LDS User Accounts

In a past lesson, we discussed briefly about the new LDS User Account, which enables members to use a single registration to gain access to FamilySearch and all other church websites. Enjoy the convenience of just one user name and password for each of these sites. For those of you who have not yet created this account, you may do so by visiting https://ident.familysearch.org/cis-web Feel free to use the same user name and password that you used when you registered for the new FamilySearch.

Family History Conferences April 28-May 1, 2010

There will be four major family history conferences all in one week this spring in Salt Lake City:

• National Genealogical Society 2010 Family History Conference
• BYU 2010 Conference on Computerized Family History and Genealogy
• BYU 10th Annual Family History Technology Workshop
• FamilySearch's 2010 Developers Conference

The premier event of the week is the National Genealogical Society's annual conference. The theme for the conference is "Follow Your Ancestral Trail." It will be held at the Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, on April 28 - May 1, 2010.

Price and registration information can be found at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/attendee_registration. There is an early-bird discount until March 8, 2010.

Over 200 classes will be presented by industry leaders and experts from the local and national genealogical community as well as staff from FamilySearch. Products and services from genealogy companies will be showcased in an exhibit hall. There you can also meet with specialists for free personal consultations on research questions or problems.

NGS Conference details and the class schedule are available online at:

http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/conference_info.

Additionally:

• Hours at the Family History Library have been extended until 11 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday during the conference
• The BYU 2010 Conference on Computerized Family History and Genealogy will be held at the same venue on April 26 - 27.
• The BYU 10th Annual Family History Technology Workshop will be on April 28, also in the same venue.

This promises to be a full week of family history learning and activities!!

Web Sites with Census Records

• Ancestry.com -- This is a paid subscription site. Ancestry has the most complete census records on the web.
• usgenweb.com -- Has various census records; these collections will continue to grow as volunteers update the records.
• pilot.familysearch.org -- Has various census records throughout the world. Some are indexes or images only. This site is continually growing and changing, so keep checking back to view the additions.
• Free sites at the Family History Centers include:

1911 UK Census...........1911 census for United Kingdom

The Genealogist.........United Kingdom census records

Godfrey Library.........Various census records worldwide

Heritage Quest...........Has US Federal census records

World Vital Records......Various census records worldwide

Synchronizing Information

Last week we reviewed the steps to add missing individuals into the new FamilySearch. Another way to add individuals is to use one of the family history computer programs that have been certified to synchronize information with FamilySearch. You can use these programs to:

• Add information from your database (PAF) to the new FamilySearch Web site.
• Add information from the new FamilySearch Web site to your database
• Correct or delete information
• Mark information as incorrect
• Reserve names for ordinance work

Two certified PAF add-ins are Ancestral Quest and Family Insight. These programs allow users to access, print, update and sync with online information in new.familysearch.org. They are intended for use with PAF 5 to read and write PAF files and Gedcom files in conjunction with the online family tree at new. familysearch.org. For a complete list of third party computer programs that synchronize information, see:

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/affiliates/index.html

Family History Library Lesson Series

To access this series of lessons: (1) Go to the home page of www.familysearch.org . (2) In the Whats New section, click on Family History Library Series Provides Useful Guides. This provides links to several short lessons, which cover a variety of Family History topics available for download in PDF format. These lessons may be used as self-study guides.

Research Wiki

FamilySearch Wiki is a large, on-line library where you can find thousands of articles and how-to instructions about doing family history. It is being developed by the Family History Department and the genealogical community. It also contains a Forums Beta. Use the Forum to search for information, ask questions, or offer answers to others. To learn how to use this site: 1. Go to https://wiki.familysearch.org/ and sign in 2. On the home page, click Help under the Navigation tab 3. Click on Begin Your Genealogy Research 4. This portal contains articles, tutorials, and links on the following topics:

• How to use the Wiki video demo (under Wiki tutorials)
• Where to start
• Research analysis
• Organization and Documentation
• Get Started in Research
• Technology
• News and Events
• Links to other Internet sites with online family history tutorials

Ireland Beginning Research Series Available

The Ireland Beginning Research Series has been added to the Research Series Classes Online page of the FamilySearch.org Web site. It introduces key principles and processes for conducting research on Irish ancestors. It includes helpful tips on how to find and use records and sources for Irish research, including:

• Church records
• Civil Registration
• Immigration

We invite you to visit FamilySearch.org and view these classes.