FGS Radio - Digital Publishing for Preservation and Community Building

Click here to create a reminder to listen to FGS Radio:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mysociety/2011/09/03/digital-publishing-for-preservation-and-community-building

Saturday, September 3, 2011
2-3pm Eastern US
1-2pm Central US
12-1pm Mountain US
11am-12pm Pacific US

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mysociety/2011/09/03/digital-publishing-for-preservation-and-community-building

Join us for the next episode of FGS Radio - My Society, an Internet radio show on Blog talk Radio presented by the Federation of Genealogical Societies. This week’s episode hosted by Thomas MacEntee is entitled Digital Publishing for Preservation and Community Building. Our special guest will be Mark Weaver of Ancestry.com. Mark will discuss how digital publishing can be used to achieve society’s goals – both in terms of needing to preserve your historical documents but also leverage published content to better serve and promote your society. He will also introduce Ancestry’s fledgling Ancestry Content Publisher program and share examples of how it’s being used today by various institutions to provide open access to its collections and increase reach to potential members.. We’ll also be speaking with Debbie Mieszala CG℠ as our FGS 2011 Conference Speaker of the Week about upcoming presentations at the conference in Springfield, Illinois this September. And finally we’ll be highlighting the Colorado Council of Genealogical Societies in our weekly Society Spotlight feature.

CG and Certified Genealogist are Service Marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists used under license after periodic evaluation by the Board.

Guest: Mark Weaver

Mark is a Project Manager and has been with Ancestry.com for nearly six years. He worked for a number of years on the Ancestry World Archives Project and now brings his expertise from that development team to the Ancestry Content Publisher Program. Prior to Ancestry.com, Mark was a manager at AOL in their vast Member Services department. He earned an MBA from Weber State University and did his undergraduate studies at Utah State University. Outside of work, he and his wife Jesslyn are kept busy with three beautiful girls ages 4 and twins that are 2.

Links

• Ancestry.com Content Publisher
  http://publish.ancestry.com

FGS 2011 Speaker of the Week

Each week up until the FGS 2011 Conference, look for a special appearance by a speaker during which time they'll discuss their presentations at the conference.

Debbie Mieszala CG℠

Debbie Mieszala is a Certified GenealogistSM specializing in forensic genealogy, 20th century research, and the Midwest. She does genealogical research for the military to help locate family members of service members missing in past wars, and formerly did adoption-related research as a Confidential Intermediary in Illinois. A national-level lecturer and author, she has taught at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and been published in NGS Magazine, The Digital Genealogist, and OnBoard!. As a member of the BCG Outreach Committee, she writes press releases on newly certified genealogists. Debbie has attended IGHR and NIGR, and recently earned a certificate in paralegal studies.

CG and Certified Genealogist are Service Marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists used under license after periodic evaluation by the Board.

FGS 2011 Conference Appearances

• Thursday, September 8, 2011, 3:30-4:30pm
  The Curious Case of the Disappearing Dude
  Family History Essentials

• Friday, September 9, 2011, 5:00-6:00pm
  Lessons from a Snoop: Collaterals and Associates
  Strategies and Techniques

• Saturday, September 10, 2011, 9:30-10:30am
  Options in Post-Adoption Research
  Strategies and Techniques

Links

• Debbie Mieszala’s IGHR Page
  http://www4.samford.edu/schools/ighr/IGHR_fac_mieszala_d.html

Society Spotlight

This week's Society Spotlight features the Colorado Council of Genealogical Societies.

The Colorado Council of Genealogical Societies (CCGS) was established in 1980 as a non-profit organization to facilitate cooperation among heritage-related organizations. In 1998, the Council proudly served as the host for the National Genealogical Society's Conference in the States.

The Colorado Council of Genealogical Societies (CCGS) addresses the needs and interests of the Colorado genealogical community through cooperation among, and support of, member organizations.

Links

• Colorado Council of Genealogical Societies
  http://www.cocouncil.org

Join Us Each Saturday Afternoon at FGS Radio

Tune in to FGS Radio – My Society each week to learn more about genealogy societies and join in a discussion of the issues impacting the genealogical community.

FGS Radio - EasyNetSites: Websites for Genealogy Societies

Click here to create a reminder to listen to FGS Radio:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mysociety/2011/08/27/easynetsites-websites-for-genealogy-societies

Saturday, August 27, 2011
2-3pm Eastern US
1-2pm Central US
12-1pm Mountain US
11am-12pm Pacific US

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mysociety/2011/08/27/easynetsites-websites-for-genealogy-societies

Join us for the next episode of FGS Radio - My Society, an Internet radio show on Blog talk Radio presented by the Federation of Genealogical Societies. This week Thomas MacEntee will be hosting a show focusing on using the EasyNetSites platform to create dynamic genealogy society websites. Our special guest will be Tom Ryder, founder of EasyNetSites in Tampa, Florida. Tom will be discussing how societies can use the EasyNetSites platform to create a dynamic and affordable website for their organization. We’ll also be speaking with Amy Johnson Crow CG℠ as our FGS 2011 Conference Speaker of the Week about upcoming presentations at the conference in Springfield, Illinois this September.

CG, Certified Genealogist is a Service Mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists used under license after periodic evaluation by the Board.

Guest: Tom Ryder

Tom Ryder is the President of EasyNetSites. His company produces online tools for genealogical, historical and related organizations to maintain professional web presences without the need for technically proficient personnel.

Tom got his start in the online industry in 1992 when he opened PC Florida, an ANSI based bulletin board system (BBS). In 1996, he moved into software development and held positions in software design, development and testing which has provided him with solid experience in the many facets of the software development lifecycle. As an end-user oriented applications designer, Tom aims to create software that is easy to understand and simple to use.

Tom also owns Inet Avenues (est. 2004) which produces online software for water quality testing laboratories serving government agencies and private companies.

Links

• EasyNetSites
  http://www.easynetsites.com

Website management tools for non-programmers. EasyNetSites solves your website puzzle by making you the webmaster. We put the creative power in your hands and your organization saves money. If you can fill out a simple form and click a mouse you have all the necessary skills to create, maintain and update your own website – whether your organization has 10 or 1000 members. With EasyNetSites you can have a full-featured website at a price any budget-conscious society can easily afford.

FGS 2011 Speaker of the Week

Each week up until the FGS 2011 Conference, look for a special appearance by a speaker during which time they'll discuss their presentations at the conference.

Amy Johnson Crow CG℠

Amy Johnson Crow is a Certified Genealogist, researcher, editor, webmaster, and database developer. She is the webmaster for the Federation of Genealogical Societies and serves as a website and database consultant for several libraries and societies. Amy recently earned her Master of Library and Information Science degree at Kent State University, where she concentrated on digital libraries and digital preservation.

CG, Certified Genealogist is a Service Mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists used under license after periodic evaluation by the Board.

FGS 2011 Conference Appearances

• Wednesday, September 7, 2011, 11:00am-12:00pm
  Building an Effective Society Web Site
  Focus on Societies: Technology and Publishing

• Wednesday, September 7, 2011, 3:30pm-4:30pm
  Finding and Keeping Volunteers
  Focus on Societies: Organization

• Friday, September 9, 2011, 8:00am-9:00am
  After Mustering Out: Researching Civil War Veterans
  Our Military Ancestors

Links

• Amy Johnson Crow
  http://www.AmyJohnsonCrow.com

• Amy’s Genealogy, etc. Blog
  http://familytrees.wordpress.com

• We Relate
  http://www.WeRelate.org (Amy is a volunteer admin)

Society Spotlight

This week's Society Spotlight features the St. Clair County (IL) Genealogical Society (SCCGS) in Illinois.

SCCGS was founded in 1977 and incorporated in 1978 in order to:

• Preserve and perpetuate ancestral records for educational and historical purposes;

• Encourage the study of family history and to teach the methods of genealogical research;

• Promote genealogical publications;

• Promote the preservation and safeguarding of genealogical data; and

• Publish and circulate literature relative to the purposes and acquisitions of the Society.

Links

• St. Clair County (IL) Genealogical Society (SCCGS)http://www.stclair-ilgs.org/stchome.htm

Join Us Each Saturday Afternoon at FGS Radio

Tune in to FGS Radio – My Society each week to learn more about genealogy societies and join in a discussion of the issues impacting the genealogical community.

Need Inspiration? 25 Great Topics for Genealogy Society Blogs

Does your genealogy society have its own blog but you lack ideas for articles? Has your blog fallen behind in terms of recent posts?

Amy Coffin, of the We Tree blog, has published a FREE book (in PDF format) entitled 25 Great Topics for Genealogy Society Blogs. You can use this book as inspiration for creating winning blog posts from the author of an award-winning genealogy blog.

Click the link below to download your free copy.

http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/25-great-topics-for-genealogy-society-blogs/16662104

Let others know about your society while at the FGS Conference

FGS is an organization of organizations! FGS offers opportunities for both its member organizations and other groups to tell their story while at FGS conferences and hopefully gain new members and volunteers. It's also a place for sharing tips, successes, and issues. Things to take back to your board and ideas for your committe work. The 2011 opportunities have been offered to societies on this blog, FGS Voice, FGS FORUM, and via Social Media and the response has been great. You still have time to participate in some:

Spotlight on Societies
This is a series of tables on which FGS member societies may place quantities of flyers,brochures, sample publications, publication catalogs, bookmarks, and whatever you might want others to see about your society. This is a FREE series of tables that are not staffed but do draw browsers. Click here for full details about participating. Bring materials to the conference and place them on the tables or if you can't make it to the conference, send them in the next few days to:

Shirley Aleguas
SPOTLIGHT ON SOCIETIES
195 E. Elm Street
Waverly, IL 62692

Please be sure to mark your package SPOTLIGHT ON SOCIETIES so that they get to the correct place in the Exhibit Hall. Please send them with NO signature required. If you are bringing your materials to the conference, you may leave them with the Exhibit Hall door monitor on Wednesday, September 7th during the hall set-up or place them on the tables yourself on Thursday morning after the Keynote session.

Focus on Societies
Wednesday focuses on societies. Many of the sessions allow for in-session discussion and in the afternoon several Brainstorming sessions are offered. Click here for the Wednesday lineup.Click here and then here for previous blog posts about this special day at the FGS conference. 

Freebies tables
There will be other tables in the Exhibit Hall where any person, business, or organization may place freebie items related to history and genealogy. Maps, flyers, brochures, sample publications, surname directories, publication catalogs, etc. are appropriate for these tables. We ask that you not place more than two piles of the same item so that there is room for others to place their materials. If you can't attend the conference you may ship materials for the freebie tables to the following address with NO signature required. Your package must be addressed to FREEBIES TABLES in order to be placed in the correct place. If you want leftover materials back, you must handle that yourself. Send thing in the next few days so that they get taken to the conference by volunteers.

Shirley Aleguas
FREEBIES TABLES
195 E. Elm Street
Waverly, IL 62692

If you are bringing your materials to the conference, you may leave them with the Exhibit Hall door monitor on Wednesday, September 7th during the hall set-up or place them on the tables yourself on Thursday morning after the Keynote session.

Ideas Exchange Table
During the extended Exhibit Hall hours on Thursday evening,  visit the "Ideas Exchange Table" near the Society Showcase tables where society members can swap ideas with others societies. Think ahead in order to get the most benefit from the evening. Rumor has it that there might be a few door prizes for the best ideas.

Society Showcase
These are special Exhibit Hall tables that were offered to both FGS member societies and non-member groups for a small fee. These popular and low priced tables are now sold out. FGS member societies got a price break on these, too. Click here to read what these are all about and be sure to visit these tables during the extended Exhibit Hall hours on Thursday evening and also on Friday and Saturday. 

Regular Exhibit Hall Booths
The list of vendors in the Exhibit Hall includes many societies. Every booth is spoken for but watch this blog at the end of 2011 for information on the 2012 Exhibit Hall. Non-profit groups get a discount on booth rental!

FGS Radio - Working With and Inspiring Volunteers

Click here to create a reminder to listen to FGS Radio:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mysociety/2011/08/20/working-with-and-inspiring-volunteers

Saturday, August 20, 2011
2-3pm Eastern US
1-2pm Central US
12-1pm Mountain US
11am-12pm Pacific US

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mysociety/2011/08/20/working-with-and-inspiring-volunteers

Join us for the next episode of FGS Radio - My Society, an Internet radio show on Blog talk Radio presented by the Federation of Genealogical Societies. This week Drew Smith, FGS board member and co-host of The Genealogy Guys Podcast will be hosting a show focusing on how to work with and inspire those who volunteer with your genealogy society.

Our special guest will be Roger Moffat of the Western Michigan Genealogical Society. We’ll also be speaking with Donna Moughty as our FGS 2011 Conference Speaker of the Week about upcoming presentations at the conference in Springfield, Illinois this September. Tune in to FGS Radio – My Society each week to learn more about genealogy societies and join in a discussion of the issues impacting the genealogical community.

Guest: Roger Moffat

Roger Moffat has been the data master for the Western Michigan Genealogical Society since 1999, running their website at http://data.wmgs.org/. Roger was born in Christchurch, New Zealand and became hooked on genealogy in 1989 when he attended a family reunion. Roger has been working on the Moffat and Houliston immigrants to New Zealand in 1860 and has set out on the still uncompleted mission to "find out more".

Links

• Western Michigan Genealogical Society
  http://www.wmgs.org

• Got Ancestors?! Genealogy in Black & White and Blue & Gray
  Annual Seminar for Western Michigan Genealogical Society
  with Tony Burroughs, 4-5 November 2011
  Prince Conference Center, Grand Rapids, Michigan
  http://GotAncestors.com

FGS 2011 Speaker of the Week

Each week up until the FGS 2011 Conference, look for a special appearance by a speaker during which time they'll discuss their presentations at the conference.

Donna Moughty

Donna Moughty, a Professional Genealogist and former Regional Manager for Apple Computer, has been conducting family research for over 20 years. She teaches and lectures on a variety of subjects including Internet, Irish research and computer topics locally and at national conferences and institutes. In addition, she provides consultations, research assistance and training. Donna attended the National Institute for Genealogical Research at the National Archives, and the Third and Fourth Irish Genealogical Congress in Ireland, the Salt Lake Institute – Irish Research and the Institute for Genealogical and Historical Research at Samford University where she was an instructor for the Irish course in 2011. She is a member of Association of Professional Genealogists and served as chair of the Professional Management Conference from 2005 - 2008, and the Genealogical Speakers Guild. She writes a genealogical blog that can be found at http://www.moughty.com.

FGS 2011 Conference Appearances

• Wednesday, September 7, 2011, 11:00am-12:00pm
  Reaping the Rewards of Your Annual Seminar
  Focus on Societies: Program

• Wednesday, September 7, 2011, 3:30-4:30pm
  Printed vs. Online Publishing for Societies
  Focus on Societies: Technology and Publishing

• Thursday, September 8, 2011, 11:00am-12:00pm
  Saving a Life: Your Family's Health History
  Strategies and Techniques

Links

• Donna Moughty’s Genealogy Resources
  http://www.moughty.com

Society Spotlight

This week's Society Spotlight features the Alabama Genealogical Society (AGS) Alabama.

The Alabama Genealogical Society, Inc. (AGS) is a nonprofit organization chartered in 1958 to assist and support the research of its members by finding, safeguarding, preserving, and publishing records pertaining to Alabama families and their history. It is the only genealogical society in Alabama that serves all 67 counties.

Mission Statement

• To foster, encourage and promote genealogical research, education, information gathering and exchange, and publications about Alabama people;

• To contribute to the location and acquisition, preservation, organization and publication of genealogical records and materials about Alabama people;

• To bring together genealogists with interests in the 67 counties of Alabama for the express purpose of strengthening genealogy with respect to mutual statewide issues, interests and concerns;

• And to contribute to the enjoyment and satisfaction of its members through its activities.

AGS is a volunteer organization. Its activities are carried out by elected and appointed officers and chairpersons and numerous other members who assist on a voluntary basis. AGS has a working arrangement with Samford University Library - Special Collection Department - to receive mail and maintain records of the society. The Special Collections Department houses various genealogical and historical resources, which are available to the general public for research. Samford University is located at 800 Lakeshore Drive in Birmingham, Alabama. AGS does not offer free genealogical research but, as a service to its members, it does maintain a list of member-genealogists willing to do research for a fee.

The society holds at least two meetings per year, each in conjunction with a seminar or workshop. Interaction and co-sponsorship of events with other genealogical and historical societies in Alabama is encouraged.

Links

• Alabama Genealogical Society (AGS)
  http://algensoc.org

Join Us Each Saturday Afternoon at FGS Radio

Tune in to FGS Radio – My Society each week to learn more about genealogy societies and join in a discussion of the issues impacting the genealogical community.

Federation of Genealogical Societies Debuts New Mobile App

Offers Easy Access to FGS Services Including Radio, Blog and Webinars

August 15, 2011 – Austin, TX. The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) announces the debut of its free mobile application for the iPhone®, iPod Touch® and iPad®. With the new FGS App, FGS resources and services such as FGS Radio, Voice – the FGS blog and webinars are now available to a wider audience.

The FGS App is the perfect place to stay current with all the events and offerings at FGS. Whether you want to read news at the Voice, listen to the FGS Radio show or learn new tips and tricks from the FGS Webinars, the FGS App allows you to do all of that in one program. You can also get the latest news on the FGS 2011 conference coming up September 7-10, 2011 in Springfield, Illinois as well as the Preserve the Pensions project to digitize millions of War of 1812 pension files.

In terms of social media, the FGS App enables users to interact with each other through comments, posts and sharing content via Facebook, Twitter and e-mail. The new app also includes Society Hall, a directory of all the FGS Members and their locations.

According to D. Joshua Taylor, FGS Vice-President for Administration and nationally-known genealogy expert, “In an age where technology plays such an important role in family history, the FGS App serves as a tool for genealogists and FGS member societies, leading the way for genealogical organizations to harness mobile technologies to promote themselves within this digital climate. This is an exciting beginning of many innovations yet to come."

To access the new FGS App, visit the Apple Store at http://store.apple.com/us or use http://itunes.apple.com/app/federation-genealogical-societies/id455585034?mt=8# to download the FGS App.

Technical and Developer Information

• The FGS App has been developed by A.C. Ivory of ProGenealogists specifically to meet the needs of FGS members and the genealogy community.

• The FGS App is compatible with the iPhone® (3GS and later models), iPod Touch®, and iPad® and requires iOS 4.0 or later.

• The FGS App may not work with older 3G iPhone® models – this is a decision on the part of Apple as they get ready to roll out the new iPhone® 5 later this year.

• FGS plans to make the FGS App available to Android and Windows Mobile users in the near future.

About the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS)

The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) was founded in 1976 and represents the members of hundreds of genealogical societies. FGS links the genealogical community by helping genealogical societies strengthen and grow through resources available online, FGS Forum magazine (filled with articles pertaining to society management and genealogical news), and Society Strategy Series papers, covering topics about effectively operating a genealogical society. FGS also links the genealogical community through its annual conference -- four days of excellent lectures, including one full day devoted to society management topics. To learn more visit http://www.fgs.org.

FGS Radio - Self-Publishing for Genealogy Societies

Click here to create a reminder to listen to FGS Radio:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mysociety/2011/08/13/self-publishing-for-genealogy-societies

Saturday, August 13, 2011
2-3pm Eastern US
1-2pm Central US
12-1pm Mountain US
11am-12pm Pacific US

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mysociety/2011/08/13/self-publishing-for-genealogy-societies

Join us for the next episode of FGS Radio - My Society, an Internet radio show on Blog talk Radio presented by the Federation of Genealogical Societies. This week Thomas MacEntee will be hosting a show focusing on self-publishing and publishing-on-demand for genealogy societies.

Our special guest will be Kathryn M. Doyle, of the FGS-member society California Genealogical Society and Library in Oakland, California. Kathryn will tell us how CGSL has been able to move its current publications to a more efficient model using self-publishing platforms. We’ll also be speaking with George G. Morgan of Aha! Seminars, Inc. as our FGS 2011 Conference Speaker of the Week about upcoming presentations at the conference in Springfield, Illinois this September.

Guest: Kathryn Doyle

Communications Director for the California Genealogical Society and Library in Oakland, California, Kathryn edits the society's eNews and writes their award-winning blog. As a member of the Publications/Marketing Committee, she helps promote the society's events and oversees social networking.

Links

• CGS website
  http://californiaancestors.org

• CGS blog
  http://blog.californiaancestors.org

• CGS Lulu bookstore
  http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/CaliforniaAncestors

• CGS Book brochure
  http://rakingtheashes.weebly.com/uploads/6/4/8/1/6481899/cgs_book_brochure_2011.pdf

• Raking the Ashes book site
  http://rakingtheashes.weebly.com

• Raking the Ashes flier
  http://rakingtheashes.weebly.com/uploads/6/4/8/1/6481899/rta_8.5x11flier.pdf

• FGS 2010 Certificate of Appreciation
  http://blog.californiaancestors.org/2010/08/honored-by-fgs-2010-certificate-of.html

FGS 2011 Speaker of the Week

Each week up until the FGS 2011 Conference, look for a special appearance by a speaker during which time they'll discuss their presentations at the conference.

George G. Morgan

George G. Morgan is the president of Aha! Seminars, Inc., and an internationally recognized genealogy expert who presents at local, state, national, and international genealogical conferences and at library continuing education events.

George is the prolific author of literally hundreds of articles for magazines, journals, newsletters, in genealogical publications, and at online sites in the U.S., Canada, the U.K, Singapore, and elsewhere. His tenth book, the third edition of his How to Do Everything Genealogy, will be published by McGraw-Hill in January 2012.

He is Vice President of Membership for the Federation of Genealogical Societies and publicity director of the Florida Genealogical Society of Tampa. He is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, the New England Historic Genealogical Society, and more than a many societies in the U.S. and the U.K.

George and Drew Smith produce The Genealogy Guys^SM Podcast on the Internet at genealogyguys.com, the longest running genealogical podcast in the world, with thousands of listeners around the globe.


FGS 2011 Conference Appearances

• Wednesday, September 7, 2011, 11:00am-12:00pm
  How to Develop and Implement Affordable Membership Benefits
  Focus on Societies: Projects

• Saturday, September 10, 2011, 9:30am-10:30am
  Successful Cemetery Stalking
  Records, Records, Records

• Saturday, September 10, 2011, 3:30pm-4:30pm
  U.S. Census Agricultural Schedules: Placing Your Farming Ancestor in Context
  Records, Records, Records

Information and Links

• The second edition of George’s How to Do Everything: Genealogy, published by McGraw-Hill, is available in both print and Kindle editions at Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com) and the print and Nook editions are available at Barnes & Noble (http://www.barnesandnoble.com).

• The Genealogy Guys^SM Podcast can be found at http://genealogyguys.com.

• George is available for speaking engagements, both in-person and via GoToMeeting. His full catalog of topics can be found at the Aha! Seminars website at http://ahaseminars.com.

Society Spotlight

This week's Society Spotlight features the Fox Valley Genealogical Society (FVGS) Illinois.

The Fox Valley Genealogical Society is an incorporated, not-for-profit organization founded in 1981 in Naperville, DuPage County, Illinois. The purpose of the Society is:

• To bring together persons who are researching in family history and to promote cooperation among them.

• To educate others in methods and practices in genealogical research.

• To inform people of the value of and the need for preserving family and local history for posterity.

• To collect and preserve genealogical and historical data by publishing genealogical materials and articles.

• To receive, hold, and invest monies, dues, gifts, sales, interest, etc., and to hold and administer property for the benefit of the Society and for its educational purpose.

Current on-going activities of the Society include:

• Conducting genealogy classes, both beginning and intermediate

• Sponsoring genealogy trips to libraries

• Research and correspondence in response to genealogical queries

• Morning Writing Group (MWG) meetings monthly

• Evening Writing Group (EWG) meetings monthly

• Scholarly Writing Group (SWG) meetings monthly

• Sponsorship of an annual, educational workshop

• Publication of Cemetery Readings

Current on-going special projects of the Society are:

• West Aurora Cemetery Reading

• Wheatland Township Cemetery Reading

• Scotch Presbyterian Cemetery Reading

• Zion Lutheran Cemetery Reading

• Transcription/Index to Aurora, IL Masonic Temple Records

The FVGS holds 9 monthly general meetings on the 2nd Thursday, September through June (except December) at 7:30 PM in the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 South Eagle, Naperville, Illinois which provides lower-level inside parking. A journal named the Fox Tales is published quarterly. In addition, members receive an electronic newsletter monthly.

Links

• Fox Valley Genealogical Society (FVGS)
  http://www.ilfvgs.org

Join Us Each Saturday Afternoon at FGS Radio

Tune in to FGS Radio – My Society each week to learn more about genealogy societies and join in a discussion of the issues impacting the genealogical community.

Social Media Plans - Outline and Notes

If you were able to listen in to FGS Radio this afternoon - Creating a Social Media Plan - or perhaps downloaded the episode, I promised that we'd have some more information about social media plans here on the blog.


Here is a rough outline of what was covered today and some links that will help you develop a social media plan for your society.

Creating a Social Media Plan

·       What is a social media plan?

·       Why should a genealogy society have a plan?

·       The social media concept and your society’s leadership

·       Educate, educate, educate

·       Social Media Policy (not the plan, but the policy)

• Why is a policy needed?
• What should a policy cover?

·       Inventory of Social Media Tools

• E-mail
• Blog
• Facebook
• Twitter
• E-Newsletter

·       Branding

• Domain name
• Blog name and blog domain name
• Facebook vanity name
• Twitter account name

·       Timeline

·       Analytics and Reporting

Links:

http://www.slideshare.net/ifPeople/developing-a-social-media-plan-1323287

http://www.marketo.com/library/Social-Media-Plan-Template.pdf

FGS Radio - Creating a Social Media Plan

Click here to create a reminder to listen to FGS Radio:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mysociety/2011/08/06/creating-a-social-media-plan

Saturday, August 6, 2011
2-3pm Eastern US
1-2pm Central US
12-1pm Mountain US
11am-12pm Pacific US

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mysociety/2011/08/06/creating-a-social-media-plan

Join us for the next episode of FGS Radio - My Society, an Internet radio show on Blog talk Radio presented by the Federation of Genealogical Societies. This week Thomas MacEntee will be hosting a show focusing on social media and how your society can create a social media plan to move forward.

FGS 2011 Speaker of the Week

Each week up until the FGS 2011 Conference, look for a special appearance by a speaker during which time they'll discuss their presentations at the conference.

Rev. Dr. David McDonald, CG

David McDonald, CG, a native of Springfield, Illinois, has more than 30 years' experience as a genealogist. He is the principal of Old Northwest Research, LLC, concentrating on states of the Midwest, colonial New England, Virginia and the upper South, and research in Great Britain.. He first earned his BCG credential in 2004, which was renewed in 2009. He now serves as the Board's president. Since 2007, Dave's been a director of the National Genealogical Society. He edited the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society's Newsletter for two years He is a member of a number of genealogical societies, and is an active participant in a number of lineage societies. He lives near Madison, Wisconsin, where he is a minister in the United Church of Christ. His wife, Dr. Jennet Shepherd, is an optometrist; they have three college-aged children.

CG^sm and Certified Genealogist^sm are service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, and are used under license by Board-certified associates after periodic competency evaluations.

FGS 2011 Conference Appearances

• Thursday, September 8, 2011, 11:00am-12:00pm
  Illinois Migration & Settlement Patterns
  In the Heartland

• Thursday, September 8, 2011, 3:30-4:30pm
  Iowa History and Resources
  In the Heartland

• Friday, September 9, 2011, 8:00-10:30am
  BCG Certification Seminar
  Sponsored by Board for Certification of Genealogists
  Strategies and Techniques

• Friday, September 9, 2011, 11:00am-12:00pm
  Wisconsin: History and Resources for Genealogists
  In the Heartland

• Saturday, September 10, 2011, 2:00-3:00pm
  The Lincolns: An Extraordinary Family's Typical Story
  Sponsored by New York Genealogical and Biographical Society
  In the Heartland

Links

• Old Northwest Research
  http://www.oldnorthwestresearch.com

• Board for Certification of Genealogists
  http://www.bcgcertification.org

Society Spotlight

This week's Society Spotlight features the Afro-American Genealogical & Historical Society of Chicago (AAGHSC).

Founded in 1979, the Society immediately set out to gather and publicize information on the history and genealogy of Africans in America. Monthly meetings permitted members to share important genealogical finds, to attend classes on research techniques, and to hear speakers on genealogical subjects. The column “Afro-American Roots” began to appear in 1982 in the Chicago Defender, written by Dr. Adlean Harris, one of the founders. In about 1984, the society began to present an annual workshop featuring speakers from across the nation who specialize in historical research. The Society began in 1989 to sponsor research trips to various important libraries and archives nation-wide. Subsequently, its members have formed state study groups to focus on the different types of records maintained by different states.

The society has established several programs for youth to engage in family research, most recently, the Genealogy for Kids program. The Black Churches Project, in progress, entails cataloging records of black churches in existence before 1930.

The society has compiled a surname registry, and its members published a book indexing burials in Chicago’s African-American Lincoln Cemetery. Members have published a wide variety of other books, from Tony Burrough’s Black Roots to family histories, manuals and other indexing projects, as well as numerous articles in genealogical journals and newsletters. A quarterly newsletter enjoys nationwide distribution.

The society has approximately 200 members, many of whom live in distant cities. Visitors to its annual conference have been inspired to start Afro-American genealogical societies in their own hometowns. Through research, members have been able to discover truths about American and African-American history not available elsewhere.

Links

• Afro-American Genealogical & Historical Society of Chicago (AAGHSC)
  http://www.aaghsc.org/

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