Summer Issue of FORUM Available

Knowing where to look for records is crucial to finding them. In "Town Records: Your Key to New England Research Success," Michael J. Leclerc, CG, explains the local government structure you need to know for successful research in New England. 

In "Interlibrary Loan: A Useful Tool in Your Genealogy Toolkit," Tina Beaird, MLIS discusses why accessing resources held in distant libraries doesn't necessarily require a road trip.

Katherine R. Willson discusses bringing to life the stories of our veterans in "Preserving Veterans' Voices."

Genealogists are constantly looking for information that relates to their ancestors. Melissa Barker provides ideas about "Where to Find Diaries, Journals & Letters."

And that's not all. 

4 ..... Editor's Message: Summer Reading

6 ..... Town Records: Your Key to New England Research Success by Michael J. Leclerc, CG

11 ..... Interlibrary Loan: A Useful Tool in Your Genealogy Toolkit by Tina Beaird, MLIS

16 ..... Preserving Veterans' Voices by Katherine R. Willson

20 ..... FGS 2018 Is the Place To Be

25 ..... Where to Find Diaries, Journals & Letters by Melissa Barker

29 ..... Ethics & Standards: Separation Anxiety by Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL

32 ..... Next Generation: Genealogy Seasons by Shannon Combs-Bennett

34 ..... Records Preservation & Access: New Projects, Research Help & More by Linda McCleary, MLS

37 ..... Beyond Boxes & Binders: Elevate Your Storytelling by Linda Coffin

39 ..... Forensic Genealogy: Forensic Genealogy is Not Finding the Living by Helen Haldeman Daglas

43 ..... Reviews

55 ..... Before You Go . . . Georgia's Virtual Vault

How to access FORUM:

The FGS website will be switched to a new platform soon. To ensure that FGS member society leadership and FORUM individual subscribers have access to this latest issue during this transition, we emailed a direct link to the Summer 2018 issue of the magazine.

Current FGS Member Society Leadership: The email with the direct link to the magazine was sent to the main contact for each member society. Board members and FGS delegates of member societies have access to the magazine through the society's membership. If your organization is an FGS member and you did not receive the link, please email forum@fgs.org.

Current FGS FORUM subscribers (individuals): The email with the direct link to the magazine was sent to the email address on file for each subscriber. If you are a FORUM subscriber and you did not receive the link, please email forum@fgs.org.

Who can subscribe to FORUM? Anyone. You don't have to be a member of a genealogical society in order to subscribe.

Genealogical Society Leaders: If your society is not a member of the Federation of Genealogical Societies, become one today and let your society's leadership begin accessing FORUM and its 25+ year archives which is just one of the many benefits of FGS membership.

Speed DNAting at FGS 2018: A Hip Haplogroup Happening

You're invited to Speed DNAting at FGS 2018! It's not speed dating — it's speed DNAting!

Join us on Friday, August 24 for an evening of fun and learning all centered around DNA and genetic genealogy. There will be fun, food, drinks, and prizes —including a chance for a consultation with a genetic genealogy expert!

You could win a consultation with Blaine Bettinger, Angie Bush, Shannon Combs-Bennett, Crista Cowan, Daniel Horowitz, Judy Russell, Diahan Southard, or Sara Allen.

Party-goers... er, we mean, attendees...  can take part in trivia contests, win prizes for finding a match in their haplogroup, play DNA bingo, and have fun with a scavenger hunt. What can you win? How do DNA kits sound?

Event sponsor Living DNA will also be providing some cool swag for each Speed DNAting attendee!

Did we mention drinks? We'll be serving DNA-themed cocktails: Y-Adam, 22-X, and 7 Daughters of Eve. (There will be both cocktail and "mocktail" versions.)

Tickets are just $30 (and include one drink coupon). Click here to sign up for FGS 2018 and be sure to include Speed DNAting! (If you've already registered for the conference, you can add it on to your registration.)

You don't want to miss this! This isn't a lecture — it's an event!

Ancestry's Sessions at FGS 2018

FGS is pleased to have Ancestry as a Platinum Sponsor for FGS 2018 in Fort Wayne, August 22-25.

In addition to their booth in the exhibit hall where they will be doing demos and answering questions, Ancestry is sponsoring several sessions during the conference:

Thursday, August 23

"Advancing Your Genealogy Research with DNA" by Crista Cowan (5:00pm)
You’ve scoured the census, dug through probates, and even visited the county courthouse. What’s left? DNA. It’s the oldest record of your family, and technology and science are coming up with more ways for you to use it. Come and learn what new tools AncestryDNA has to advance your research and get more out of your DNA results.

"Midwestern Treasures on Ancestry" by Juliana Szucs (2:00pm)
Learn about some of the unique resources that can be found on Ancestry which can tell the story of your ancestors who lived in the heartland of America.

Saturday, August 25

"Mining Probates on Ancestry for Family History Gold" by Juliana Szucs (3:30pm)
There are 18 million+ probate records on Ancestry. Are you mining them effectively or just scratching the surface? Learn how to effectively dig deep in this rich collection.

"Using Genetic Communities™ to Tell Your Story" by Crista Cowan (11:00am)
Genetic Communities™ is an exciting innovation in DNA testing that can take you on a journey through specific stories about our past. In this class, you will learn about how Genetic Communities™ are formed, why you get assigned to a particular Genetic Community™, and how to use them in your research.

Register now for FGS 2018, one of the premier genealogy events in the US! Register before July 18 and save. Click here to register.

Summer Sale on FGS 2018 Through July 18

There's a Summer Sale on the FGS conference! Register for the full conference (4-days) before July 18 at 5:00pm Central and save. 

With more than 100 sessions and workshops, expert presenters, a lively exhibit hall, and access to one of the best genealogy libraries in the country, FGS 2018 is the place to be!

Register now and save on a full-conference registration. 

The FGS conference + summer + savings = the perfect combination!

We'll see you in Fort Wayne, August 22-25!

(Discount applies only to the Full Conference registration and you must register before July 18, 2018 at 5:00pm Central. There are 1-day and 2-day registration options; however, the Full Conference registration is the best value.)