NGS Conference Recap

Jan Alpert

The Forget-Me-Not Hour: Your Ancestors Want Their Stories to Be Told radio show

Saturday, 10 May 2014, 2:30 p.m.

Live from the Social Media Press table in the Greater Richmond Convention Center

Tune in for a recap of the NGS 2014 Family History Conference when co-chair Jan Alpert joins Jane E. Wilcox on The Forget-Me-Not Hour: Your Ancestors Want Their Stories to Be Told radio show, broadcasting live from the conference in Richmond, Virginia on the last day.

Find out from Jan what the highlights of the conference were, what sessions were not to be missed, what activities outside the conference were happening, who won the writing awards, and a whole lot more. Jan will also tell us about the newest feature of the conference – living streaming of several of the presentations including sessions by Elizabeth Shown Mills and Dr. Thomas Jones. This special edition of the show airs at 2:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, 10 May on http://www.blogtalkradio.com/janeewilcox/2014/05/10/ngs-richmond-recap-with-jan-alpert, with on-demand listening any time after the show airs.

NGS Conference Recap

Official Conference Social Media

Ancestry Insider 

The Ancestry Insider blog is the unofficial, unauthorized view of Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org. The Ancestry Insider reports on, defends, and constructively criticizes these two websites and associated topics. The author attempts to fairly and evenly support both. The Ancestry Insider blog is a readers’ choice news and resources blog, honored as part of Family Tree Magazine’s “40 Best Genealogy Blogs.” It was named a “25 Most Popular Genealogy Blogs” by ProGenealogists, and Family Tree Magazine’s “101 Best Web Sites” award.

The Ancestry Insider is  genealogical technologist. He has been an insider at both Ancestry.com and FamilySearch. He has a post-graduate technology degree and holds a dozen technology patents in the United States and abroad. He has done genealogy since 1972 and has worked in the computer industry since 1978. He was Time Magazine Man of the Year in both 1966 and 2006. Conference attendees are among the few nationwide to learn his secret identity. And he really is descended from an Indian princess.

Web Page: http://www.ancestryinsider.org/

Official Conference Social Media

Official Blogger—NGS 2014 Conference Tips

Genealogy Certification: a Personal Journey

http://genealogycertification.wordpress.com/

Woo hoo!  I was recently named an Official Blogger for the National Genealogical Society conference to be held in Richmond, Virginia in early May.  I am looking forward to it for many reasons including the strong program with many great choices, meeting some old and new friends and staying with my good friend Mary.

This is my second NGS conference, having attended Cincinnati two years ago.  I remember being slightly overwhelmed at the first one and thought that first-timers and even "multiple-timers" might appreciate some tips about "Conference Survival!"  Since we are several months in advance of the conference, this first post focuses on the things you can do now to enhance your experience.

• Download the mobile app.  I love this app.  Install it on your ipad and your phone.  Play with it.  It has maps, speaker bios, a direct twitter link (even if you have never tweeted before, this app makes it easy to start.) and the program. Here is the link: http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/attend/mobile-app/

• Once the mobile app is downloaded, start reviewing all the program options and make some selections now.  You develop your personalized program by clicking on the star.  Do not worry if you have 5 selections for one time slot; your inclusion of those on your Personal Schedule will be great reminders of what you might want to attend.  You will, of course, have to narrow it eventually to one.  That's the tough part.

• NGS is live streaming 10 lectures split between two tracks for $65 each.  These will be available for three months after the conference for those who sign up.  Track One is "Records and Research Techniques" and Track Two is "Virginia Records & Migration."  Make a strategic decision now about whether you want to join the hordes of attendees for these presentations which includes Elizabeth Shown Mills and Tom Jones, or attend one of the other great options which are at the same time slot and watch the presentations later.   You can find more about this option here: http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/attend/live-streaming-at-ngs2014gen/

• If you haven't made your reservation and you need a room or you have a room and you feel sorry for all those "folks who want to attend but are shut out of the hotels because they are all sold out," put your name on the roommate wanted/room wanted list.  It's easy and you may make a new friend--or not--but that's the fun of it. https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/ngs-roommate-connections

• If you do not tweet, learn how now so you understand the power of the tweet!  Conference hashtag is #NGS2014gen

• Sign up for the conference blog--this will get you real-time information about the conference.  Right now each blog posting is highlighting a difference repository in the area.  If you have Virginia or research needs that take you to DC, these repositories are a gold mine of resources.  Sadly, I have no ancestors from the area.  Just enter your email address in the left sidebar and hit the subscribe button.  You will be able to unsubscribe whenever you wish.  http://conferenceblog.ngsgenealogy.org/

• Speaking of research...if you plan on doing some research while you are in the area, make your research plans now.  Identify the time you have available and which repositories you will visit. Outline your research question/problem and identify the likely repositories for your search.  Check out their online catalog and the hours/days of service.  Maybe even give them a call.  You do not want to arrive and find they are closed.  Start gathering your supplies, get your equipment repaired or purchased, and/or take a class to use that new laptop even more efficiently.

• Load into your smart phone or tablet the apps you will be needing for travel, messaging, or research.

My favorite new app is Finescanner!  How did I live without it?  Finescanner facilitates you taking a sequence of pictures using your camera and then puts the jpegs into one PDF document so your can read them in Evernote or Good Reader!  No more individual jpegs for this girl!.  Even my husband was impressed with this app. (This is not a product placement--I make no money off the sale of the app, if fact when I last checked it was free at the app store.)  If you use your camera as a copier, then you may find this of help.  If you pay a little more you can get OCR but the reviews are not universally ecstatic. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/finescanner/id534203582?mt=8

That should get you started.  I am getting excited just writing this blog!

If you see me at the conference and you are a follower, don't hesitate to come up and introduce yourself.  I would love to meet you.

Happy Hunting!

Jill Morelli

Official Blogger—NGS 2014 Conference Tips

Official Social Media Press

The special designation, Social Media Press, by NGS for the 2014 Family History Conference recognizes the daily contributions social media writers make to keep the field of genealogy current, particularly with news that is not covered in the mainstream media. Over the next few weeks the NGS Conference Blog will post information about the Official Social Media Press for the upcoming conference in Richmond, Virginia.

Donna Potter Phillips
Spokane, WA
Donna243@gmail.com

http://www.TikasTeachings.blogspot.com
http://www.SaltLakeChristmasTour.com
http://www.EWGSI.org
http://www.PotterProfiles.blogspot.com
Facebook:  TIKA THINKS

Born the year of the Black Penny, I've been working in the family history field for half my life.... and loving every minute of it! My little Tika (mini-longhaired dachshund) is my muse. We blog at http://www.TikasTeachings.blogspot.com.  She counsels me on how best to be president of the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society in Spokane, WA, where we live. I've also been "Mother Hen" to the Salt Lake Christmas Tour for 30 years (my where does time fly?).

Tika and I agree: blogging is fun, especially when she snuggles beside me in the chair as I type for her....... she has no thumbs, you know. We blog about anything genealogy..... news, events, recipes, scandalous ancestors, whatever. All she knows about her pedigree is that she comes from Idaho. I'll happily write about the NGS 2014 Family History Conference for my Tika!

Donna Potter Phillips

Official Social Media Press

#NGS2014gen

 

NGS 2014 Family History Conference

Twitter Hashtag

Since NGS first introduced an NGS Family History Conference App at the 2012 conference, the hashtag has been NGS plus the year, e.g. #NGS2013.

Last year the Newcastle Gang Show, whose conference is held in late April, used the same hashtag and its tweets became intermingled with those of NGS creating confusion to NGS tweeters. Recently a second group has begun using the same hashtag. NGS has decided to use a more distinguishing hashtag for the NGS 2014 Family History Conference; the hashtag will be #NGS2014gen.

Watch for the official release of the NGS 2014 Family History Conference App in mid-February. The NGS app will be available for download to your iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry and more. Search for NGS 2014 in your app store.  The other organizations with a similar hashtag do not have a conference app.

#NGS2014gen