Educational Opportunities from NGS

If you're interested in increasing your knowledge of the how-to of genealogy, you might want to consider this new course for NGS or one of the other options available. I  did the American Genealogy - A Basic Course back in 2003 and found it invaluable.

News Release from National Genealogical Society:

NGS proudly announces the release of its newest American Genealogical Studies course, Guide to Documentation and Source Citation. This course joins The Basics in the series of online courses developed by NGS to help those interested infinding their family.

In this three-module self-paced course, Michael Grant Hait Jr., cg^SM, helps genealogists with one of the most confusing areas of genealogy research, “how do I cite my family information?” Knowing where we located our family information and keeping accurate notes, or citations, is the backbone of reliable genealogy. The course modules consist of lessons, examples, citations, and graded quizzes and cover topics on “Introduction to Documentation,” “Basic Citation Principles,” and “Applying Citation Principles.”

This NGS American Genealogical Studies course, Guide to Documentation and Source Citation, is available for $30.00 for members and $45.00 for non-members. For further information, to view the syllabus, or to purchase the course, visit the NGS website at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/guide_documentation_sourcecitation.

Guide to Documentation and Source Citation joins The Basics in the NGS’s online cloud-based learning management system. To take advantage of this system, you will need either a computer or tablet with an Internet connection.

NGS also offers several courses available in downloadable PDF files compatible for a PC or MAC. The courses are designed for both the beginner and the established genealogist to help busy individuals learn about a specific topic and to put the ensuing knowledge to work quickly. These courses include:

·         Using Federal Population Census Schedules in Genealogical Research

·         Introduction to Civil War Research

·         Genetic Genealogy, The Basics

·         Introduction to Religious Records

·         Working with Deeds

~ Becky Higgins

February 2014 Morning Meeting

Tired of Sitting at home wishing this horrid weather would go away? Well, take the plunge and make your way to the EGS meeting this February 4th at 9:30 am at the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove, Elgin, IL.

This promises to be a wonderfully helpful and informative program. Debra Dudek will present "Beyond Ancestry". Have you researched on Ancestry? Maybe even followed those little shaking leaves? Ever wonder if there might be more and different information to be found elsewhere? Now is your chance to learn about some free and budget friendly online resources for your research.

Debra is Head of Adult and Teen Services at the Fountaindale Public Library District in Bolingbrook.  She has a Master of Sciences degree in Information and Library Studies from the University of Stratheclyde, Glasgow, UK.

She's sure direct you to some sites to fill many research hours the next time you're snowed in! 

EGS Jan. 7 Meeting Is On

Hi All,

Just a little note to say tomorrows morning meeting is still scheduled. We know the weather may be a factor for some and ask that you use your best judgement regarding your attendance. Safety first! However we have confirmed with our speaker and plan to go ahead with the program.

You may want to check with the library in the morning to be sure it is open because, of couse, if it closes we can't hold the meeting. However, I checked the morning which is suppose to be the coldest of the two days and the library is open today.

I don't know about you, but I've had about enough of the winter already!!

Becky

Help with Dating Photos at Morning Meeting

Our first meeting for 2014 is a program on dating photos through clothing & facial recognition presented by Ellie Carlson. She says about her presentation...Family photographs are hard to date once the generation pictured has passed away. Many people have unidentified photos in their collection. Determining an approximate date may help you to know whether the woman in the photo is your grandmother or your great-grandmother.  This is where costume dating can be helpful. Basic facial recognition will also be covered which will help identify the same person in several photos over time. There are some good, easy tricks which you will learn in this workshop-format presentation.

Please bring photographs with you to the lecture and we will all try to date them for you using the techniques outlined in the presentation. Ideally, attendees will print their photos onto transparency paper (any office supply store or copy shop can do this) so we can all see them projected on the screen but this isn't required.

Hope to see you there! January 7, 2014 at the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N Grove, Elgin, IL.

Sara

Set your 2014 Calendar

The end of 2013 is nearly here and most of us are preparing our calendars for events coming up in 2014. Don't forget to mark the third Thursday of each month (except December) for the EGS Beginners' Genealogy Workshops. We'll be meeting at the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N Grove, Elgin, IL at 7:00 pm. 

Don't think you're a beginner? Think again!! Every time we find a "new" person or a "new" location we need to go back to the beginning. Even those who have been researching for 20 or 30 years will find a review of the basics most enlightening.

Here's the schedule for the workshops:

• Jan 16 -  Getting Started With Your Research
• Feb 20 - Getting the Vitals Down – Birth, Marriage and Death Records
• Mar 20 -  Turning Fiction to Fact: Using, Identifying, and Citing Sources
• Apr 17  - Making Sense of the Census
• May 15 - Organizing Your Research
• Jun 19 -  Using Libraries to Continue Your Research
• Jul 17 -   Analyzing and Tracking Your Research
• Aug 21-  Using Websites to Help Your Research
• Sep 18 - Digging into Land Records: The Neglected Resource
• Oct 16-   Dusting off those Old Court Records
• Nov 20-  Fanning the Flames

Can't make an evening meeting? Don't despair. EGS has morning meetings on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 9:30 am also at the Gail Borden Public Library. There's lots of great information to be found at these meetings as well:

• Jan 07 - Ellie Carlson presents Dating Photographs Through Clothing & Face Recognition
• Feb 04 - Debra M. Dudek presents Beyond Ancestry
• Mar 04- Jennifer Holik presents Stories of the Lost (Sequel to Finishing the Story)
• Apr 01 - Jane Halderman presents From Land Records to Google Earth: Mapping Your Family’s
• Place
• May 06 -Sarah Kirby presents The Genealogy Research Process
• Jun 03 - Thomas MacEntee presents 10 Ways to Jump Start Your Genealogy (webinar)
• Jul 01 - TBA
• Aug 05- Marsha Peterson-Maass presents Swab Your Cheek: How to Make the Most of DNA Kinship Results
• Sep 02- Teresa McMillan presents Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Hanover Military Records
• Oct 07- Matthew Rutherford presents Introduction to Genealogy at the Newberry
• Nov 04-EGS Writers’ Group presents Telling Their Stories
• Dec 03- Annual Meeting and Holiday Celebration

There you have it! Mark your calendars now. Set a reminder. We want to see you there!!

Elgin Genealogical Society: EGS Announces its 2014 Beginners' Workshop Series

Elgin Genealogical Society: EGS Announces its 2014 Beginners' Workshop Series: Press Release: The Elgin Genealogical Society Announces its 2014 Beginners’ Workshop Series. Elgin, Illinois December 1, 2013 W...

EGS Announces its 2014 Beginners' Workshop Series

Press Release:

The Elgin Genealogical Society Announces its 2014 Beginners’ Workshop Series.

Elgin, Illinois

December 1, 2013

Whether you are interested in starting your genealogy research or you have been researching many years, you will benefit from the Elgin Genealogical Society’s upcoming monthly workshops – each one will cover a different topic important to helping you further your research. These workshops are planned to help persons new to tracing their family tree get started and establish a good foundation; but will also benefit even the most seasoned researcher.

The workshops will be held on the third Thursday of each month in the Community Room, first floor of the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Avenue, Elgin, Illinois 60120 and begin at 7:00 pm. All EGS meetings are open to the public.

Mark your calendar for these important dates in 2014:

Date :                                                    Topic:

January 16           Getting Started with your Research
February 20         Getting the Vitals Down—Birth, Marriage, and Death Records
March 20            Turning Fiction to Fact: Using, Identifying and Citing Sources
April 17               Making Sense of the Census
May 15                Organizing your Research
June 19                Using Libraries to Continue your Research
July 17                 Analyzing and Tracking your Research
August 21             Using Websites to Help your Research
September 18        Digging into Land Records: The Neglected Resource
October 16            Dusting Off those Old Court Records
November 20         Fanning the Flames

“We are very exciting about the upcoming workshops” says EGS president, Sara Taylor. “They will provide new researchers the basic knowledge needed to create valued family histories and give veteran genealogists an opportunity to mentor others while brushing up on fundamentals.”

If you are available during the day, consider stopping in to our morning meetings held the first Tuesday of each month as well. They begin at 9:30 am and are also at Gail Borden Public Library. Guests are always welcome!

  

For further information, email ElginGS@aol.com or visit our website at www.elginroots.com.

Elgin Genealogical Society; P.O. Box 1418; Elgin, IL 60121-1418; elginGS@aol.com; www.elginroots.com