Thursday, December 24, 2009
WorldVitalRecords.com Free Access
Just a quick note to let you know that WorldVitalRecords.com wants to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. They have opened free access to their website until 28 Dec 2009. You need to click on the link below to sign up. (No credit card required)
Friday, December 04, 2009
New Family History Consultant Training Available
December 2, 2009
To: Family history consultants in English-speaking wards and branches
As part of the Church’s ongoing initiative to make training available to family history consultants throughout the world, we are pleased to announce that several new training materials have been added to the Research Series Classes Online page of the FamilySearch.org Web site. New items on the Research Series Classes Online page include the following: Descendancy Research, Family History Library Catalog Overview, Research Logs, U.S. Courthouse Records Overview, and lesson 3 of Reading German Handwritten Records.
Descendancy Research introduces the principles and process for conducting research on the descendants of a particular ancestor or ancestral couple and includes many helpful tips. This is a great class for those whose ancestors have been thoroughly researched and documented or for anyone looking for a different way to do research.
Family History Library Catalog Overview is an introduction to using the Family History Library Catalog and covers how to search the catalog and how to make use of the search results. This class has been recently revised based on feedback provided by users.
Research Logs shows how to use a research log and why it is so valuable to researchers. The course clearly outlines the steps for using each part of a log and how it helps speed research. This is an important class for anyone just beginning family history research and for those who have been researching but need a way to help keep track of the research they have done.
U.S. Courthouse Records Overview introduces family historians to the records that can be found in U.S. courthouses, their genealogical value, and what to expect when searching those records.
Reading German Handwritten Records now includes a third lesson that introduces several document formats and hints about how to focus in on key parts of a record. Like the other two lessons, it is taught using a self-paced, interactive experience that includes narration and practice activities.
We are also pleased to announce that the Genealogical Presentations Online page on FamilySearch.org now contains three presentations from the Association of Professional Genealogist’s (APG) Professional Management Conference held September 2, 2009. This is an exciting trial partnership with APG to bring quality training content to the world from outside the FamilySearch organization. Two of these presentations are geared for professional genealogists and the other, titled “The Bachelor,” is applicable to all family historians.
We invite you to visit FamilySearch.org, view these classes, and then give us your feedback by using the feedback links. We also encourage you to use these classes with the members of your wards or branches and those you assist in family history centers as appropriate for their research needs.
Simply click on one of the links below, or copy and paste it into your browser.
Sincerely,
FamilySearch
U.S. and Canada: 1-866-406-1830
International: go to http://contact.familysearch.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Comments Moderated
See ya tomorrow, for tomorrow is always another genealogy day!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
FamilySearch Indexing Update: Indexing Projects for 25 Countries
18 November 2009
Indexing Projects for 25 Countries
Canada, Colombia, France, Guatemala, Jamaica, U.K., U.S. Venezuela. Those are the countries for which FamilySearch Indexing has recently added new volunteer projects. In all, FamilySearch has active indexing projects from 25 different countries currently with plans to add new projects from more countries throughout 2010. Volunteers can help 24/7 by registering and downloading a project of interest at FamilySearchIndexing.org.
Completed projects and digital image collections can be searched for free at pilot.familysearch.org.
New Projects in the Past Month
- Canada, British Columbia—Deaths, 1872–1986 [Part 2]
- Colombia, Marinilla—Registros Parroquiales, 1815–1959
- France, Quimper et Leon—Registres Paroissiaux, 1772–1909 [Part 1] (In partnership with Cercle Généalogique du Finistere)
- Guatemala, Huehuetenango y San Marcos—Registros Civiles, 1877–1900
- Italia, Napoli, Castellammare di Stabia—Atti di Morte, 1809–1936
- Jamaica, Clarendon—Births, 1878–1930
- U.K., Essex—Parish Registers, 1538–1900 [Part 1]
- U.S., Indiana, Dubois County—Marriages, 1811–1959
- U.S., Indiana, Marshall County—Marriages, 1811–1959
- U.S., Louisiana—1920 Federal Census
- U.S., North Carolina—1920 Federal Census
- U.S., South Dakota—1920 Federal Census
- U.S., South Dakota—1935 State Census [Part 1]
- Venezuela, Mérida—Registros Parroquiales, 1654–1992 [Parte 2]
Recently Completed Projects
(Note: Recently completed projects have been removed from the available online indexing batches and will now go through a final completion check process in preparation for future publication.)
- Argentina, Buenos Aires—1855 Censo [Parte 2]
- Argentina, Santiago, Santa Fe—1869 Censo
- Canada, British Columbia—Deaths, 1872–1986
- Canada, British Columbia—Marriages, 1859–1932
- Chile, Concepción—Registros Civiles, 1885–1903 [Parte 1]
- Deutschland, Mecklenburg—Volkszählung, 1890 [Div 24–38]
- Guatemala, Guatemala—Bautismos de Sagrario, 1898–1920
- U.S., Georgia—1920 Federal Census
- U.S., Illinois, Cook—Birth Certificates, 1916–1922 [Part 2]
- U.S., Indiana, Benton County—Marriages, 1811–1959
- U.S., Kansas—1920 Federal Census
- U.S., Maine—1920 Federal Census
- U.S., Maryland—1920 Federal Census
- U.S., New York—1905 State Census
| Argentina, Cordoba—Matrimonios, 1642–1931 | Spanish | 39% |
| Belgium, Antwerp—Foreigners Index, 1840–1930 | English | 69% |
| Canada, British Columbia—Deaths, 1872–1986 [Part 2] | English | (New) |
| Canada, Québec, Montreal—Régistres Paroissiaux, 1800–1900 | French | 8% |
| Colombia, Marinilla—Registros Parroquiales, 1815–1959 | Spanish | (New) |
| Deutschland, Brandenburg—Kirchenbücher, 1789–1875 | German | 85%* |
| Deutschland, Mecklenburg—Volkszählung, 1890 [Div 39–69] | German | 8% |
| España, Avila, Madrigal y Garganta—Registros Parroquiales, 1530–1935 | Spanish | 12% |
| España, Avila, Navalmoral—Registros Parroquiales, 1530–1935 | Spanish | 18% |
| España, Lugo—Registros Parroquiales, 1530–1930 [Parte 1] | Spanish | 26% |
| France, Cherbourg—Registres Paroissiaux, 1802–1907 | French | 5% |
| France, Coutances—Registres Paroissiaux 1802–1907 | French | 4% |
| France, Coutances, Paroisses de la Manche, 1792–1906 | French | 90% |
| France, Paris—Registres Protestants, 1612–1906 [Partie 2] | French | 68% |
| France, Saint-Lo—Registres Paroissiaux, 1802–1907 | French | 21% |
| Guatemala, Huehuetenango y San Marcos—Registros Civiles, 1877–1900 | Spanish | (New) |
| Italia, Napoli, Castellammare di Stabia—Atti di Morte, 1809–1936 | Italian | (New) |
| Italy, Trento—Baptisms, 1784–1924 [Part 1] | Italian | 95% |
| Italy, Trento—Baptisms, 1784–1924 [Part 2] | Italian | 67% |
| Jamaica, Clarendon—Births, 1878–1930 | English | (New) |
| Mexico, DF—Registros Parroquiales, 1898–1933 [Parte 2] | Spanish | 78% |
| Mexico, Hidalgo—1930 Federal Censo | Spanish | 39% |
| Mexico, Jalisco—1930 Federal Censo | Spanish | 21% |
| Mexico, Mexico—1930 Federal Censo | Spanish | 86% |
| New Zealand—Passenger Lists, 1871–1915 | English | 52% |
| Nicaragua, Managua—Registros Civiles, 1879–1984 [Parte 1] | Spanish | 25% |
| Perú, Lima—Registros Civiles, 1910–1930 [Parte 3] | Spanish | 77% |
| Philippines, Lingayen, Dagupan—Registros Parroquiales, 1615–1982 | Spanish | 1% |
| Russland, Sankt Petersburg—Kirchenbuchduplikat, 1833–1885 | German | 1% |
| South Africa, Cape Province—Church Records, 1660–1970 | English | 13% |
| Sverige, Södermanland—Kyrkoböcker, till 1860 [Del 1] | Swedish | 4% |
| Sverige, Uppsala—Kyrkoböcker, till 1860 [Del 1] | Swedish | 12% |
| Sverige, Örebro—Kyrkoböcker, till 1860 [Del 1] | Swedish | 1% |
| Tschechien, Litomerice—Kirchenbücher, 1552–1905 [Teil 1] | German | 16% |
| U.K., Cheshire—Parish Records, 1538–1850 [Part 2] | English/Old English | 54% |
| U.K., Essex—Parish Registers, 1538–1900 [Part 1] | English | (New) |
| U.K., Warwickshire—Parish Registers, 1754-1900 [Part 2] | English | 53% |
| U.S., Arkansas—County Marriages, 1837–1957 [VII] | English | 88% |
| U.S., Indiana, Allen County—Marriages, 1811–1959 | English | 91% |
| U.S., Indiana, Boone County—Marriages, 1811–1959 | English | 50% |
| U.S., Indiana, Brown County—Marriages, 1811–1959 | English | 88% |
| U.S., Indiana, Dubois County—Marriages, 1811–1959 | English | (New) |
| U.S., Indiana, Harrison County—Marriages, 1811–1959 | English | 35% |
| U.S., Indiana, Marshall County—Marriages, 1811–1959 | English | (New) |
| U.S., Louisiana—1920 Federal Census | English | (New) |
| U.S., New York—1920 Federal Census | English | 56% |
| U.S., North Carolina—1920 Federal Census | English | (New) |
| U.S., Rhode Island—1905 State Census [Part 1] | English | 74% |
| U.S., Rhode Island—1935 State Census | English | 71% |
| U.S., South Dakota—1920 Federal Census | English | (New) |
| U.S., South Dakota—1935 State Census [Part 1] | English | (New) |
| Venezuela, Mérida—Registros Parroquiales, 1654–1992 [Parte 1] | Spanish | 90% |
| Venezuela, Mérida—Registros Parroquiales, 1654–1992 [Parte 2] | Spanish | (New) |
| Österreich, Wiener Meldezettel, 1890–1925 | German | 4% |
| Украина, Киев—Метрические Книги, 1840–1842 | Russian | 47% |
(*Percentage refers to a specific portion of a larger project.)
Current FamilySearch Partner Projects, Record Language, and Percent Completion
| Australia, Victoria—Probate Records, 1853–1989 | English | 79% |
| België, Mechelen—Overlijdens Registers, 1851-1900 | Dutch, Flemish | 56% |
| Belgique—Registres Des Décès—En Français, 1796–1910 | French | 42%* |
| Canada, Ontario, Toronto—Trust Cemeteries, 1826–1935 | English | 1% |
| Deutschland, Bremen—Schifflisten, 1904–1914 | German | 83% |
| France, Quimper et Leon—Registres Paroissiaux, 1772–1909 [Part 1] | French | (New) |
| Norway—1875 Census [Part 1] | Norwegian | 77% |
| U.S., Ohio—Tax Records, Post 1825 [Part 2] | English | 90% |
| U.S., Ohio—Tax Records, Post 1825 [Part 3] | English | 1% |
| U.S., Utah, Salt Lake County—Birth Registers, 1890–1908 | English | 1% |
| U.S., Utah, Salt Lake County—Death Registers, 1848–1940 | English | 25% |
(*Percentage refers to a specific portion of a larger project.)
About FamilySearch
FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
FamilySearch Record Search Update: New Records for Brazil, Massachusetts, Mexico, Spain, and the U.S.
18 November 2009
More free online records for Brazil, Massachusetts, Mexico, Spain, and the U.S.
The states of Texas, Ohio, and Iowa were added to the U.S. 1920 Census at FamilySearch’s Record Search pilot. Spanish researchers will enjoy new civil registration images for the provinces of Cadiz, Granada, Malaga, Spain, from 1837–1870. Over 500,000 new digital images were added to the Brazil Catholic Church Records Collection. These birth, marriage, and death records are from the states of Bahia, Menas Gerais, Paraná, Pará, Pernambuco, and Sao Paolo. Over 400,000 Massachusetts marriage records were added for the period 1906 to 1915, and Catholic baptismal records were added for the Distrito Federal of Mexico.
See the chart below for a list of all the newly added collections.
These collections can be searched for free at the FamilySearch.org Record Search pilot (click Search Records, and then click Record Search pilot).
None of this would be possible without the great contributions of many online FamilySearch volunteers. These individuals donate the time and talent needed to make these collections freely available to FamilySearch patrons. Find out more about volunteering at FamilySearchIndexing.org. Thank you!
Collection Name Indexed Records Digital Images Comments Brazil Catholic Church Records, 1805–1979 587,053 Digital images only; update to ongoing project. Massachusetts Marriage Records, 1842–1915 408,589 24,485 New index and image collection. This update contains marriage records for the period 1906–1915. Mexico, Distrito Federal, Catholic Church Records 17,001 2,818 New index and images for baptismal records; part of an ongoing project. Spain Municipal Records, 1837–1870 168,653 New digital image collection; part of an ongoing project. United States 1920 Federal Census 13,134,234 Added indexes for Texas, Ohio, and Iowa About FamilySearch
FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Introducing a New Resource - FamilySearch Forums
18 November 2009
Dear consultant or center director,
As a family history consultant or center director, you know the joy that comes from helping someone with a family history question. Did you know that the answer you gave a member in your ward is most likely the exact answer needed by someone somewhere else in the world? Have you ever been stumped by a family history question and wished you could get help from someone who has solved the very issue that has you stumped?
Well, now you can give and receive help from fellow family history consultants and FamilySearch users who reside anywhere in the world.
FamilySearch is pleased to introduce a prototype for FamilySearch Forums, found at forums.familysearch.org, where in one central place you can reach out and:
· search for answers to your family history research questions.
· ask questions and receive answers from experienced FamilySearch patrons.
· provide answers to fellow FamilySearch patrons in need.
Click here to immediately begin finding answers or to join an existing conversation regarding:
· family history research questions.
· the new FamilySearch.
· FamilySearch indexing.
· Family history centers.
It’s fast, easy, fun, and as always, it’s free!
Sincerely,
FamilySearch
support@familysearch.org
Toll-free: 1-866-406-1830
International: Additional toll-free numbers may be found at contact.familysearch.org
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
RootsMagic Releases Free Genealogy and Family Tree Software
"RootsMagic Essentials" Brings Free Tools for Family History
SPRINGVILLE, Utah. — November 18, 2009 — RootsMagic, Inc. announced the immediate availability of RootsMagic Essentials, free desktop genealogy software based on their award-winning RootsMagic 4 system. RootsMagic Essentials contains many core features found in its namesake that allow the public to easily start tracing their family trees.
Essential Features for Everyone
“Many of our users have told us that they have friends and family members who are interested in getting started in family history but aren’t ready to invest in a more comprehensive package like RootsMagic,” said Bruce Buzbee, president. “RootsMagic Essentials gives them the features they need to start researching and recording their family tree at a price that can’t be beat—free!”
RootsMagic Essentials shares many of the same features with the full RootsMagic software including clean and friendly screens, the ability to add an unlimited number of people and events, pictures and media management, the SourceWizard to write your source citations for you, powerful merging and clean-up tools, dozens of reports and charts, support for international character sets, FamilySearch integration, and the ability to share data with other people and software programs. The full version of RootsMagic is available for purchase and includes features not available in RootsMagic Essentials.
Free and Available Now
RootsMagic Essentials is available now for free at http://www.rootsmagic.com. Users of other genealogy software products will find it easy to experiment with RootsMagic Essentials using their own data. RootsMagic Essentials can directly import data from PAF, Family Tree Maker (through 2006), Family Origins, and Legacy Family Tree. It can also read and write data using the popular GEDCOM format.
"We're excited to make RootsMagic Essentials available to the community," said Michael Booth, vice-president. "Our mission is to provide 'software to unite families' and our hope is that RootsMagic Essentials will encourage more people to record their family trees and connect with their family histories".
About RootsMagic, Inc.
For over 20 years, RootsMagic, Inc. has been creating computer software with a special purpose—to unite families. One of our earliest products- the popular "Family Origins" software, introduced thousands of people to the joy and excitement of family history.
That tradition continues today with "RootsMagic", our award-winning genealogy software which makes researching, organizing, and sharing your family history fun and easy. "Personal Historian" will help you easily write and preserve your life stories. "Family Reunion Organizer" takes the headaches out of planning those important get-togethers. And "Family Atlas" creates beautiful and educational geographic maps of your family history.
For more information, visit http://www.rootsmagic.com.
Source: RootsMagic, Inc.
Friday, November 06, 2009
FamilySearch Record Search Update: Brazil, Indiana Marriages, Italy, Netherlands, and 1920 U.S. Census, Among New Collection Updates
5 November 2009
The Indiana marriages, Netherlands, 1920 U.S. Census, Brazil, and Italy collections were recently added or updated in FamilySearch’s Record Search pilot.
FamilySearch applauds members of the Indiana Genealogical Society and FamilySearch volunteers for the great work done on the Indiana Marriages collection. Volunteers are indexing marriage records from 1811 to 1959. The recent update will surely be attractive to those with Indiana roots.
The new Brazil Catholic Church Records and Naples, Italy, Civil Registration collections are a sampling of what’s coming to FamilySearch.org for these countries. See the chart below for a list of all the newly added collections.
These collections can be searched for free at the FamilySearch.org Record Search pilot (click Search Records, and then click Record Search pilot).
None of this would be possible without the great contributions made by many online volunteers who help make these collections freely available by donating a few minutes of their time and talents through the FamilySearch Indexing program. Thank you!
| Collection Name | Indexed Records | Digital Images | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana Marriages, 1811–1959 | 134,338 | Updated index-only collection. This is a joint volunteer indexing project with the Indiana Genealogical Society. | |
| Netherlands, Limburg Parish Register Transcripts, 1600–1822 | 26,607 | Updated image browse only collection; part of an ongoing project. | |
| 1920 United States Census | 11,687,573 | Added indexes for Pennsylvania, Idaho, and West Virginia. | |
| Brazil Catholic Church Records | 121,718 | New image browse only collection; part of an ongoing project. | |
| Italy, Napoli Province, Municipal Records, Castellammare di Stabia | 199,602 | New image browse only collection; part of an ongoing project. |
About FamilySearch
FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Mark Your Calendars - UVPAFUG Meeting!
The next regular, second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting of the Utah Valley PAF (Personal Ancestral File) Users Group will be on Saturday, 14 Nov 2009, from 9 am to noon in the Edgewood/Riverside LDS Chapel, 3511 North 180 East, Provo, Utah. The chapel is in the Provo "River Bottoms" behind the Jamestown shopping plaza on the east side of University Avenue. You get to it by turning east from University Avenue at 3700 North ("Will's Pit Stop") and then south on 180 East. There is a map showing the location on the group's website http://uvpafug.org .
The main presentation for this meeting will be by Marlo Schuldt on EASIER SCANNING - AN ART AND A SCIENCE. He will be demonstrating the use of a scanner so that you can see and understand the actual steps and processes you need to get better scanning results. This workshop will provide you with some very useful information, tips, and tricks. Questions will be welcome.
Marlo Schuldt is President of LifeStory Productions, Inc., an Orem, Utah based company that develops family history software and provides assistance to individuals desiring to gather, prepare, print, and share family history. He earned both BS and MS degrees from Brigham Young University in Communicative Disorders. Mr. Schuldt is married and has five children and 12 grandchildren. He recently received a patent on Heritage Collector Software - see http://heritagecollector.com/ . His past presentations for the UVPAFUG have been well-received and he has published 35 free newsletter articles on family history topics. You can read them at http://www.heritagecollector.com/Newsletter/Newslist.htm .
Following the main presentation there will be several classes taught concerning technology and family history. As usual, there will be something for everyone at all levels of expertise. The teachers and classes currently scheduled for this meeting are the following:
- Duane Dudley on Using "Record Search" to Examine Records Being Indexed
- George Scott on Getting to Know New FamilySearch (Class 2 of 4)
- Venita Parry on Genealogy on Your MAC
- Marlo Schuldt Q&A on Easier Scanning and More
- Robert Raymond on The Genealogy Game Show - video of last month's main presentation
- Merlin Kitchen on Ancestral Quest
- Dean Bennett on Tagging in Legacy
- Sue Maxwell on RootsMagic.
Monday, November 02, 2009
Continued Need for Church Service Missionaries
October 29, 2009
Family history center directors and consultants,
The Family History Department continues to need Church Service missionaries who can serve in a support role in answering family history questions. Please help by contacting Church members you know who would be interested and able to serve and encouraging them to consider this opportunity. These individuals will enjoy a unique missionary experience by providing assistance to FamilySearch patrons all from the convenience of their homes.
FamilySearch Support missionaries serve part-time from home, using their home computer and phone to receive phone calls and / or e-mails to provide assistance to patrons across the world. Missionaries receive help and training through a variety of computer and Internet-based systems. The missionaries assist in supporting the following family history programs and resources:
· The new FamilySearch
· Familysearch.org
· Internet Indexing and Name Extraction
· Record Search
· Family History Center Support
· Research Support and the Research Wiki
Missionaries help in the release and testing of new family history programs, and provide feedback and suggestions essential to this great effort. There is a special need for missionaries fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, or Chinese. Missionary candidates may include those currently unable to serve a full-time mission due to health or other concerns. Priesthood leaders may see this service opportunity as ideal for temple-worthy young men and women who are unable to serve full-time missions.
To serve as a Church Service missionary, members will review specific service requirements with missionary support personnel. In addition, members are to meet with their local priesthood leaders to discuss the opportunity and complete a church service missionary application.
Prospective FamilySearch Support missionaries should meet the following qualifications:
· Be temple worthy (not necessarily endowed)
· Be willing to commit to a mission call of at least 12 months, and preferably 18-24 months (can extend up to 30 months of total service)
· Be able to serve at least 15-20 hours per week, and be available for 20 hours a week of training during the first two months of service
· Have prior family history experience
· Have access to a personal computer, phone line, and broadband (DSL, Cable or other) speed internet connection
· Have considerable personal computer and internet experience
For more information, please contact FamilySearch Support at 1-866-406-1830 or by e-mail at support@familysearch.org. Additional toll-free phone numbers may be found by clicking here.
Thank you for your help in sharing this FamilySearch missionary opportunity with interested members.
Sincerely,
FamilySearch
support@familysearch.org
U.S. and Canada: 1-866-406-1830
International: go to http://contact.familysearch.
Sunday, November 01, 2009
Organizing My Life - Backups
Several weeks ago, I decided to rearrange all my genealogy files. Before doing that I started to make a DVD backup of my files, in case something went terribly wrong. I spent 5 hours trying to figure out how to fit the files, without breaking up the main folder, onto a DVD and then waiting for it to burn. I was sick of the process by then and hopelessly realizing I had an estimated 7 more hours to go to finish. Out of frustration I commented on Facebook that there had to be a better way.
One friend suggested that I get a second external hard drive and skip the DVDs altogether. Yes, that was reasonable to me. No more breaking up folders to make them fit on a DVD. I was then on the quest to find a second external to backup to. My 80GB External Hard drive was nearly full anyways. At first I wanted to just buy one new external, I was thinking a terabyte here. Then later on get another external to replace my 80GB. After looking at prices, reading reviews and thinking things over, I realized I could get two 320GB externals for about the price of one 1TB external on eBay. It wasn't the size I was hoping for, but 320GB was plenty big enough for me. By the time I want/need a TB, the prices would have come down even more. This was a win-win solution.
I was very picky about what type of external hard drives I wanted. For my main external, I wanted it to have a separate power cord to plug in. It would be always plugged into my computer and backed up to every night. I bought the WD MyBook to suit that purpose. Here's an interesting side note: Never move an external hard drive when it is writing/reading. You could damage it or make it wear out prematurely.
For my second external I wanted it to be tiny and portable. Something I could store away in a safe place and not be connected to my computer all the time. I bought the WD Passport Mini Portable for that need. The portable external will be backed up to at least weekly, or sooner, dependent upon if there are major changes to my files before that.
Within a week of my order my new external hard drives arrived at my door. I just love eBay. (I use SquareTrade to buy extended warranties on my items.) The only issue I had backing up was the software that was included with my hard drive to sync my files. I just couldn't get it to do what I wanted it to do. I had used a freeware program called Syncback previously on my old external. It allowed me to customize things just the way I wanted them set. I dumped the external's backup software after two days and went back to Syncback. If I win the GeneaBloggers' contest I would happily give Handy Backup a whirl.
I guess, I really backup more than sync files. When I delete a file off my computer I don't want my external to send it back to me when you sync them up. I also don't want real time backup (at least I don't think I do). After I make changes, I am comfortable with, I run Syncback to make the same changes on the external. My external is a mirror image of my computer files. My second hard drive is not as current and would give me a week to decide if I made mistakes in deleting files.
So far, once I delete files, I have never really wanted them back again. That being said, there are times you need old copies of your genealogy software database. During the first beta period of new FamilySearch, I actually had to send an old 1993 GEDCOM file to them so they could determine what was happening in some old Ancestral File submissions. I felt so clever that I could actually give them such an old GEDCOM. I save my genealogy database in GEDCOM format for long term storage.
Besides GEDCOM format, I also save all my current or working databases as zip backup files. They are dated so I can go back in time and restore from them if needed. Thankfully RootsMagic helps me by automatically including the date when I backup. Sometimes I just need to add a b, c, d, etc., if I am making a lot of changes that day.
Example:
renee (2009-09-10b)
renee (2009-09-12)
renee (2009-10-13)
renee (2009-10-13b)
renee (2009-10-13c)
Here are two older posts of mine that discuss my genealogy database backup process.
Backup vs GEDCOM - 10 Nov 2005
The Art of Storing Your Genealogy Database - 11 Nov 2005
The articles are a little dated but it will help you understand why you need BACKUPs and GEDCOMs of your database and the importance of a BACKUP SYSTEM. With my new system, without CD/DVDs, I needed to work out when I would make my GEDCOMs. Since I wrote the older articles I have used Legacy 6, Legacy 7, RootsMagic 3 and RootsMagic 4. Having a GEDCOM of my database, as long term storage, is more important than ever. Who wants to uninstall a new program for an old version just to find out if an old backup has something you needed.
My plan is to every month make a GEDCOM of my genealogy database for long term storage. I will name it using the database title, date created and what version of software I am using, i.e. "renee(2009-11-01)RM4". I would suggest running file maintenance on your database before hand if you have that option.
When you keep all those zip files of your working database, your backup folder can get pretty full. I used to burn a CD when it was getting crowded and then delete all but the last six zip files from my computer hard drive. To replace that system I made a "Archive" folder with sub-folders by year>month to hold them. Once a month after making my GEDCOM, I will then move my older zip files into the archive folder where they belong.
When a new version of my genealogy software comes out, and I feel comfortable with it, I will delete the archive for the old program, and just keep the GEDCOM files for long term storage. I think this will cover all my bases. Now I just need to go back through all my old CD/DVDs and finish migrating my older GEDCOM files off them. It will be wonderful to shred and get rid of all those old CD/DVDs. YIPEE!!! more physical space!
Here are my recommendations now:
1. Make multiple backup copies of all your files, using various storage devices.
2. Have an off site storage plan for a copy of your files.
3. Make a Backup of your working genealogy files, daily or as needed.
4. Make monthly GEDCOMs for long term storage.
5. Move backup zip files monthly into their Archive>Year>Month folder
6. Name and date your backups - "renee (2009-10-13c)"
7. Name and date your GEDCOMs - "renee(2009-11-01)RM4"
8. Do file maintenance on your database before creating a GEDCOM.
9. Delete your backup zip file archive once you migrate to a new version of software.
Now after saying all that....DO IT!
See ya tomorrow, for tomorrow is always another genealogy day!
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Organizing My Life - the Computer Room
Over the years I have come to realize that a filing system is a very individual thing. You need to take into consideration your mindset, what makes sense or clicks for you, after all you're the one having to work with it. Yet, it still needs to be defined enough so others that pickup after you can understand.
There have been wonderful systems, that others use, that would be totally unrealistic for me. That is because I don't have much space to work with. My computer room used to be an old utility room and measures 10'3" x 4'2" a grand total of 43 sq feet.
Welcome to my domain - the computer room.
If you look closely you can see some pipes against the wall. Those are the remains of water and power lines for a washer and dryer.
The file cabinet is 36"wide x 19" deep you can barely open the drawer and fit in front of it. Most filing is best done to the side of the drawer. Needless to say a total paper system of my 15,000 people database just isn't going to work here. I have to use this computer room to hold all household papers, not just my genealogy files.
I bet you're totally surprised that a 30" wide 3 shelf high bookcase is beside my file cabinet. Between the desk and the bookcase is a trashcan/shredder set up. In the little corner between the bookcase and file cabinet is a ceramic space heater to keep me toasty warm. There is no other heat source in this room.
Thank goodness for stackable racks and keyboard trays. It would be impossible to fit all the trappings of a functional computer setup in the room otherwise. Below the desk are two roll-able plastic storage organizers. The one on the right holds my "scrapbooking" supplies (mainly photos that need to be digitized.) You can also see I have an old monitor. I would just love a newer flat screen one but every time I think of buying one I hear my ancestors saying "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without". I totally wish that monitor would die and I'm sure it will some century, when no sales are on.
Using the computer in here is a totally isolated and personal experience. There isn't room for anyone to sit beside you. I can't even fully stretch out my two arms beside me without touching the walls. Mostly visitors have to stand behind me and look at the screen. Now isn't that a comfy arrangement!
The shelves were already in the utility room when we bought the house. We just took out the bottom ones to fit in the desk. Which is an old table from the second hand store. The shelves facing you are pretty deep so a lot gets crammed up there. It's just not functional to reach stuff on the top shelf though. I have to try and fit a step ladder in or get one of my 6'3" or taller sons to reach it for me. The decorative tins behind my toys hold various office supplies, mostly backup storage.
The shelves to the right are not as deep, but I still have room to put books two levels deep. Right behind the fan is a wood brace that fits on top of the file cabinet and holds up the shelf above. When we first moved in and I filled up the shelves the bottom one collapsed.After looking at my computer room and how much space I have, you might have guessed I am going digital in my computer filing system. There just isn't room to add any more stuff in here. Later, I will discuss my computer filing system.
See ya tomorrow, for tomorrow is always another genealogy day!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Upcoming BYU Family History Conference
As a part of our regular e-mail communications, from time to time we notify you of family history conferences or other training opportunities in your area. We would like to make you aware of the annual Family History Conference at Brigham Young University, which is sponsored by the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen) and the Center for Family History and Genealogy. The conference will be held at BYU on November 6–7, 2009. ICAPGen is the organization that provides accreditation for the genealogists who work at the Family History Library. They have a wealth of knowledge about genealogical research worldwide.
The mission of this conference is to help individuals become excellent genealogists. A class schedule and registration form are attached. Early registration ends October 30, after which the registration fee will increase. If you want to attend, please print and send in the attached registration form, or download a registration form at http://www.icapgen.org/Programs/conference.htm.
We anticipate that this conference will be a great event. If you have questions about the conference, please direct them to Tristan Tolman, ICAPGen Public Relations, by e-mail at tristantolman@comcast.net or by phone at 1-801-380-5924.
Sincerely,
FamilySearch
support@familysearch.org
U.S. and Canada: 1-866-406-1830
International: go to http://contact.familysearch.org for more toll-free phone numbers
Thursday, October 29, 2009
New FamilySearch Roll-out Update
The following is posted on consultant.familysearch.org regarding the current roll-out status along the Wasatch Front.
All members in the following temple districts have full access to the Web site:
- Twin Falls Idaho
- Monticello Utah
- Rexburg Idaho
- Manti Utah
- Vernal Utah
- Logan Utah
- Boise Idaho
- St. George Utah
- Idaho Falls Idaho
- Provo Utah
- Ogden Utah
- Mount Timpanogos Utah
- Bountiful Utah
Family history leaders in the following temple districts have been sent instructions to prepare using the online training modules listed on the Prepare tab. Click on the temple name to see the announced release date for each stake in the temple district.
- Draper Utah (Live: 20, Announced: 5; will be completed Nov 2nd)
- Jordan River Utah (Announced: 35)
- Oquirrh Mountain Utah
- Salt Lake Utah
Family History Class Resources on LDS.org
The Church recently made new resources for family history classes available through Church Distribution Services. These resources include:
· Members’ Guide to Temple and Family History Work
· Instructor’s Guide to Temple and Family History Work
· Temple and Family History Course DVD
These new resources are also available to view and download in the Serving in the Church, Family History section of LDS.org. The Family History home page now includes a new section, “Temple and Family History Sunday School Class.” This section includes a link to a new page where you can view or download all or part of these resources and a link to the Distribution Services Online Catalog so you can order printed copies.
To view the new page and access these resources online, do the following:
· On the Internet, go to www.lds.org
· Select Serving in the Church.
· Select Family History.
· In the Temple and Family History Sunday School Class section, click the link View or download the lessons and videos online.
Sincerely,
FamilySearch
U.S. and Canada: 1-866-406-1830
International: go to http://contact.familysearch.
Help Needed with FamilySearch Research Wiki
To: Family history consultants and center directors
The FamilySearch Research Wiki is a collaborative Web site where individuals can find answers to family history research questions and share personal knowledge with others. As individuals contribute their knowledge to the Wiki, it becomes more and more valuable as a research tool. In order to achieve its potential, the Wiki currently needs more information about local communities.
Each of you knows something about the local community in which you live. You know about the cemeteries, the schools, the newspapers, the libraries and archives, and some of the history about your community. Individuals who live in other areas are looking for the very information you have about your community. That information may enable them to find an ancestor, tie him or her into their family pedigree, and provide needed temple ordinances.
Please help us enhance the FamilySearch Research Wiki by completing one simple task. Use the attached job aid containing illustrated, step-by-step instructions to add information about the cemeteries in your local community to the Wiki. Please be sure to include the name and location of the cemetery and information about how to contact the cemetery for details about those uried there.
Thank you for your service. Your contribution will bless the lives of those searching for their ancestors who lived in your local community.
Sincerely,
FamilySearch
Continued Need for Church Service Missionaries
Family history center directors and consultants,
The Family History Department continues to need Church Service missionaries who can serve in a support role in answering family history questions. Please help by contacting Church members you know who would be interested and able to serve and encouraging them to consider this opportunity. These individuals will enjoy a unique missionary experience by providing assistance to FamilySearch patrons all from the convenience of their homes.
FamilySearch Support missionaries serve part-time from home, using their home computer and phone to receive phone calls and / or e-mails to provide assistance to patrons across the world. Missionaries receive help and training through a variety of computer and Internet-based systems. The missionaries assist in supporting the following family history programs and resources:
· The new FamilySearch
· Familysearch.org
· Internet Indexing and Name Extraction
· Record Search
· Family History Center Support
· Research Support and the Research Wiki
Missionaries help in the release and testing of new family history programs, and provide feedback and suggestions essential to this great effort. There is a special need for missionaries fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, or Chinese. Missionary candidates may include those currently unable to serve a full-time mission due to health or other concerns. Priesthood leaders may see this service opportunity as ideal for temple-worthy young men and women who are unable to serve full-time missions.
To serve as a Church Service missionary, members will review specific service requirements with missionary support personnel. In addition, members are to meet with their local priesthood leaders to discuss the opportunity and complete a church service missionary application.
Prospective FamilySearch Support missionaries should meet the following qualifications:
· Be temple worthy (not necessarily endowed)
· Be willing to commit to a mission call of at least 12 months, and preferably 18-24 months (can extend up to 30 months of total service)
· Be able to serve at least 15-20 hours per week, and be available for 20 hours a week of training during the first two months of service
· Have prior family history experience
· Have access to a personal computer, phone line, and broadband (DSL, Cable or other) speed internet connection
· Have considerable personal computer and internet experience
For more information, please contact FamilySearch Support at 1-866-406-1830 or by e-mail at support@familysearch.org. Additional toll-free phone numbers may be found by clicking here.
Thank you for your help in sharing this FamilySearch missionary opportunity with interested members.
Sincerely,
FamilySearch
support@familysearch.org
U.S. and Canada: 1-866-406-1830
International: go to http://contact.familysearch.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Getting the Most out of RootsMagic 4
I just finished reading "Getting the Most Out of RootsMagic 4" and highly recommend it to all RootsMagic users. It's taken me quit a while to finish all 336 pages because I spend more time on the computer lately than I do with my nose in a book.I had some time to kill reading while at the mechanics yesterday and surprisingly was really annoyed when I was told my car was done. When I got home I decided to just keep reading. I was forming all sorts of ways to get myself totally organized by using so many different RootsMagic features.
You can play with a program all you want but still not know everything. To find out the treasures, or parts you just didn't know were there to access, you need to pick the programmer/developer's mind. Thankfully all of us have the benefit of learning how to use RootsMagic straight from the RootsMagician himself, Bruce Buzbee.
The book was not written like a software manual. Yes, you have chapters devoted to different features, so it's easy to look up answers to your questions on how-to do such and such. The thing I love is the dash of humor and conversationally way the book is written. You learn how to use the program from the ground up painlessly. But, then again, RootsMagic is a painless program to learn anyways.
I am going to have so much more fun with RootsMagic 4 now. I can't wait to play with the Correspondence List and make Custom Reports. I also have issues with some of my custom facts not having sentence templates. Getting the Most Out of RootMagic 4 was just the reference book I needed.
I had planned that when I finished the book I was going to lend it to my brother to read. Now I think I will just buy one for him for Christmas. If you have a RootsMagic user on your shopping list you can go to www.rootsmagic.com/rmbook.htm and order it for $10.00 plus s/h. The site says it regularly $14.95 so I have no idea when or if the price might change. Go ahead, order one, you know you want to!
See ya tomorrow, for tomorrow is always another genealogy day!
FamilySearch Indexing Scheduled Maintenance
The following announcement is on the FamilySearch Indexing home page.
October 24, 2009: Scheduled Maintenance
The FamilySearch indexing system will be down for maintenance on October 28 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (MDT, GMT-6). Please do not try to download or submit batches during this downtime.
If you plan to index during this time, you can download up to five batches before 10:00 a.m., work on them offline, and submit them when the system is back online.
Many new and updated features will be introduced during this downtime, click here to see a list and descriptions of each of them.
For questions or further assistance, contact Indexing Support toll-free at 1-866-406-1830 in the U.S. and Canada (for international calls, click here), or by e-mail at support@familysearch.org.
Monday, October 19, 2009
FamilySearch Record Search Update: 1865 Massachusetts, 1855 Wisconsin, 1869 Argentina & 1982-84 Ghana Censuses Among New Collections Added
19 October 2009
There are some fascinating new collections in FamilySearch’s Record Search. Ten million new records and images were added this update. Some particularly interesting highlights included the 1865 Massachusetts State Census, Wisconsin 1855 State Census, and 1869 Argentina Census—all now complete, the Ghana Census, 1982–1984 digital images, and the England, Cheshire School Records, 1796–1950, collections. See the chart below for a list of all the newly added collections.
These collections can be searched for free at FamilySearch.org Record Search pilot (click Search Records, and then click Record Search pilot).
Hats off to the online volunteers who help make these collections freely available by donating a few minutes of their time or talents through the FamilySearch Indexing program.
Collection Indexed Records Digital Images Comments Argentina, 1895 Census 47,007 Updated index and images. Project is now complete. Argentina, 1869 Census 484,234 157,133 Updated index and images. England, Cheshire School Records, 1796–1950 435,681 New index only collection. Project is now complete. Ghana, Census, 1982–1984 11,187 New browse image only collection; project is ongoing. Mexico, Coahuila, Catholic Church Records, 1627–1978 83,363 Updated browse image only collection. Project is now complete. U.S., 1920 Federal Census 7,330,741 Added indexes for Wyoming, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington. U.S., Illinois, Cook County Birth Registers, 1871–1915 369,962 19,781 Updated index and images. U.S., Massachusetts State Census, 1865 1,352,817 17,656 Added indexes. Project is now complete. U.S., Wisconsin State Census, 1855 133,164 3,088 New index and image collection. Project is now complete. About FamilySearch
FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
FamilySearch Indexing Update: New U.S., Canada, and Argentina Projects
16 October 2009
New indexing projects added this week are:Volunteers can help with these projects at FamilySearchIndexing.org.
- Argentina, Buenos Aires—1855 Censo [Parte 2]
- Canada, Ontario, Toronto—Trust Cemeteries, 1826–1935 (Partnered with Ontario Genealogical Society—Toronto Branch)
- U.S., Maine—1920 Federal Census
- U.S., New York—1920 Federal Census
(See the chart below for a complete list and current status of all indexing projects.)
Recently Completed Projects
(Note: Recently completed projects have been removed from the available online indexing batches and will now go through a final completion check process in preparation for future publication.)
- Argentina, Mendoza, San Juan—Censo 1869
- Guatemala, Guatemala—Censo de 1877
- U.S., Kentucky—1920 Federal Census
- U.S., Indiana—1920 Federal Census
- U.S., Vermont—Militia Records, 1861–1867
| Argentina, Buenos Aires—1855 Censo [Parte 2] | Spanish | (New) |
| Argentina, Cordoba—Matrimonios, 1642–1931 | Spanish | 7% |
| Argentina, Santiago, Santa Fe—1869 Censo | Spanish | 94% |
| Belgium, Antwerp—Foreigners Index, 1840–1930 | English | 61% |
| Canada, British Columbia—Deaths, 1872–1986 | English | 56% |
| Canada, British Columbia—Marriages, 1859–1932 | English | 90% |
| Canada, Québec, Montreal—Régistres Paroissiaux, 1800–1900 | French | 4% |
| Chile, Concepción—Registros Civiles, 1885–1903 [Parte 1] | Spanish | 43% |
| Deutschland, Brandenburg—Kirchenbücher, 1789–1875 | German | 82%* |
| Deutschland, Mecklenburg—Volkszählung, 1890 [Div 24–38] | German | 95% |
| Deutschland, Mecklenburg—Volkszählung, 1890 [Div 39–69] | German | 1% |
| España, Avila, Madrigal y Garganta—Registros Parroquiales, 1530–1935 | Spanish | 4% |
| España, Avila, Navalmoral—Registros Parroquiales, 1530–1935 | Spanish | 16% |
| España, Lugo—Registros Parroquiales, 1530–1930 [Parte 1] | Spanish | 23% |
| France, Cherbourg—Registres Paroissiaux, 1802–1907 | French | 4% |
| France, Coutances—Registres Paroissiaux 1802–1907 | French | 3% |
| France, Coutances, Paroisses de la Manche, 1792–1906 | French | 90% |
| France, Paris—Registres Protestants, 1612–1906 [Partie 2] | French | 50% |
| France, Saint-Lo—Registres Paroissiaux, 1802–1907 | French | 11% |
| Guatemala, Guatemala—Bautismos de Sagrario, 1898–1920 | Spanish | 48% |
| Italy, Trento—Baptisms, 1784–1924 [Part 1] | Italian | 95% |
| Italy, Trento—Baptisms, 1784–1924 [Part 2] | Italian | 49% |
| Mexico, DF—Registros Parroquiales, 1898–1933 [Parte 2] | Spanish | 48% |
| Mexico, Hidalgo—1930 Federal Censo | Spanish | 22% |
| Mexico, Jalisco—1930 Federal Censo | Spanish | 12% |
| Mexico, Mexico—1930 Federal Censo | Spanish | 72% |
| New Zealand—Passenger Lists, 1871–1915 | English | 43% |
| Nicaragua, Managua—Registros Civiles, 1879–1984 [Parte 1] | Spanish | 14% |
| Perú, Lima—Registros Civiles, 1910–1930 [Parte 3] | Spanish | 36% |
| Philippines, Lingayen, Dagupan—Registros Parroquiales, 1615–1982 | Spanish | 1% |
| Russland, Sankt Petersburg—Kirchenbuchduplikat, 1833–1885 | German | 1% |
| South Africa, Cape Province—Church Records, 1660–1970 | English | 12% |
| Sverige, Södermanland—Kyrkoböcker, till 1860 [Del 1] | Swedish | 3% |
| Sverige, Uppsala—Kyrkoböcker, till 1860 [Del 1] | Swedish | 10% |
| Sverige, Örebro—Kyrkoböcker, till 1860 [Del 1] | Swedish | 1% |
| Tschechien, Litomerice—Kirchenbücher, 1552–1905 [Teil 1] | German | 13% |
| U.K., Cheshire—Parish Records, 1538–1850 [Part 2] | English/Old English | 47% |
| U.K., Warwickshire—Parish Registers, 1754-1900 [Part 2] | English | 13% |
| U.S., Arkansas—County Marriages, 1837–1957 [VII] | English | 59% |
| U.S., Georgia—1920 Federal Census | English | 59% |
| U.S., Illinois, Cook—Birth Certificates, 1916–1922 [Part 2] | English | 90% |
| U.S., Indiana, Allen County—Marriages, 1811–1959 | English | 71% |
| U.S., Indiana, Benton County—Marriages, 1811–1959 | English | 50% |
| U.S., Indiana, Boone County—Marriages, 1811–1959 | English | 22% |
| U.S., Indiana, Brown County—Marriages, 1811–1959 | English | 33% |
| U.S., Indiana, Harrison County—Marriages, 1811–1959 | English | 17% |
| U.S., Kansas—1920 Federal Census | English | 73% |
| U.S., Maine—1920 Federal Census | English | (New) |
| U.S., New York—1905 State Census | English | 74% |
| U.S., New York—1920 Federal Census | English | (New) |
| U.S., Rhode Island—1905 State Census [Part 1] | English | 20% |
| U.S., Rhode Island—1935 State Census | English | 39% |
| Venezuela, Mérida—Registros Parroquiales, 1654–1992 [Parte 1] | Spanish | 75% |
| Österreich, Wiener Meldezettel, 1890–1925 | German | 3% |
| Украина, Киев—Метрические Книги, 1840–1842 | Russian | 40% |
(*Percentage refers to a specific portion of a larger project.)
Current FamilySearch Partner Projects, Record Language, and Percent Completion
| Australia, Victoria—Probate Records, 1853–1989 | English | 76% |
| België, Mechelen—Overlijdens Registers, 1851-1900 | Dutch, Flemish | 48% |
| Belgique—Registres Des Décès—En Français, 1796–1910 | French | 36%* |
| Canada, Ontario, Toronto—Trust Cemeteries, 1826–1935 | English | (New) |
| Deutschland, Bremen—Schifflisten, 1904–1914 | German | 76% |
| Norway—1875 Census [Part 1] | Norwegian | 73% |
| U.S., Ohio—Tax Records, Post 1825 [Part 2] | English | 87% |
| U.S., Ohio—Tax Records, Post 1825 [Part 3] | English | 1% |
| U.S., Utah, Salt Lake County—Birth Registers, 1890–1908 | English | 1% |
| U.S., Utah, Salt Lake County—Death Registers, 1848–1940 | English | 22% |
About FamilySearch
FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Ordinance Tracker Stand Alone Released
Ordinance Tracker was first released as an integrated part of the program FamilyInsight. Because of its success, Ohana Software has now released Ordinance Tracker as a stand alone. The program is new in that it gives LDS genealogists the ability to print and track ordinances in a what-you-see-is-what-you-get interface. When you bring up your reserved ordinances, it actually looks like a bunch of ordinance cards stacked up by type. Three stacks, pink, blue, and yellow. When asked about this design, John Vilburn said "The simple design is meant to be intuitive. You pick up the ordinance card and put it into the ordinance request preview, then click print. There's not much to learn."
The ordinance tracker cards also show you what is going on in much the same way. If an ordinance is complete, you see the date as if it were stamped on there. If a card has been printed it says so. And if it is ready to go, it says “ready”.
Some LDS genealogists have been hesitant to submit family names to the temple because they would prefer to do them themselves and don't want their ancestors stuck waiting. This is no longer a problem because users can see exactly what is going on with their temple assigned ordinances. If a card has been processed at a temple, the card says so. If not, and a user doesn't want to wait, they can take it back from the temple list by simply dragging and dropping it back to their personal list.
“One of the factors that contributed to releasing Ordinance Tracker as its own program, was the feedback we receive from family history center directors and consultants saying that it made teaching ordinance management so much simpler for them.” said John. “By releasing it by itself, it makes it available to everyone, no matter what database program they are using” All that is needed to run the program is an active login to the new FamilySearch website. For this reason, Ordinance Tracker can be used with any of the current database programs like Rootsmagic, Ancestral Quest and Legacy. For those who have decided to work directly from FamilySearch, without a desktop database program, the program is a much needed tool to organize their reserved ordinances.
To find out more about the ordinance tracker program, Visit the Ohana Software website. Ordinance Tracker costs $12.50 and is available for both Mac and Windows computers.
For those that currently use FamilyInsight, Ordinance Tracker will still be included the tools menu for you to use.
For more information on Ordinance Tracker visit: www.ohanasoftware.com/Friday, October 09, 2009
Geocities is Closing
See ya tomorrow, for tomorrow is always another genealogy day!Final notice: GeoCities is closing.
Dear Yahoo! GeoCities customer,
We're writing to remind you that Yahoo! GeoCities, our free web site building service and community, is closing on October 26, 2009.
On October 26, 2009, your GeoCities site will no longer appear on the Web, and you will no longer be able to access your GeoCities account and files.What You Need to Do
If you'd like to move your web site, or save the images and other files you've posted online, you need to act now by choosing one of the following options:
• Move your site to Yahoo! Web Hosting.
We know your files are important to you, and we want to make moving to Web Hosting as easy and affordable as we can. For a limited time, you can move your files automatically, take advantage of terrific features like a personalized domain name and email, even redirect your GeoCities web address to your new site — all for only $4.99 a month for a full year.
For more information and complete terms, please see our special offer now.
• Download your files to your own computer.
With your pages and images saved offline, you can re-create your site with any hosting provider.
To quickly download your published files, visit your GeoCities web site, right-click on each page, and choose Save Page As... from the menu that appears. Choose a location on your computer to save your files, then click OK or Save. Learn more about downloading your files.Don't Wait
Please be aware that after October 26, your GeoCities files will be deleted from our servers, and will not be recoverable. If you'd like to save your files, you must download them now or move to Yahoo! Web Hosting. If you need assistance, please visit the help center.
We want to thank you for being a GeoCities customer, and hope you continue to enjoy our other Yahoo! services.
Best regards,
The Yahoo! GeoCities team
Training Video for the “Ordinance Reservation and Tracking System for PAF and AQ” is Now Available
Over the years, Incline Software has made Ancestral Quest available to the general public for use in recording and researching their family history, while paying attention to the special needs of some groups. For example the Page of Testimony capability was put in place to help the Jewish community in its quest for recording those who perished in the Holocaust. Similarly, this new Ordinance Reservation and Tracking System is a special feature that is only of use to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS).
The training video is about 35 minutes, and will teach LDS users how to:
-
Identify records in their PAF or AQ data file which appear to need LDS ordinances
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Verify with official temple records whether the ordinances are completed
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Easily update the PAF or AQ records if the ordinances are completed
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Reserve the ordinances and create Family Ordinance Requests right from within AQ if the ordinances can be reserved
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Manage records of ordinances so that the local PAF or AQ data is kept up-to-date with the official temple records
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Use the Ordinance Card Inventory System of AQ to keep track of the ordinance cards as the user gives them to others to help perform the ordinances.
This video can be watched at no cost by accessing this page: www.ancquest.com/Ver12-1Tutorials.htm and activating the video entitled, “Ordinance Reservation and Tracking System Full Training”. In order to use ORTS, the user must have access to New FamilySearch. If the user does not yet have a login ID for New FamilySearch, he/she can take the database to a local Family History Center, where one of the consultants can use AQ’s Helper Access to sign in as a helper for the user and use ORTS to reserve the user’s ordinances and update the PAF or AQ database with ordinance information right out of the LDS temple records.
AQ has a unique feature that can benefit any LDS person, regardless of whether they use AQ or another program as their main family tree product. This video will teach how to see more details on reserved ordinances of any record in New FamilySearch, such as who reserved the ordinance, when the reservation was made, and how to contact the person who reserved the ordinances.
Ancestral Quest can be used for free during a 60-day trial period. It is fully functioning, and is not crippled in any way. After the trial, AQ becomes a database viewer unless it is activated. Many features of AQ are available while in the viewer mode, including the ability to examine the details of an ordinance on any record in New FamilySearch. Ancestral Quest can be fully activated at any time, during or after the trial period, by purchasing a registration key from Incline Software.
To find out more about Ancestral Quest, Incline Software, the Ordinance Reservation and Tracking System or to download the 60-day free trial of Ancestral Quest, visit the web site www.ancquest.com or call Incline Software at 1-800-825-8864.