• WikiTree, a free worldwide family tree website, has launched a new feature called Surname Following that lets you get updates when other WikiTree users post content related to names you're interested in. Log in to WikiTree and follow surnames to receive an email alert when related content is added to the WikiTree database or a related question, answer or comment is added to the WikiTree G2G (“Genealogist to Genealogist”) Q&A forum.

• Heads up: The early registration deadline is approaching for this year's National Genealogical Society annual conference, taking place May 8-11 in Las Vegas. You'll save $35 on your conference registration if you sign up before March 19. Click here to register.
  
  
• Speaking of conferences, registration is now open for the Federation of Genealogical Societies conference, Aug. 21-24 in Fort Wayne, Indiana (home of the well-known Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center). I'm hoping to be able to carve out some research time while there.
  

• FamilySearch has added 10.5 million indexed records and images to its free historical records search over the last two weeks, including 8,613,673 document images added to the New York Probate Records collection (1629 to 1971). Other notable collection updates are Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Immigration Cards, 1900-1965, and Peru, Lima, Civil Registration, 1874-1996, collection.

Collections for Indonesia, Italy, New Zealand, and the US states of Minnesota and Ohio also have been updated. See more details and click through to the updated collections here.

• I got an email about a new iPhone/iPad app that helps you inventory family heirlooms. The $2.99 app, called Heirlooms, lets you store a photo of and information about an heirloom, and share it via an emailed attachment. A free version lets others read the attachment without having to buy the app.

• If you're up against a brick wall with some part of your genealogy research and you'll be in the Washington DC area on Saturday, March 16, the National Archives is holding a “Help! I'm Stuck” Genealogy Clinic. You can visit the Research Center main desk that day to sign up for a free, 20 minute consultation with an archivist between noon and 4 p.m. For details on this and other programs at teh archives, see the Archives.gov calendar.

Friday, March 08, 2013 12:13:51 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

• Everyone agreed that organization, staying on-task and information overload are time drains when it comes to genealogy research. Social media also distracts us, and catching up after being away from research steals time, too.
  
  
• Organization was a theme. Be organized from the start—using a research log to keep track of your to-do list for each family line and place you're searching really helps. At least one participant uses Evernote to keep her research log. Trello also was recommended (especially for those who think visually).
  
  
• Keep track of negative search results, too (i.e., you didn't find the record you were looking for) so you don't repeat the same search. Track your online searches of growing databases, so you can go back to look for new results.
  
  
• Schedule your genealogical research time on your calendar, just like any other appointment you have.
  
  
• When visiting a repository, plan ahead, use online tools (such as a library catalog and visitor information) to prepare, and call to verify hours, what you can bring in, etc. This gives you more research time.
  
  
• To-do list apps chatters use include Remember the Milk, Any.do and Wunderlist.
  
  
• Sometimes getting away from home to research is better, because you face fewer distractions.
  
  
• Set a research goal for the week (or a period of time that works for you).

We'll host another Virtual Genealogy Conference this Fall, so stay tuned! In the mean time, check out our Organize Your Genealogy One-Week Workshop, taking place March 15-22.

Wednesday, March 06, 2013 3:55:51 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

• Saving Memories Forever has launched its new free Android app designed to make interviewing and preserving stories through audio recordings even easier. The technology allows users to build story archives they can share and manage through the company's website.
  
  

• Archives.com has expanded its US Vital Records Collection to include 58 million records covering birth, death and marriage information for 21 US states. Click here for a full list of recently added records. 
  

• FamilySearch has added 7 million new indexed records and images to its collection. Notable additions include the 1.7 million+ indexed records and images in the Slovakia Church and Synagogue Books collection from 1592-1910; 1 million+ records added to the United States Index to Passenger Arrivals, Atlantic and Gulf Ports, from 1820-1874; and the 1.3 million+ records from the United States General Index to Pension Files collection from 1861-1934.
  
  

• The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) announces the creation of a new society to promote the preservation of records in the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA): The Society of Preservation Patriots. This new group recognizes donors who have contributed $250 or more to the Stern-NARA Gift Fund or the current Preserve the Pensions initiative, a project to digitally capture the 7.2 million images from the 180,000 pensions of those who served in the War of 1812.

Donors will receive a society pin and be listed on the FGS website. For more information, see the Preserve the Pensions initiative or the Stern-NARA Gift Fund. 

Friday, January 18, 2013 9:17:00 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

• Ancestry.com has updated its 1850 US census collections (correcting some Indiana birth places that were keyed incorrectly) and its City Directories. In addition, Ancestry continues with its indexing of information for the 1940 US census to make it more complete.

• The Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG), an independent certifying body recognized nationally and internationally since 1964, recently joined the blogosphere with its blog, SpringBoard: News and Notes.

• Genealogy search engine service Mocavo and Family History Information Standards Organisation, Inc. (FHISO) announced that Mocavo has finalized its plans to become a founding member of the organization. FHISO is a standards-developing organization bring the international family history and genealogical community in a self-governing forum to develop information standards to solve today's interoperability issues.

Mocavo will participate with other FHISO members from the global genealogical community in the development of standards for the digital representation and sharing of family history and genealogical information.

• MyHeritage has released a new version of its free MyHeritage app (v2.0) that now lets users do their genealogy on the go—create and edit their family tree, add relatives and photos, and edit profiles, info and events. The app is available for iPad, iPhone, and Android smartphones and tablets, in 32 languages. If you have an older version of the app, the new app will upgrade seamlessly. Click here to download the app.

Friday, January 11, 2013 9:16:27 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

• Findmypast.com, a UK-based website specializing in British genealogical records, recently added 31 million new records spanning 38 US, UK, Irish and Australian collections. Included are British Army service and pension records spanning 1760-1902 from two British hospitals, as well the War Office; US military records, including Korean War POWs and casualties, and Vietnam War casualties; Irish Catholic Church directory records from 1836-1837; and Australian "Northern Territory" records from 1884-1968.

• Genealogy software company RootsMagic, Inc. has released a free RootsMagic app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The app, available at the Apple App Store, is a companion to RootsMagic desktop family tree software and the free RootsMagic Essentials software. Features include access to your personal RootsMagic files via iTunes or Dropbox; family tree search and explore capabilities; pictures, notes and sources; lists; and tools and calculators. For more information, click here. 
  

Users of genealogy software such as PAF, Family Tree Maker and Legacy Family Tree can convert their files into viewable RootsMagic files with RootMagic's free desktop software.

Friday, December 21, 2012 7:34:55 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [1]

• The Chronicling America free, searchable database of historic US newspapers, has posted its 5 millionth newspaper page. Launched by the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities in 2007 as part of the National Digital Newspaper Program, the site digitizes newspapers published between 1836 and 1922. It now has more than 800 newspapers from 25 states. 
  

• Old Weather, a joint project from the National Archives and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, will have citizen scientists transcribing historic Arctic and worldwide weather data from digitized Navy, Coast Guard, and Revenue Cutter ship deck logs. Digital images of the logbooks will be available on the project's website and on Archives.gov. The records offer access to weather data and climate patterns from your ancestor's day, as well as details on US maritime history, military operations and scientific exploration. Learn more about the project and participate at OldWeather.org.
  

• A new volunteer genealogy lookup site called Gen Gathering has announced it's looking for volunteers to do simple lookups for others in their home libraries or nearby repositories or cemeteries. You also can use the site to find volunteers who might be able to do lookups for you.  Learn more on the Gen Gathering website. 

• A new Windows phone app called Relative History ($4.99) from Papillion Producitons lets you view genealogy information from GEDCOM files on Windows phones. You can learn more about it and see screenshots and reviews here.
  

• Congrats to D. Joshua Taylor who recently was elected to fill the two-year term as president of the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FYI: Josh is giving our Top 25 Tips for Discovering Your Colonial Ancestors webinar on Nov. 13). FGS board members and directors newly elected or re-elected are Lisa A. Alzo, David E. Rencher, Janice A. Fritsch, Cherie Bush, Kris W. Rzepczynski and Melissa Shimkus.

Friday, October 26, 2012 11:30:38 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [31]

• Ancestry.com has released a new Ancestry Facebook app that helps you use Facebook to add to your Ancestry.com family tree. The app lets you use your Facebook credentials to log into Ancestry.com, get hints about Facebook members who may be family, add family members on Facebook to your Ancestry tree and send copies of your tree to those relatives (which they can use to start their own trees on Ancestry.com). Watch a video of how the app works and get the app on Ancestry.com.

Note that when you add information from Facebook to your Ancestry.com tree, you grant Ancestry.com permission to use the information according to its Terms and Conditions and Privacy Statement.

• Our Photo Detective Maureen A. Taylor's book The Last Muster: Images of the Revolutionary War Generation, will soon become a historical film! Visit LastMusterFilm.com to learn more about the project and how you can help the stories of the book's subjects come to life through a donation to the Center for Independent Documentary.

• FamilySearch is holding a Genealogists Say "Thanks!" video contest. Submit a video sharing an ancestral find in FamilySearch indexes and thanking FamilySearch volunteer indexers for their work. Five winners will each receive  a $25 Visa gift card and have their videos published on teh FamilySearch indexing Facebook page. The submission deadline is November 5; see the FamilySearch blog for contest rules and other details.

• British genealogy website Genes Reunited has added a Keepsafe feature where the site's members can store digital copies of their family records, photos and memories. Keepsafes can be public, private or shared with select others.  Also new are Relation Profiles, where members can view and edit details about people in their Genes Reunited family trees. Check out the recently revamped Genes Reunited here.

• Genealogists familiar with French Canadian family heritage won't be surprised by Ancestry.com's latest famous-roots discovery: Canadian celebrities Justin Bieber, Avril Lavigne and Ryan Gosling are related through a family connection going back 400 years. The Biebs is also 10th cousins three times removed with singer Celine Dion. You can read more about how these stars are linked and see it charted out on Ancestry.com's blog.

Friday, October 12, 2012 11:04:26 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

• 30/30 for time management—you work for 30 minutes or another set length of time, then take a break (iPad)
• Ancestry for displaying your Ancestry member tree and doing quick record lookups, though the search capabilities are limited compared to the full version of the site (Android and iPad)
• AroundMe for finding gas stations and food in unfamiliar towns  (iPad)
• CamScanner for digitizing documents and turning them into PDFs (iPad and Android)
• Civil War Today for newspaper accounts, diaries, letters and more from this day 150 years ago (iPad)
• CousinCalc for figuring out exactly how you're related (iPad)
• DropBox for sharing and accessing files across devices (iPad and Android)
• Evernote for taking notes and making them searchable and accessible across devices—you can get Kerry's video class on using Evernote for $10 off in ShopFamilyTree.com (iPad and Android)
• Find A Grave for searching the cemetery transcriptions and info on Find A Grave (Android)
• Focus Time for time management; you work for 25 minutes and take a 5-minute break, with a longer break after four cycles (iPad)
• GoodReader for reading PDF files (iPad)
• Google Translate (iPhone and Android)
• LastPass for keeping and generating passwords (IPad and Android)
• MyHeritage for displaying your MyHeritage family tree and searching the site (iPad and Android)
• PrinterPro for printing wirelessly from iPad to printer (iPad)
• Reeder for managing blog RSS feeds (iPad)
• RestingSpot for adding your ancestor's burial location GPS coordinates to the RestingSpot database (iPhone and Android)
• Scanner Pro for digitizing documents and turning them into PDFs (iPad)
• Symbaloo.com as an iGoogle replacement (iPad and Android)
• Wikipanion (iPad) or Wapedia (Android) for using Wikipedia
• Wolfram Genealogy & History Research Assistant for a variety of tools including historical weather to an inflation calculator (iPad)
• Zite for finding news stories and blog posts about your pet topics, such as genealogy (iPad and Android)

Wednesday, September 19, 2012 12:34:15 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

• The International Society for Family History Writers and Editors (ISFHWE) has announced this year's winners of its annual Excellence in Writing competition—and we're thrilled to report first prize in the articles category goes to our own Sunny Jane Morton, for her December 2011 Family Tree Magazine article "Blue Collar Breakthroughs." In this article, Sunny explains how to research employment records of workers in the railroad, automobile and other industries. (You can get the December 2011 print issue here or the December 2011 digital download issue here.)

Congratulations to all the ISFHWE competition winners—you can see their names here!

• Shazami Design has released a Windows phone app called ThinkGenealogy, which aims to guide you through the research process. It features a research "map," shows how important concepts are related, explains the Genealogical Proof Standard, provides a glossary of genealogical terms and more. You can watch a video about how to use the app on YouTube  and purchase the app for $1.99 here. 
  
  
• Here's an interesting new product I saw at last week's FGS conference: The Heirloom Registry offers uniquely numbered labels (starting at 10 for $10) you affix to your family heirlooms, then you enter information about each heirloom in an online heirloom registry. Anyone who finds the labeled heirloom in the future can then go online and enter the number to access the details about it. Click here to learn more about how it works.
  

• The New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) has promoted five-year staff member Ryan Woods to NEHGS assistant vice president for the website and library. Woods will oversee www.AmericanAncestors.org and the Boston-based NEHGS library, bringing those two areas into greater alignment with each other.
  
  

Friday, September 07, 2012 4:14:11 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

• mobile genealogy apps and tools with yours truly
• tips and tricks for family history travel from Family Curator blogger Denise Levenick
• the best mobile genealogy websites from our list of 101 Best Genealogy websites with Family Tree Magazine contributing editor David A. Fryxell

• Get tips on tracing Czech and Slovak roots from Eastern European research expert Lisa A. Alzo.
• Publisher Allison Stacy tells you about our sweepstakes for a free registration to the Family Tree University Virtual Genealogy Conference!

You can listen to the Free FamilyTreeMagazine Podcast in iTunes or on FamilyTreeMagazine.com.

Click here to see the show notes.

Monday, August 20, 2012 4:37:46 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]