8:25 on Monday, May 7, to talk about the Conference and her keynote address on the 1848 Cincinnati Panorama.

Places to Eat during the Conference

Didn't buy a ticket to the Conference luncheon? Don't worry, there will be plenty of food options at the Convention Center and the three conference hotels next week. All are either in or within one block of the Convention Center.

Duke Energy Convention Center
Espresso Café – Fifth and Elm Street entrance to the Duke Energy Convention Center.
Open from 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. daily, featuring breakfast sandwiches, muffins, bagels, yogurt, salads, sandwiches, coffee, and juices.

Exhibit Hall A Concessions
Open from 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. daily, featuring breakfast items, choice of two hot lunch entrées each day, sandwiches, wraps, snacks, and drinks. For a treat, Divine Chocolate will have a stand in the hall.

All three hotel restaurants will be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Hyatt Regency Hotel
Breakfast buffet features made-to-order omelettes and waffles, Monday–Saturday, starts at 6:30 a.m.
Open daily for lunch.

Hilton Hotel
Conference attendees will receive a discount when they show their convention badge. Limit one discount per badge. The prices below are the standard menu pricing. Discounts will be from these amounts.

Full breakfast buffet, $15.50 per person, available 6:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m. daily, 20% discount. Served with choice of juice and coffee or tea. Includes made-to-order omelettes and eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, smoked salmon, french toast, pancakes, waffles, goetta, potatoes, croissants, muffins, danish, breads, bagels, cream cheese, seasonal fruit and berries, yogurt, and cereal.

Luncheon buffets, available Monday–Friday, 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., 15% discount off the Pasta Bar/ Hot Luncheon Buffet if sold together. Separately, each is priced at $9.50.

Pasta Bar Buffet, $9.50 per person
Create your own epicurean pasta delight with the pasta chef. Choose from three sauces, three pastas, chicken, baby shrimp, chorizo sausage, meatballs, and 15 different vegetables to be added to your creation.

The Palm Court Hot Buffet, $12.50 per person
Create your own pasta creation at the pasta bar PLUS enjoy hot entrees, vegetables and starches, salad bar and dessert bar.

Millennium
Full breakfast buffet, 6:00 am - 10:30 a.m. for $14.95.
Deli buffet with soup, salad and sandwich, 11:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m. for $10.95.

Bon appetit!

Exhibitor Spotlight: Expert of the day at findmypast.com’s booth

Ask questions and receive expert advice from some of the nation’s leading genealogists. No appointment necessary! Visit one on one with the Expert of the Day for free at the findmypast.com booth.

Wednesday: Debra Mieszala, CG
Thursday: Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FUGA
Friday: D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS
Saturday: Debra Mieszala, CG

About the Experts:

Debra Mieszala specializes in forensic genealogy, 20th century research, and the Midwest. She does genealogical research for the military to help locate family members of missing service members. A national lecturer and author, she has taught at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research.

Paula Stuart-Warren has been conducting research since the early 1980s and works full time in genealogical and historical research, lecturing, consulting, and writing. A board-certified genealogist since 1988, Paula is a firm believer in continuing education in genealogy and frequently participates in national and local conferences. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the Federation of Genealogical Societies.

D. Joshua Taylor is the Business Development Manager – North America for brightsolid online publishing, the creators of findmypast.com, and a nationally recognized genealogical author, lecturer, and researcher. Joshua is the current Vice President of Administration for the Federation of Genealogical Societies and has been a featured genealogist on NBC’s “Who Do You Think You Are?”

About findmypast.com:
Findmypast is a leader in online family history with more than 18 million registered members worldwide and records dating back as far as 1200.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Exhibitor Spotlight: Mocavo, Booth 700

The Mocavo team is very excited about our first trip to the NGS Family History Conference this year. We will be giving away a gift basket at booth 700, full of some of our favorite genealogy inspired gifts including a Flip-Pal. Be sure to come by to register and meet our team!

As the world’s first and largest genealogy search engine, Mocavo indexes over six billion names and is considered the fastest search in the industry. You may be thinking, “Why don’t genealogists just use Google?” While Google is the go-to search engine for most of us on a daily basis, searching Google for an ancestor is likely to bring back millions of results for living people that have no relevance to your research. There are also millions of genealogy pages not indexed by Google.

Registering for a basic Mocavo account is free for anyone, and includes full access to the index and document uploading capability. Our subscription service, Mocavo Plus, provides a more efficient and automated experience for the user by offering advanced search fields, automated connections to your family tree, and new content alerts. Since the new year, we have released a few revolutionary features to Mocavo.com, including the Smartphone App, Free Advanced Social Security Death Index, and the Document & OCR Publishing Platform.

Questions about Mocavo? Email community@mocavo.com or visit our FAQ page. Stay up to date with Mocavo through our Genealogy Blog, Facebook and Twitter pages. See you in Cincinnati!

Exhibitor Spotlight: Board for Certification of Genealogists, Booth 431

The Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) exhibit booth provides materials that are helpful for success in the certification process. You can discuss the seven requirements for certification with knowledgeable BCG volunteers and peruse actual successful portfolios. During the conference you may also ask questions in Session T-201, “BCG Certification Seminar,” on Thursday at 8 am and 9:30 am. Note: You don’t have to attend one to attend the other.

BCG is sponsoring a Skillbuilding Track throughout the conference. Presented by board-certified genealogists, each lecture discusses how to enhance your research and analysis skills whether in a specialty collection, or online. Other topics include new and standard techniques for recording and sharing our research, German language skills, Early American handwriting, lineage society papers. There is something for everyone!

Can’t attend? The website www.BCGcertification.org contains skill-building articles, exercises, and a free download of The BCG Application Guide which describes the requirements that are to be placed in your portfolio notebook application. Anyone may subscribe to the BCG newsletter Onboard, which contains Skillbuilding articles. You don’t have be an associate of BCG.

The BCG is an independent organization not affiliated with, or part of, any group. It is a certifying body, not a membership society, and a nationally and internationally recognized organization. The Board's mission is to foster public confidence in genealogy as a respected branch of history by promoting an attainable, uniform standard of competence and ethics among genealogical practitioners, and by publicly recognizing persons who meet that standard.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Exhibitor Spotlight: E-Imagedata Corporation, Booth 708

E-Imagedata Corporation’s Scan Pro microfilm scanner is considered the leader in microfilm reader scanner technology. Our products provide digitalization of every type of microform to assist genealogists in completing research from microfilm. We offer word-searching, Info-linking, and searchable PDF output from microfilm records. Our product produces high quality images that you can store on a thumb drive or some other electronic storage media which in turn minimizes or eliminates a paper copy of the information you store, thus providing researchers the tools to work with microfilm information electronically.

For a demonstration of the Scan Pro 2000 or Scan Pro 800 Microfilm Scanners, please stop by booth 708.

NGS Conference is Going Green

NGS will be doing its part in saving the environment during the 2012 Family History Conference.

No paper receipts at the booth
Receipts will be e-mailed for items purchased at the NGS booth. When a purchase is made, you may choose to have the receipt sent to your e-mail address or sent via text message. There will also be the option of declining a receipt.

Syllabus printing stations
There will be double-sided printers for the syllabus printing stations therefore using half the amount of paper. We ask that each attendee limit printing to two sessions.

All attendees will receive the syllabus on flash drive at check-in and have had access to the online syllabus since 25 April.

Water
There will be five-gallon water containers with recyclable cups. Recycling bins will be located next to the water. Feel free to bring your own water bottle and fill it up at the water stations.

Conference bags
NGS will again be using recycled bags as our conference bags in 2012. These bags are sturdy and are great for grocery shopping after the conference.

Speaker Spotlight: Don W. Rightmyer, Session T-207, “Researching Kentucky Records”

Nothing could be more exciting than talking about doing Kentucky genealogy research at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday morning at this year’s NGS conference in Cincinnati. Don W. Rightmyer, editor of the Kentucky Historical Society’s genealogy quarterly, Kentucky Ancestors, will be fired up and ready to discuss “Researching Kentucky Records” -- what and where to find the family history materials you’re seeking for your ancestors who may have passed through Kentucky.

Don’s presentation will cover the material in the NGS conference syllabus and a whole lot more. Kentucky has one of the highest numbers of counties of any state in the nation and Don will provide not only his presentation to help attendees understand Kentucky and where the genealogical materials can be found, but also information on how to understand the history and heritage of Kentucky and how it impacts the genealogical researcher. Additional handout materials will be available for session participants and Don will be available throughout the entire conference for anyone who has further questions.

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