08 April 2016

The Family History Guide to be presenting at UGA Genealogy's South Davis Family History Fair!

UGA Genealogy will be hosting their 19th Annual 2016 South Davis Family History Fair in just a couple of weeks, on Saturday, April 23, 2016. It will be held at the Woods Cross High School in Bountiful, Utah. The address is 600 West 2200 South in Woods Cross.

"The Family History Guide" will be presenting their wonderful new product at the conference! The Family History Guide is now on every computer in all 4,700 Family History Centers around the world!  If you want to see this latest and greatest free product in action, plan now to attend the fair.




As far as conferences/fairs go, the South Davis Fair is rather inexpensive. Only $20 for non-members of UGA (Utah Genealogy Association) and $15 for members. This registration gives you a full day of learning about family history and an electronic syllabus from well known speakers from the genealogy community! You can also pre-order lunch for $7.50!

Come join this great fair and and check out The Family History Guide. You won't be sorry! And the fair also needs volunteers!

Check out the fair details here:  UGA Genealogy-South Davis Fair

UGAgenealogy on Facebook

The Family History Guide on Facebook

02 February 2016

Ancestry, FamilyTreeMaker, RootsMagic Announcement! Wonderful news!




Dear Family Tree Maker™ community,

Since our Family Tree Maker announcement last December, we have continued to actively explore ways to develop and support Family Tree Maker and ensure you have choices to preserve your work in ways that matter to you.

Today, we are pleased to announce two options for desktop software that will work with Ancestry.

Software MacKiev

Software MacKiev, with whom we have a long-standing relationship, is acquiring the Family Tree Maker software line as publisher for both Mac and Windows versions. Software MacKiev has been the developer of Family Tree Maker for Mac for more than six years and is thrilled at the opportunity to publish future versions of Family Tree Maker for Mac and Windows.

This new agreement means you will receive software updates and new versions from Software MacKiev, and have the ability to purchase new versions of Family Tree Maker from Software MacKiev as they are released. You will have continued access to Ancestry Hints, Ancestry searches, and be able to save your tree on Ancestry with Family Tree Maker moving forward.



We have made an agreement with RootsMagic, a leading genealogy desktop software program publisher, to connect Ancestry with the RootsMagic software by the end of 2016. With this new relationship, RootsMagic can serve as your desktop family tree software, while having access to Ancestry hints, Ancestry searches, and the ability to save your tree on Ancestry.

We have heard your concerns and are working to provide the solutions you requested. These new agreements will make it possible to preserve your work on Ancestry and Family Tree Maker and enable future features and benefits to help you discover your family history. Be assured that Ancestry, in cooperation with Software MacKiev and RootsMagic, will continue to support you as you discover your family history.

We ask for your patience as we work diligently through all the details to make these solutions available. You can find additional details about these Family Tree Maker partnerships on our blog. We also encourage you to continue to check back on our blog for future updates in the coming months.

© 2016 ANCESTRY.COM
Ancestry.com Operations Inc. 360 West 4800 North, Provo, UT 84604 USA


30 January 2016

Family Discovery Day at RootsTech

Family Discovery Day Speakers and Guests

Family Discovery Day at RootsTech is the perfect place to discover and share family connections through technology. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced family historian, Family Discovery Day at RootsTech has something for everyone. 


Experience More at RootsTech 2016
RootsTech, the largest family history conference in the world, is happening February 3–6, 2016, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. With inspiring keynote speakers, expo hall of hundreds of exhibitors, entertaining evening events with special guest performers, and more, RootsTech has something for everyone to enjoy. Registration is required for both Family Discovery Day and RootsTech. Passes start at just $29.


For more information about RootsTech 2016, visit RootsTech.org.    

29 January 2016

The Family History Library Announces Free Classes for February 2016

These classes and workshops are designed to help individuals and families find their ancestors and teach others family history techniques.


Feb 9 12:00 P.M. Spanish Records Indexing Workshop Webinar Indexing Tips and Tricks (1½ hours)
1:00 P.M. Cousin Research


Feb 11 10:00 A.M. Migration Routes Across America Webinar

Feb 16 12:00 P.M. Portuguese Records Indexing Workshop Webinar—Indexing Tips and Tricks (1½ hours)
2:00 P.M. Exploring Death Notices in Norway Webinar


Feb 17 1:00 P.M. Online Ortsfamilienbücher (Village Lineage books) Genealogy.net Webinar2:00 P.M. Using Metasuche or Metasearch on Genealogy.net Webinar

Feb 20 9:00 A.M. African American Series: Creating Documentary on Family History, Guest speaker Sanford Bryant10:00 A.M. African American Research and Indexing (2 hours)
10:00 A.M. Boy Scout Genealogy Merit Badge (1½ hours) To register, call 1-801-240-4673 at least one week before the workshop to find out which requirements should be completed before attending.


Feb 23 12:00 P.M. French Records Indexing Workshop Webinar Indexing Tips and Tricks (1½ hours)
1:00 P.M. British Resources on FamilySearch Webinar2:00 P.M. U.S. Burned Counties Research


Feb 24 1:00 P.M. British Resources on Ancestry Webinar3:00 P.M. Using the Full Scope of ArkivDigital for Swedish Genealogy Webinar

Feb 25 1:00 P.M. British Resources on findmypast Webinar6:00 P.M. Religious Migration History and Research Webinar


Webinars can be accessed by the following link:  https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Family_History_Library_Classes_and_Webinars#Monthly_Class_Schedules; scroll to find the desired class.

Family History Enthusiasts Worldwide Gathering in Utah for RootsTech 2016



SALT LAKE CITY, 27 January 2016—RootsTech, the largest family history conference in the world, is looking forward to over 20,000 visitors over four days with an exciting array of speakers and entertainers, over 250 interesting and informative classes, a huge expo hall with more than 160 exhibitors. There is something for every level of family history—from the beginner to experienced. The three-day conference begins on Thursday, February 4, and goes through Saturday, February 6. For more information go to RootsTech.org.

The keynote speakers and offerings reflect the growing influence of family history. Today multiple generations of all ages are engaging through family storytelling and sharing memories within families using social media and an expanding array of new technologies and mobile apps. The opening session on February 4 will begin with Stephen T. Rockwood, who is the managing director for the Family History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and President/CEO of FamilySearch International.

Also featured is Paula Williams Madison who is chairman and CEO of Madison Media Management LLC, a Los Angeles based media consultancy company with global reach. After her retirement in 2011, Madison started doing research on her family lineage. She wrote the book and produced a movie Finding Samuel Lowe: China, Jamaica, Harlem in April 2015 about her experiences. A free screening of the movie will be provided on Wednesday, February 3.

Bruce Feiler is one of America’s most popular commentators about contemporary life. He hosts the PBS series Walking the Bible and Sacred Journeys with Bruce Feiler. He wrote The Secrets of Happy Families containing best practices for busy parents from some of the country’s most creative minds. He has appeared on many television shows on NRP, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and others.

On Friday, February 5, David Isay, is a scheduled keynote. He’s the founder of StoryCorps, an award-winning organization that provides people of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve their life stories. 50,000 interviews have been archived and preserved at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. He has also written several New York Times bestsellers, including Listening is an Act of Love. He is a broadcaster and documentarian, and his research reveals ways to tell great stories for the family historian.

Also on Friday, Josh and Naomi Davis, popular family bloggers known as Love Taza, will speak. On their blog, they relate their life with their three children in bustling New York City. The blog has become a digital destination viewed by millions around the world. People love the inspiration about raising a family and the appreciation Naomi has for life’s simple joys.

On Saturday, February 6, Doris Kearns Goodwin is a world-renowned presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author. She worked with Spielberg on the movie Lincoln, based in part on her award winning Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. She has written books about Frank and Eleanor Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson, and the Kennedys and shares her expertise and commentary on many television shows. She has a PhD in government from Harvard and was an assistant to Lyndon Johnson and has been a consultant in several PBS and History Channel documentaries.

Also on Saturday, Michael Leavitt, a three-term former governor of Utah, will speak. He also served in George W. Bush’s cabinet as an Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and Secretary of Health and Human Services.

The second annual Innovator Summit is a one-day event on Wednesday, February 3, for developers, entrepreneurs, and innovators from around the globe to explore, examine, and discover business and technological opportunities within the family history industry—a rapidly growing multibillion dollar industry. Innovators from around the globe and from all industries will be competing for a piece of the $100,000 in total cash and in-kind prizes. The keynote speaker for this event will be Ken Krogue, an entrepreneur who has taken his business InsideSales.com from a small beginning to a billion dollar industry. He will share his expertise about social media and how to use the different forms effectively.

Along with the keynotes, RootsTech attendees will be able to hear from the Crescent Super Band, featuring Ryan Inness, and Lower Lights, a popular gospel and folk band.

More information about speakers, entertainers, classes, and how to register at RootsTech can be found at RootsTech.org.

Global RootsTech Conference Announces Free Online Broadcast Schedule

29 January 2016—RootsTech, the world’s largest family history and technology conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 4-6, 2016, announced today that 15 of its popular sessions will be broadcast live and complimentary over the Internet. The live broadcasts will give those unable to attend in-person worldwide a sample of this year’s conference content. Interested viewers can watch the live presentations at RootsTech.org. Saturday's Family Discovery Day sessions will be broadcast live on LDS.org

The streamed RootsTech sessions include the general sessions and a sampling of technology and family history presentations.  Following are the broadcasted sessions and speakers. All times are in Mountain Standard Time (MST):

RootsTech Streaming Schedule (RootsTech.org Thursday, February 4; Friday, February 5; Saturday February 6, 2016)
Time Length Day


Thursday Friday Saturday
8:30 a.m. 90 Minutes RootsTech General Session: Stephen T. Rockwood, Paula Madison and
Bruce Feiler
RootsTech General Session: Josh and Naomi Davis and
David Isay
RootsTech General Session: Michael Leavitt
11:00 a.m. 60 Minutes RT5352
7 Unique Technologies for Genealogy Discoveries
Mike Mansfield
GS3643
Innovator Showdown
(Starts at 10:30)
RT2449
Photos-Emerging Technologies in Photography
Jens Nielsen
1:30 p.m. 60 Minutes RT2390
Best Websites and Apps for Local
Amy Crow
GS2345
Proven Methodology for Using Google for Genealogy
Lisa Louise Cook
RT2560
Become a Master Searcher on Ancestry Anne Mitchell
3:00 p.m. 60 Minutes GS4310
What's New in Family Tree for 2016
Ron Tanner
RT7450
Finding Elusive Records on FamilySearch.org Robert Kehrer
RT1792
Homespun and Calico: Researching our Foremothers
Peggy Lauritzen
4:30 p.m. 60 Minutes GS2623
Virtual Family Reunions Joseph Richardson
RT1431
My Ancestors are from Britain-- What do I do next?
Myko Clelland
GS1532
5 Steps to Identify a Family Photo
Maureen Taylor

Family Discovery Day Streaming Schedule (LDS.org Saturday, February 6, 2016)
Time Length Session Information- English Session Information- Languages
1:00 p.m. 45 Minutes RootsTech Family Discovery Day Opening Session:
Elder Dale G. Renlund, Sister Ruth L. Renlund, Sister Ashley Renlund
RootsTech Family Discovery Day Opening Session:
Elder Dale G. Renlund, Sister Ruth L. Renlund, Sister Ashley Renlund
2:00 p.m. 45 Minutes Family History Discussion:
Sheri L. Dew and Sister Wendy W. Nelson
No Stream
3:15 p.m. 30 Minutes RootsTech Family Discovery Day Family Session:
Sister Rosemary M. Wixom and Brother Stephen W. Owen
RootsTech Family Discovery Day Family Session:
Sister Rosemary M. Wixom and Brother Stephen W. Owen
4:15 p.m. 30 Minutes RootsTech Family Discovery Day Youth and Family Session:
Taysom Hill and Britain Covey
No Stream

About RootsTech
RootsTech, hosted by FamilySearch, is a global conference celebrating families across generations, where people of all ages are inspired to discover and share their memories and connections. This annual event has become the largest of its kind in the world, attracting tens of thousands of participants worldwide.

26 August 2015

New FamilySearch Collections: Week of August 17, 2015

Over 7 million searchable records have been added this week. Follow the links below to explore the new content!


COLLECTION
INDEXED RECORDS
DIGITAL RECORDS
COMMENTS
0
1,002,173
Added images to an existing collection
144,443
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection
95,523
96,875
Added indexed records and images collection
862,440
304
Added indexed records and images to an existing collection
0
4,088,394
Added images to an existing collection
84,935
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection
586,960
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection
15
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection
0
4,154
Added images to an existing collection
213,905
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection


Help Us Publish More Free Records Online
Searchable historical records are made available on FamilySearch.org through the help of thousands of online volunteers worldwide. These volunteers transcribe (or index) information from digital copies of handwritten records to make them easily searchable online. More volunteers are always needed (particularly those who can read foreign languages) to keep pace with the large number of digital images being published weekly online on FamilySearch.org. Learn how you can volunteer to help provide free access to the world’s historical genealogical records online at FamilySearch.org/Indexing.
About FamilySearch International
FamilySearch is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch and its predecessors have been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources for free at FamilySearch.org or through more than 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

17 August 2015

LDS Church Breaks Ground for First-of-It's Kind St. George Family History Library


ST. GEORGE, UT (AUGUST 15, 2015)—The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its nonprofit subsidiary FamilySearch International broke ground today on a first-of-its-kind facility in St. George, Utah. When complete, the state-of-the-art St. George FamilySearch Library will offer incredible free ancestry research services and fun, family-friendly experiences that invite personal and family discovery. Elder Allan F. Packer of the Church’s First Quorum of the Seventy presided over the groundbreaking ceremony along with local civic and faith leader guests. The new facility is projected to open in the fall of 2016.

“Today family history research and telling, sharing, and preserving family memories through stories, photos, and technology are engaging a growing number of individuals of all ages like never before,” said Dennis Brimhall, CEO of FamilySearch International. “Youth want to discover themselves and their family’s history in fun, exciting ways, and adults want to strengthen family connections and leave enduring legacies. The discovery experiences provided by this facility will help do just that,” Brimhall added.

The 13,500-square-foot St. George facility will be state of the art—designed from the ground up with the entire family in mind. It will deliver personal discovery experiences through interactive technologies and activities that can be continued in the home. Think of it as a dynamic, ever-unfolding “museum of me.”

Patrons will have access to the most current research resources available online and personal guidance from 150 very knowledgeable staff members. In addition, 4,700 square feet of the facility will offer new, fun, interactive, family-friendly activities that enable patrons of all ages to discover themselves through their personal family stories (see more about the FamilySearch Discovery Center in Salt Lake City).

The official opening of the new St. George facility is scheduled for late fall of 2016, and admission will be free to the public.

The current St. George FamilySearch Library is located at 162 North 400 East, Bldg. B Suite 200, and will remain open until construction of the new facility is completed.

About FamilySearch
FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch and its predecessors have been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years.
FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,800 family history centers in 132 countries, including the renowned Family History Library in Salt Lake City.


© 2015 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. A service provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

04 August 2015

New FamilySearch Record Collections


COLLECTION
INDEXED RECORDS
DIGITAL RECORDS
COMMENTS
0
21,315
Added images to an existing collection
0
1,670
Added images to an existing collection
1,513,553
1,513,553
Added indexed records and images to an existing collection
0
164,642
Added images to an existing collection
1,642,660
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection
2,086,638
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection
624,395
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection
83,822
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection
970
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection
0
855,956
Added images to an existing collection
504,033
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection
0
9,802
Added images to an existing collection
0
175,363
Added images to an existing collection
2,782,487
2,843,557
New indexed records and images collection
5,573,816
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection
21,833,839
0
New indexed record collection
0
318
Added images to an existing collection
0
1,325,362
New browsable-image collection.
0
393,814
New browsable-image collection.
0
111,837
Added images to an existing collection
0
75,456
New browsable-image collection.
0
709,381
New browsable-image collection.
0
111,281
New browsable-image collection.
0
80,833
Added images to an existing collection
9,865,944
0
New indexed record collection
39,967
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection
1,577,127
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection
0
182
Added images to an existing collection
0
363
Added images to an existing collection
0
195
New browsable-image collection.
0
1,077
Added images to an existing collection
0
574
Added images to an existing collection
0
2,758
Added images to an existing collection
0
1,294
Added images to an existing collection
0
1,428
Added images to an existing collection
1,389,458
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection
347,134
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection
0
1,952
Added images to an existing collection
0
6,103
Added images to an existing collection
0
20,661
Added images to an existing collection
0
15,831
Added images to an existing collection
0
42,583
Added images to an existing collection
0
111,769
Added images to an existing collection
0
95,820
New browsable-image collection.
2,807,212
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection
0
850,597
Added images to an existing collection
0
972
Added images to an existing collection
3,024,053
1,831,660
Added indexed records and images to an existing collection
1,606
62
Added indexed records and images to an existing collection
20
18,454
Added indexed records and images to an existing collection
4,641
44,734
New Indexed records and images collection
46,769,836
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection
123,334
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection
58,333
0
New indexed record collection
0
2,362
New browsable-image collection.
0
195,963
New browsable-image collection.
0
8,687
New browsable-image collection.
0
409
New browsable-image collection.
6,696,703
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection
0
458,533
Added images to an existing collection


COLLECTION
INDEXED RECORDS
DIGITAL RECORDS
COMMENTS
718,870
223,694
Added indexed records and images to an existing collection
0
1,371,304
New browsable image collection.
0
15,681
Added images to an existing collection
186,394
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection
0
4,019,816
Added images to an existing collection
60,859
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection
158,202
0
Added indexed records to an existing collection


Help Publish More Free Records Online
Searchable historical records are made available on FamilySearch.org through the help of thousands of online volunteers worldwide. These volunteers transcribe (or index) information from digital copies of handwritten records to make them easily searchable online. More volunteers are always needed (particularly those who can read foreign languages) to keep pace with the large number of digital images being published weekly online on FamilySearch.org. Learn how you can volunteer to help provide free access to the world’s historical genealogical records online at FamilySearch.org/Indexing.

REMINDER: Friday August 7th begins the one week "FUEL THE FIND" Indexing Challenge!