Genies Meeting Monday and Education Galore

October is Family History Month and a popular time for genealogy seminars and workshops. 

Ferndale Genies next meetings are this Monday, October 15 and November 19.  We’ll be asking how the Genies can help you with your family search. And my other favorite topic…Education.  Bring questions or topics that would be useful for you.  As usual, 1:00 at the Ferndale Library.

Skagit Valley Genealogical Society has two Saturday sessions remaining in their Intermediate Genealogy Workshop.  I would call to see if there are openings: 360-770-0762.

Oct 13    Exploring Online Family Tree Sites

Oct 20    What to Do with the Data You’ve Found and Recordkeeping

Sessions are $15 each, at 10 AM to Noon at the Burlington Public Library, 820 E Washington Ave.

Don’t let the word “Intermediate” scare you.

On Monday, November 12, 2018 the Whatcom Genealogical Society welcomes Elizabeth Joffrion from WWU Center for Pacific Northwest Studies and Jannette Gomes from the Washington State Archives for a presentation on what is available for genealogists at their facilities.  Meeting is at 2:00 at the Elks at 710 Samish Way.  Everyone welcome.

A few months ago I joined the newly-formed Virtual Genealogy Association.  From their members Facebook page I have received notices of two free courses appropriate for beginners thru intermediate.  I haven’t seen this type of free multi-session classes before.  

The first, from VGA member Tracy Kennedy, is the North Carolina Government & Heritage Library offering, "RootsMOOC: Intro to Genealogy and Family History Research". This 10-week class starts October 22, 2018, and is open to all - there is no experience necessary, no cost to participate, and no required textbook.  What more could we ask?  The course schedule is as follows: 

Orientation Module - Begins October 22 
Module 1: Getting Started - Begins October 29 
Module 2: US Census - Begins November 5 
Module 3: State & Local Resources - Begins November 12 
Module 4: Online Sources & Strategies - Begins November 19 

Materials and discussion boards will be available in Canvas through December 31, 2018. 

To join, visit https://www.canvas.net/browse/state-lib-nc/courses/intro-to-genealogy.

Second, from VGA member Sue Draper, is the University of Strathclyde-Glasgow online course, "Genealogy: Researching Your Family Tree." This free course begins on 05 November 2018 and runs for 6 weeks. It will cover (among many other things): 
- differences between primary, derived primary and secondary sources. 
- the importance of knowing who made a document and why and how they were created. 
- lateral ways to approach research including the FAN/cluster technique and mind mapping. 
- primary source databases including searching techniques 
- an introduction to main source types including civil, church, census and military records 
- review of major databases 
- the principles of the Genealogical Proof Standard 
- the use of DNA testing in genealogical research 

For more information or to register, visit https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/genealogy.

This course is freemium. This is a new word coined to mean free with a paid premium upgrade available.  For a course it may mean access to handouts.  For a website it may mean some free content with access to exclusive content behind a membership wall.  Many websites have enough free material that a paid membership is not necessary.  Be sure what you are buying.  Ask at the Genies.

Also we have this reminder that Ancestry has free data bases.  “We have hundreds of free databases that you can access without a subscription, and offer the option to save information to your tree online through your internet browser.  We've included a link to these databases below.“
http://search.ancestry.com/search/group/freeindexacom

Knowing specifically what you are working on drives the Genies’ meetings and blogposts.  Come talk with us next Monday!