And the ROOTSTECH WINNER Is.........AND MORE

There were a hearty 35 entries in this year's Renee's Genealogy Blog contest for a FREE Full Access Pass to RootsTech + Innovator Summit 2017.  I recognized a lot of names on the result form spreadsheet.  To ensure absolute fairness I used the "True Random Number Generator" widget to pick a spreadsheet number.

The Winner is #12

Barbara Schmidt

Barbara had not previously registered to attend RootsTech this year. Now she needs to rearrange her schedule because she's going to ROOTSTECH 2017!!!  How great is that!!!

I was really excited finding out #12 was Barbara because she is my first RootsTech contest winner from an international country. I sure hope you can make flight arrangements because the cost of coming to RootsTech just got a little cheaper for you!

BUT WAIT.......THERE'S MORE

There is still an opportunity to enter a contest for ANOTHER CHANCE at a FULL ACCESS ROOTSTECH + Innovator Summit 2017 Registration.

Go to RootsMagic's RootsTech 2017 Contest Form and enter their drawing. You have until Wed, 30 Nov 2016 @ 11:59 PM (MST) to enter. Click on link below.

ANOTHER CHANCE to Win a Free Pass to Attend RootsTech!

See ya tomorrow, for tomorrow is always another genealogy day!

NEHGS Holiday Bundles & Upcoming Webinars

The following is from the New England Historic and Genealogical Society.

NEHGS Holiday Bundles

Get a sneak peek at more than 50 money-saving 2016 Holiday Bundles from The Bookstore at NEHGS! We have bundled together some of our most popular titles and slashed the prices to save you money this holiday season. No special codes to enter, just pure savings, plain and simple. From brand new titles to classic genealogical works, our bundles are sure to bring cheer to any genealogist on your gift list--even if it's you! And be sure to check out an exciting new item available now: the Family Tree DNA Family Finder DNA test! With a simple cheek swab, discover your roots, connect the dots, and unlock your family history. Family Tree DNA's signature DNA test provides powerful tools to find your DNA matches, trace your lineage through time, and validate family connections. And if you order from The Bookstore at NEHGS before November 30, you'll get a copy of our Using DNA in Genealogy Portable Genealogist for free! So start your shopping today, save money, and discover your past! To order by phone, call 1-888-296-3447. Questions? Email thebookstore@NEHGS.org. Bundle pricing is good through December 31, 2016, while supplies last. No additional discounts apply, including the NEHGS member discount. If purchasing gifts, we strongly recommend shipping via UPS.

Online Learning Center

Webinar: Organizing and Preserving Your Family Papers Thursday, December 15, 3 p.m. EST Presented by: Judy Lucey and Andrew Krea Cost: FREE Learn how to organize and preserve these important family heirlooms for generations to come. In this webinar, Archivist Judy Lucey will demonstrate how to apply techniques used by the Special Collections staff to your own collection and Senior Researcher Andrew Krea will discuss a new family archive initiative offered by our Research Services team. Register today! Online Course: Breaking Down Genealogical Brick Walls: Strategies for Success Exclusively for NEHGS members! Instructors: Sheilagh Doerfler, Katrina Fahy, and Meaghan E. H. Siekman, NEHGS Senior Researchers Wednesdays, January 11, 18 & 25; 6-7:30 p.m. Cost: $85 Whether you are struggling to find an immigrant's exact origins, uncover a maiden name, determine parentage, or discover where a family moved, cluster research can help. Join our Senior Researchers for a three-week course on applying cluster research to your project and learn how broadening the scope of your search can break through genealogical brick walls. Register today!

SHOTBOX Black Friday - Cyber Monday Deal

Make It The Happiest Time of Year With $50 Off a SHOTBOX   At SHOTBOX, Black Friday starts today! With the holiday's right around the corner, we are offering one of the best deals of the year to grab a SHOTBOX for yourself, a friend, or a loved one. From now until Monday, you can take $50 off of both the SHOTBOX Deluxe bundle (great for taking pictures of online shops) and the SHOTBOX Solo Box (great for taking top down pictures of documents and art). Click here to start shopping and use the code HOLIDAY50 to get your discount.

RootsTech 2017 Cyber Monday Special!

The following is from RootsTech.

RootsTech 2017 Cyber Monday Special Here’s your special RootsTech Cyber Monday discount! With promotional code RTCYBERFAN, you’ll save over $100 on regularly priced RootsTech and RootsTech + Innovator Summit passes. The promotion runs on Monday, November 28 from 12:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. REGISTER HERE Why should you attend RootsTech? Here are 7 reasons. WHY ATTEND

13th Annual RootsMagic Holiday Sale

The following is from RootsMagic.

Four Bestsellers for One Low Price!

With the holidays coming up, we often get requests from our users about buying copies of RootsMagic to give as gifts to their family or friends.  In what has become an annual tradition, RootsMagic owners can buy discounted copies of our software to give as gifts. 

Our Most Amazing Holiday Special Yet!

As a RootsMagic customer, you can get our amazing holiday bundle including RootsMagic 7, Personal Historian 2, Getting the Most Out of RootsMagic 7, and Personal Historian 2: The Companion Guide (a $90 value) for as low as $25!

There is no limit on the number of discounted gift copies you can buy during this limited time offer which will expire December 20, 2016. You will receive the full program and book for each copy you order.

To take advantage of this offer, just visit:
 

http://www.rootsmagic.com/holidayoffer

While ordering online is the quickest and easiest way to order, you can also order by phone at 1-800-ROOTSMAGIC (1-800-766-8762).  With the volume of calls, you may need to leave a message to be called back and you'll need to mention the code HOLIDAY2016 when you call.

Family ChartMasters Best Sales Of The Year!

The following is from Family ChartMasters.

Black Friday Weekend Special: 25% All Blank Charts  from The Chart Chick Blog Click here to choose which Fill-In-The Blank Genealogy Charts you will purchase for your holiday gift giving, for as little as $14.95 + shipping!

Cyber Monday Sale: 50% Off All eBooks  from The Zap the Grandma Gap Blog Zap the Grandma Gap Ancestor Activity Workbooks make perfect gifts for the children.  Using the crafts, activities, stories and games included in the books, they are a fun way to teach children about their cultural heritage. Click here to see a few sample pages!

Fold3 Black Friday Special - Save 40%

The following is from Fold3.

Special Limited-Time Offer! Benefits of a Fold3 Membership: Access over 481 million records Partnerships with The National Archives and other institutions Diverse set of content that complements other websites like Ancestry.com Hurry! This offer ends November 27that 11:59pm MST!

New AncestryProGen Scholarship Announced

The following is from the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy sponsored by the Utah Genealogical Association.

AncestryProGenealogists Scholarship Program Announced

AncestryProGenealogists has announced that it is accepting applications for a new Scholarship Program, established to "foster and support professional genealogists in their ongoing development efforts."  

Four "aspiring or practicing professional genealogists" will receive a scholarship, to cover tuition, round-trip economy airfare, and hotel expenses to attend one of the four U.S.-based genealogical institutes.  One will be awarded to attend SLIG 2018.  We were contacted early on to determine our interest in this program and are pleased to be included in this amazing opportunity.

Eligible applicants are those who "demonstrate a commitment to genealogy as a profession, a desire for professional development, and the ability to communicate that commitment and desire in writing."  

AncestryProGenealogists "has helped people trace their family trees and connect with the past for more than 15 years."  They employ a team of experts with a variety of genealogical specialities.  Their motivation?  "Many of these experts received high-quality training from institutions such as SLIG, IGHR, GRIP and Gen-Fed. We want to provide the same quality professional development to dedicated genealogists to support their next steps in the industry."

Thanks to AncestryProGen!  And we wish each of you luck in the application process!

Unfortunately, due to a lot of complicating factors, applicants won't be aware of the courses to be offered for SLIG 2018 until after they have completed their application.  For that reason, we offer the opportunity to have open dialogue with the director  if you feel it is needed to help you rank SLIG in order of attendance preference on your application.

Full details about the scholarship, application process, and AncestryProGen may be found here.

The following is from FamilySearch.

New Historic Records on FamilySearch: Week of November 21, 2016

Summary

Maybe one of your ancestors is in one of the newly published 1916 Denmark census records, civil registrations from Hungary, Sweden church records, Ohio death, South Carolina birth, or Wyoming obituary records. Search these free records and more at  FamilySearch.org by clicking on the links in the interactive table below. 

Collection	Indexed Records	Digital Images	Comments
Denmark Census 1916	2,964,499	584,642	New indexed records and images collection
Hungary Civil Registration 1895-1980	114,567	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
Sweden Västerbotten Church Records 1619-1896; index 1688-1860	36,337	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection
South Carolina Delayed Birth Certificates 1766-1900	0	82,604	New browsable image collection.
Ohio County Death Records 1840-2001	0	98,622	Added images to an existing collection
Wyoming Star Valley Independent Obituaries 1901-2015	21,394	1,850	Added indexed records and images to an existing collection

Searchable historic records are made available on FamilySearch.org through the help of thousands of volunteers from around the world. These volunteers transcribe (index) information from digital copies of handwritten records to make them easily searchable online. More volunteers are needed (particularly those who can read foreign languages) to keep pace with the large number of digital images being published online at FamilySearch.org. Learn more about volunteering to help provide free access to the world's historic genealogical records online at FamilySearch.org/indexing.

About FamilySearch.org

FamilySearch is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch and its predecessors have been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources for free at FamilySearch.org or through more than 4,921 family history centers in 129 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The following is from RootsTech.

President Russell M. Nelson to Speak at RootsTech Family Discovery Day

RootsTech, the world’s largest family history conference, announced today that President Russell M. Nelson, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his wife, Sister Wendy Nelson, will be speaking at RootsTech’s popular Family Discovery Day on Saturday, February 11, 2017, in Salt Lake City at the Salt Palace Convention Center. The unique format of RootsTech Family Discovery Day will give attendees a more intimate perspective into the family lives of Elder and Sister Nelson and their insight into the significance of family. The event is free, but registration is required at RootsTech.org.

Prior to receiving his call in 1984 as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, President Nelson was well-known both nationally and internationally as a heart surgeon and medical researcher. He performed the first open-heart surgery in Utah and has helped people throughout the world with heart problems. He served his medical residency in surgery at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and the University of Minnesota. He is the recipient of many distinguished honors and awards and is the author of numerous publications.

Sister Wendy Nelson, also an author and avid genealogist, graced the Family Discovery Day stage in 2016 and won the hearts of all in attendance by sharing the excitement she has experienced in her family history discoveries. She is excited to be speaking again in 2017, this time sharing the stage with her husband, President Russell M. Nelson. Prior to her marriage to President Nelson, Sister Nelson was a professor of marriage and family therapy for 25 years, the last 13 years at Brigham Young University. She holds a Ph.D. in family therapy and gerontology.

Joining the exciting and inspiring speaker lineup at Family Discovery Day will be Kalani Sitake, Vai Sikahema, and Hank Smith. Sitake is BYU’s head football coach. Sitake played collegiately at BYU as a fullback and served as an assistant coach for the Oregon State Beavers and Utah Utes before taking the head coaching position at BYU in December 2015.

Vai Sikahema is a former NFL football player and current television personality. Sikahema is well-known for his diverse skills as both an anchor and sports reporter and can be seen co-anchoring NBC10 News Today on weekday mornings. He also serves as NBC10’s sports director.

Also joining the lineup is Hank Smith, BYU professor of religion and popular public speaker. Smith enjoys speaking at assemblies in elementary, junior high, and high schools around the country. He has also published many talks on CD and speaks to tens of thousands of youth each year. His life has been touched by family history and temple work. “There is something about temple work that unlocks our own personal gifts,” he says. When asked what family means to him, he readily replies, “Don’t make me cry! Family means happiness. Family means fun. Family means experiences. It means learning, friendship, and love.”

Family Discovery Day is a free, one-day event for members and families of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Attendees are invited to come and enjoy inspiring messages, engage in interactive activities for all ages, and discover the latest technology, products, and services in the family history industry by touring the expansive expo hall and other fun activities throughout the venue. Families with children and youth can discover the fun of family history together by playing games such as Family Feud and Twisted Family History.

Family Discover Day is the perfect place for individuals and families to discover helpful family history solutions, watch demonstrations, get one-on-one help, interact with innovative family history technologies, and mingle with hundreds of exhibitors from around the globe.

Select sessions are also available for those with Church callings and responsibilities related to family history and the temple. Individuals will be able to get their questions answered, discover new tools, and learn best practices.

Over 15,000 adults and children attended the free event in 2016. Tickets will be limited again in 2017 for this increasingly popular event.

Interested individuals and families should register as quickly as possible online at RootsTech.org.

Family Discovery Day Schedule:

• 1:00 p.m.—Opening General Session
• 1:45 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.—Sessions
• 5:30 p.m.—Closing Event

About RootsTech

RootsTech, hosted by FamilySearch, is a global conference celebrating families across generations, where people of all ages are inspired to discover and share their memories and connections. This annual event has become the largest of its kind in the world, attracting tens of thousands of participants worldwide.

ResearchTies Announce New Features

The following is from Research Ties.

Announcing a new ResearchTies feature: Multi-user logs!  Do you coordinate your research with family members, other professionals, or work on a group project at your genealogical society? ResearchTies research logs can now be shared between accounts. Two or more researchers can work on the same log, each working in their own account, and the program will track the changes made by each researcher. Here is how it works:  A ResearchTies subscriber creates a new log. Email invitations are sent to other subscribers. Those receiving the invitations click on the link in the email to accept the invitation. The shared log is added to the list of logs for each person accepting the invitation. Each researcher works in their own account on the shared log. The program tracks who is making various changes to the log. All researchers can search the log to see what has been done. This includes searching for data and documents, as well as searching by researcher to see what has been added or edited by others. Each personal account in ResearchTies allows the subscriber to create three logs; however, each subscriber may receive invitations for an unlimited number of logs. Professionals or other researchers who need more than three logs can subscribe to add-ons in bundles of ten. Non-profit genealogical societies that are interested in using ResearchTies for a society project, send an email to: support@researchties.com to request additional information. Societies may use the program at no cost for non-profit projects if at least five members of the society have subscriptions with ResearchTies. Now there are two ways to share your research using ResearchTies. Use the multi-user function for multiple subscribers to work on the same log, or generate PDF reports that can be emailed to non-subscribers to share your searches and documents. Start sharing today! For more details on each step listed above, click here.

Changes to the ResearchTies Home Page Buttons  To make the home page buttons more intuitive and user friendly, the "Add Information" button has been changed to "Add Research Data." The "Manage Lists" button is new and has the same functions as the list icon on the toolbar. This change has been made to distinguish between adding research data (objectives, searches, and results) and adding or editing list items that are used in the dropdown boxes of the program. To add an objective, search, or result, click on the "Add Research Data" button and continue as you have in the past. To add or edit items in your lists, click on "Manage Lists" and select the list you want to work on. The lists that are available for editing are the sources, repositories, individuals, families, surnames, and places. After selecting the list, use the "add," "edit," and "delete" functions as you have in the past.

Watch for more great features coming soon!

Go to ResearchTies