LIVERMORE-AMADOR GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY E-BULLETIN FOR MAY 2007 May 1, 2007 ======================================================= SUMMARY OF EVENTS FOR MAY 2007 (See details on a later screen.) - Family Tree Maker Group: Thursday, May 3 - General Meeting: Tuesday, May 8 - L-AGS Board Meeting: Tuesday, May 22 (Note change from regular date.) - Study Group: Thursday, May 24 - The Master Genealogist Group: NO MEETING IN MAY ======================================================= A N N O U N C E M E N T S "Find It" and "Cite It" Seminar By Kay Speaks, Seminar Chair Our free L-AGS seminar, in association with the Livermore Family History Center, was a big success. We had many people tell us it was one of the best seminars they had ever attended. Everyone left the seminar rejuvenated, with new ways to find people and with the intent to cite their research. There were 140 total attendees. We had 123 members pre-registered, of which 42 requested the option for a prepared sack lunch. Many compliments were received about the lunch also. Of the pre-registered attendees, 62 were L-AGS members. A total of 67 different affiliated organizations were represented. There will be an article in the forthcoming Roots Tracer about the seminar, and we are preparing a large display of photos, taken by Dick Finn, on our Web site. Watch for them. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ New Web page coming George Anderson Our board of directors at the April meeting authorized a new page on our Web site, to be called "Members' Publications." The page will carry a list of books published by our members, with bibliographic information but not with full text of the book. Although L-AGS strongly encourages publication on the Internet and recognizes the value of doing so, it is only printed publications that will be listed at this time. There are many purposes of the new page. It will reemphasize the importance that L-AGS places on publication of research results. It will provide would- be authors with a list of local examples to study and a list of possible tutors in the publication process - an aid to members-helping-members. Since the L-AGS Web site is indexed by search engines, it will provide a convenient place for authors to publicize their work to the whole world of genealogists, without the work having to be sponsored by L-AGS. Since we will ask that authors include a small list of surnames and localities that are cited in the book, it will be another method of connecting members having common interests. You are invited to make a list of your printed publications and submit it to me at mailto:XXXX@L-AGS.org The books can be out-of-print or not for sale. They do not have to be major opuses with large numbers of copies printed. The page will probably be launched in May. ======================================================= M A Y M E E T I N G S Visitors are welcome free of charge at all of our meetings. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FAMILY TREE MAKER FOCUS GROUP Leader: Dick Finn at mailto:XXXX@wecare.net Date and Time: Thursday, May 3, 7:30 p.m. Always the first Thursday of the month. Place: Room 3 (around the back), Almond Avenue School, 1401 Almond Avenue, Livermore Map to the meeting site: http://www.L-AGS.org/maps/Liv-AlmondSchool.html At this meeting we will have a *special guest*. Peter Kitchingham from London England will be here and, after our regular FTM meeting is willing to answer questions about searching for ancestors in Great Britain. At this meeting we will start with questions and suggestions about FTM so please bring those you have been storing up. Please bring your questions and if you have discovered solutions to problems bring them also. Most of our group are FTM users (from beginners to experts) who discuss problems and solutions, share successes, answer questions, and in general help each other with the Family Tree Maker genealogical software. All persons interested or potentially interested in Family Tree Maker are invited to attend. For information on our group please call Dick Finn at 925- XXX-XXXX or e-mail him at mailto:XXXX@wecare.net. Contact Dick for information about topics to be discussed. Visitors are welcome and there is no charge to attend. Bring your questions, comments, and if you have a laptop with FTM loaded (any version) and/or the FTM Handbook, you might bring them. Please avail yourself of the L-AGS FTM e-mail forum at mailto:ftm.group@L-AGS.org to post questions, answers and comments. ======================================================= MONTHLY GENERAL MEETING Arleen Wood, Program Chairperson Tuesday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m. Location: Congregation Beth Emek, 3400 Nevada Court, Pleasanton. Map to the meeting site: http://www.L-AGS.org/maps/Pls-BethEmek.html Presentation: "Searching for Soldier Ancestors" Presenter: Barbara E. Leak President of the Genealogical and Historical Council of Sacramento Valley Ms. Leak writes: "Designed to stimulate ideas, this presentation reviews a variety of sources for military information and clues to military service, from colonial times to the present. Sources covered include compiled service files, militia lists, draft registrations, discharge registers, census records, pension rolls, burial records, official rosters, county histories, and newspapers. "A fifth generation Californian with early American ancestry, Barbara E. Leak has been speaking to genealogy, local history and community organizations for more than 15 years. She was named to the Honor Roll after successfully completing the National Genealogical Society's home study course, American Genealogy: A Basic Course. A five-term former president of the Placer County Genealogical Society, Barbara chairs the society's library and research committees and is the editor and principal author of the society's popular handbook, Tracing Your Family Tree: How to Begin. She currently serves as president of the Genealogical & Historical Council of Sacramento Valley, treasurer and newsletter editor of the Loomis Basin Historical Society, and is a long-time volunteer and seminar instructor for the Auburn and Sacramento Family History Centers." Visitors are welcome. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ L-AGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING Date: Tuesday, May 22, 2007 Time: 7:30 PM Location: Gail Bryan's home Members are invited to attend meetings of the Board of Directors. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ STUDY GROUP MEETING Date: Thursday, May 24, 2007 Time: 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. Location: LDS Church, 950 Mocho Street, Livermore, CA Map to the meeting site: http://www.l-ags.org/maps/Liv-FHC.html Leaders: Kay Speaks & Dick Finn Contact Mail: study.group@l-ags.org A formatted version of this announcement can be downloaded from: http://www.L-AGS.org/temp/may07_SG.doc Topic: Matt Helm's FamilyToolbox.net, Inc. FamilyToolbox.net, Inc. began in 1994, when Matthew Helm decided to create a comprehensive index of all genealogically related sites on the Internet, http://www.genealogytoolbox.com. His website focused on using computers and the Internet in family history research. In 1995, Toolbox Internet Marketing Services, Inc. (TIMS) was formed. In 1997, TIMS partnered with Broderbund Software to produce the Genealogy SiteFinder World Wide Web site. Since 1995, other website associated with Matt Helm are the Genealogy Home Page, Genealogy Sofware.com, GenealogyNews.com, GenealogyPortal.com, Genealogy Toolbox DigiSources, GenealogyDirect.com, Sources2Go.com, Treezy.com, and HistoryKat.com. Matthew L. Helm and his wife, April Leigh Helm, wrote "Genealogy Online for Dummies." Our May Study Group will explore the many contributions of Matt Helm to the genealogy community. Have a genealogy brick wall? Bring your problem to a meeting and let the Study Group help you brainstorm your research options. Don't forget to use our L-AGS Study Group forum for questions on any genealogy or computer topic. L-AGS is blessed with people willing to share their knowledge! E-mail the forum at mailto:study.group@L-AGS.org You can also post any suggestions for future Study Group topics. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TRI-VALLEY TMG USERS GROUP Leader: Kay Speaks, mailto:tvtmg.chair@l-ags.org Instructors: Kay Speaks & Sue Johnston NO MEETING IN MAY Next meeting, June 9, second Saturday of the month. Time: 9:00 a.m. - Noon (each meeting is like a mini- workshop) Location: 7077 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 110, Pleasanton, CA 94566 Map to the meeting site: http://www.l-ags.org/maps/Pls-KollCenter.html A free demo version of the TMG software can be downloaded at http://www.whollygenes.com. For additional information, contact mailto:tvtmg.chair@l-ags.org. ======================================================= FUTURE GENERAL MEETINGS Arleen Wood, Program Chairperson mailto:program.chair@L-AGS.org ** Tuesday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m. Barbara Leak, President of the Genealogical and Historical Council of Sacramento Valley."Searching for Soldier Ancestors." See details above. ** Tuesday, June 12, at 7:30 p.m. Beth Twogood, L-AGS Corresponding Secretary, will give a slide presentation on her trip to England to attend a family reunion. ** July 10 - Jane Lindsey - California Genealogical Society Library - Slide presentation of the new space of the CGS library, available resources and website for on-line research ** August 14 - Marge Bell - "Churches and Cemeteries" ** September 11 - Chuck Knuthson - "Newspaper Research: A Window to the Past" - Newspapers provide a window on the lives of our ancestors, including vital statistics, death notices and obituaries, news, photographs and illustrations, legal notices, and social events and "gossip." They are also a rich source of information on individual and community lifestyle. Do not overlook this valuable family history resource ** October 9 -Cath Madden Trindle - "But It's My Family: Copyright Issues for 21st Century" - This lecture offers a discussion of current US copyright law, international copyright, pending legislation and court actions and ethical issues of copying and sharing genealogical information electronically or in print. ** December 11 - Mary Dillon - "101 Ranch Genealogy" - The 101 Ranch, considered to be the largest diversified ranch of the early 1900s, played a major part in her father's childhood in Oklahoma. Oil, Wild West shows, currency, and much more interesting "stuff" were part of the 101. =======================================================