Latest FORUM Issue Out: Pinterest & genealogy, ethics & standards and more!

It's starting to cool down in many places in North America now that fall is almost here. Before the big holiday rush, take some time to put your feet up and relax with this latest issue of FORUM. Jam packed with creative research ideas, tech tips for genealogy, and copyright help (from The Legal Genealogist, no less), you will not want to stop reading it!

Pin it!

Pinterest is a visual bookmarking site with a social media component. Learn how individuals and societies can use it for genealogy in Lisa Lisson's "Pinterest & Genealogy, A Great Combination!"

Apply for it!

Contributor Heather Wilkinson Rojo takes you through the application process for joining "The General Society of Mayflower Descendants."

Get it right!

FORUM welcomes Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL, and her new column Ethics and Standards. In this issue, she explains "Copyright and Ethical Violations Concerning Lectures" for societies, speakers, and everyone attending genealogy presentations.

And that's not all. Take a peek inside:

Table of Contents

3 ......  From the Editors

6 ......  President's Message: 'Above All, Try Something' by D. Joshua Taylor

8 ......  Pinterest and Genealogy, A Great Combination: 4 Unique Methods for Using Pinterest in Your Genealogy Research by Lisa Lisson

14 ...... The General Society of Mayflower Descendants by Heather Wilkinson Rojo

20 ...... 2015 FGS Award Recipients by Caroline M. Pointer

25 ...... Run a Matching Campaign & Help Preserve the Pensions by David E. Rencher, AG, CG, FIGRS, FUGA

28 ...... Spotlight on Member Projects: Preservation Projects, Special Interest Groups, New Websites, & More by Caroline M. Pointer

33 ...... Ethics & Standards: Copyright and Ethical Violations Concerning Lectures by Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL

26 ...... Next Generation: Networking Tips by Shannon Combs-Bennett

38 ...... Records Preservation & Access: Connecticut Land Records Available Online, Fires Destroy Historical Records & More by Linda McCleary, MLS

How to access FORUM:

Current FGS Member Societies: Sign-in now to start reading immediately or download it to read on your desktop or mobile device. (After signing in, click on FGS FORUM – Latest Issue in the sidebar.) Don't forget to renew your membership in order for your society's leadership to continue to access FORUM and its archives.

Current FGS FORUM subscribers (individuals): sign-in now to start reading immediately or download it to read on your desktop or mobile device. (After signing in, scroll down and click on Vol. 27, No. 2, to read.)

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

Not already a subscriber? You can subscribe today to the FGS FORUM and start reading immediately or download it to read on your desktop or mobile device.

Genealogical Societies: If you are not a member society 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. Read more about how else FGS empowers Member Society Leaders to manage successful societies.

Copyright and Your Society

Copyright and Your Society

November is National Family Stories Month, and today is also Common Sense Day.  What better way to celebrate both than by putting our common sense to work and learn about copyright before we start collecting and/or writing those family stories?

Copyright law is confusing, even on a good day.  Sometimes it feels like you need to keep a tiny lawyer in your pocket just to help keep you from using copyrighted materials!  Fortunately, Thomas MacEntee helps us out by explaining different ways to determine whether materials are still protected by copyright, and - even if they are - whether you are still allowed to use them and when.  He also provides places to find creative commons images for use in newsletters and on websites.

Thomas also provides some very helpful tips on how to make sure your own copyrighted material isn't being used without your permission.
Listen to the archived broadcast of "Copyright and Your Society" on the blogtalkradio My Society channel by FGS, or you can listen below:

Check Out History Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with mysociety on BlogTalkRadio

Copyright Resources for Genealogy Societies

Here is a list of some of the resources covered during today's episode of FGS Radio entitled Copyright and Your Genealogy Society:

• Is It Protected By Copyright? A Digital Slider from the American Library Association: http://librarycopyright.net/resources/digitalslider/

• Copyright & Genealogy. A resource list from the Association of Professional Genealogists: http://www.apgen.org/resources/copyright.html

• The Legal Genealogist. Website and blog dealing with copyright and other legal issues by Judy G. Russell^CG: http://www.legalgenealogist.com

• Copy Right. Copy Sense. A resource of articles about copyright for genealogists: http://www.pddoc.com/copyright/index.html

• Copyright for Genealogists. An article at Family Tree Magazine by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack: http://www.familytreemagazine.com/article/copyright-for-genealogists/ 

• Cyndi's List: Copyright. Resources for copyright and intellectual property: http://www.cyndislist.com/ip/copyright-in-genealogy/

• Copyrights & Wrongs. An article by Mark Howells: http://www.oz.net/~markhow/writing/copy.htm

• Copyright Clarity: How Fair Use Supports Digital Learning. A resource site by Renee Hobbs geared towards educators, but lots of good information for genealogy societies: http://mediaeducationlab.com/copyright/