Latest FORUM Issue Out: Freedmen's Bank Records, genealogy self-education & more!

While temps are dropping in many places before the holiday season begins in earnest, now is the perfect time to delve into this latest issue of FORUM. Stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey, this issue is abundant with genealogy advice, how-tos, and tech tips that will leave you thankful you took a little "me time" to gobble it up.

Adding context to your ancestors' stories

"Freedmen's Bureau & Freedmen's Bank Records" can lend context to your ancestors' lives and narrative to their stories. Ted Bainbridge, PhD, takes an in-depth look at these records.

Worry-free goodies

In "Just 37 Words" Judy Russell, JD, CG, CGL, explains there are wonderful goodies you can use without worrying about copyright.

Continuing your genealogy education

Shannon Combs-Bennett gives Next Generation ways to continue your genealogy education in "Keeping Up with the Ancestors: Self-Education.

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

Table of Contents

3 ...... From the Editors

6 ...... President's Message: Capturing the Energy by D. Joshua Taylor

8 ...... Freedman's Bureau & Freedmen's Bank Records by Ted Bainbridge

18 ...... Build a Digital Library with Scribd by Denise Barrett Olson

24 ...... Join Us for the FGS 2016 Conference by Thomas MacEntee

28 ...... Considerations for Conducting a Family History Writing Contest by Jill Morelli

32 ...... FGS Experiences New Frontiers in Genealogical Cruising to Alaska by Deena Coutant

38 ...... How to Index Genealogical Records at Home by Ted Bainbridge, PhD

41 ...... Spotlight on Member Projects, Surname Project, Webinars, 'Human Scanners' & More by Caroline Pointer

45 ...... Ethics and Standards, Just 37 Words by Judy Russell, JD, CG, CGL

49 ...... Next Generation, Keeping Up With the Ancestors: Self-Education by Shannon Combs-Bennett

52 ...... Records Preservation and Access, New Records Online, Opened Adoption 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 FGS FORUM and start reading immediately or download it to read on your desktop or mobile device. No need to be a member of a genealogical society.

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.

1812 Society Matching Campaign Challenge

You've been challenged!

We are challenging each member society of FGS to a society matching campaign! We are asking each of you, as an FGS member society, to engage in at least a $500 matching program to raise funds for the 1812 Preserve the Pensions!

If each society will raise at least $500, we would be able to raise $600,000 in 2015 toward our goal of $800,000 to complete the project. The FGS Board has just approved a $25,000 matching amount.

So, the first societies to let us know that you have committed to do a matching campaign, will have your donations matched by FGS as well as Ancestry. Email us your commitment.

These are some suggestions:

• You can play the YouTube video with Josh Taylor, entitled Preserve the Pensions and Societies, at the beginning of your society meeting, and collect funds at each meeting. (Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hRXzI57Cwo  

• Plan a meeting with the program entirely devoted to the War of 1812 and Preserve the Pensions project! There is an 1812 Powerpoint which you can present at your meeting. But there are four videos on YouTube where FGS officers talk about the War of 1812 Preserve the Pensions.
• A helpful way for societies to raise funds is to establish a society “seed fund” which can then match individual donations turned into your society. A seed fund could be created by holding an event, such as a yard or garage sale just to raise that seed money.

What suggestion do you have? Your society help is needed to raise the funds so that we can make the Preserve the Pensions a reality and reach our goal!!

Elaine Hasleton

Preserve the War of 1812 Pensions Volunteer

For more information about the Preserve the Pensions Project or to donate, please visit PreservethePensions.org.

Kickstarter Funding for Your Genealogy Society Project

Still trying to figure out how to find the funds to implement all of your society's new projects?

Have you considered crowdfunding?  Guests Kathleen Brandt (of a3Genealogy) and Maureen Taylor (the "Photo Detective") have each started Kickstarter projects and discuss the finer points of applying for and promoting your project.

This approach serves multiple purposes:

• it allows your society to implement projects without digging into (and usually depleting) the operating account;
• it's a great way to let the community (local, regional, virtual, etc.) know what projects your society is working on;
• it's a great way to get your society's name out there - which could increase your membership (making future funding even easier!)

Think about it.  It's much easier to get a couple of bucks from a thousand people than it is to get $100 from 20 people.  Right?

This type of funding reaches more people faster, and allows more societies and other organizations to raise funds for projects to preserve local, state, regional, or even national history that might otherwise never see the light of day.

Listen to the archived broadcast of "Kickstarter Funding for Your Genealogy Society Project" 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

For more information, check out these articles from our Society Strategy Series:

• Projects for Fundraising
• A First Families Project
• Creating Society Archives
• A Society Project: GPS Locating Cemeteries - Making Cemeteries Easy to Find

Web-based Fundraising Opportunities

Learn ways to afford all those new projects!

It's a new year. You've installed a new board. You've had your roundtable discussions and your society is armed with plenty of new ideas ... but no financial resources to make them happen. What now?

Guest Mark Olsen explains some ways your society can raise money—both actively and passively—so your society can afford to tackle all those new projects!

If your society has an internet presence, there are many genealogy vendors who offer affiliate links that you can put on your website or blog and earn money when people click on your link.  Some vendors also provide discount offers on their services that can only be obtained through your society.

These are excellent options, especially for the smaller society that wants to avoid increasing membership dues.

Listen to the archived broadcast of "Web-based Fundraising Opportunities" 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

For more information, check out these articles from our Society Strategy Series:

• Projects for Fundraising
• Society Web Sites: Plain and Simple
• Incorporation and IRS Regulations
• Bookkeeping 101 for Genealogical Societies

Scan It and Share It: Digitization Projects for Your Society

Scan It & Share It: Digitization Projects for Your Society

October is American Archives Month and Family History Month. In keeping with these themes, here is one way your society can celebrate!

Digitizing isn't only being done by the "big" societies, and it doesn't take a huge financial commitment.

Gary Ward, President of the Lockport Area Genealogical & Historical Society, an FGS Member Society, shares how his small society became a beta tester for the Ancestry digitization project. But you don't have to be part of the project to get your society's collections digitized and indexed.

All you really need: a laptop, a digital camera with a tripod (or a scanner), some volunteers, and material that has some genealogical or historical value.

Not every digitized collection needs to be large, either. Your society may hold the key to breaking down someone's brick wall in its tiny collection! There may be school records, town council records, or other local records in danger of destruction (either by man-made or natural forces) that are just begging to be digitized.

Listen to the archived broadcast of "Scan It and Share It: Digitization Projects for 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