April Membership Meeting: Preserving Your Genealogical Work Through Publishing

Saturday, April 13, 2013
12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

California Genealogical Society Library

2201 Broadway, Suite LL2

Oakland, CA 94612

April is Volunteer Appreciation Month so please join us for a celebration of volunteerism at next month's membership meeting.

Volunteer Coordinator Linda Okazaki and Membership Coordinator Diana Edwards are launching a new membership meeting format that starts with lunch and a social hour. Members are invited to bring a bag lunch to the Sherman Room at noon for a chance to catch up with friends and get to know new members. Beverages and desserts will be provided. Come and celebrate the spirit of volunteerism within our society.

The business meeting will begin promptly at 1:00 p.m. with a brief ceremony to honor our longest serving volunteers. This will be followed by this month's focus: Preserving Your Genealogical Work Through Publishing. Members who have published genealogical books, articles, and other materials are invited to bring them to the meeting. You will not be required to give a presentation. Come and get inspired to publish your research by browsing through the examples created by our members. Please email Diana Edwards if you have a work to share.

We look forward to a vibrant and fun event!

And take a look at our new Books by CGS Members board on Pinterest!



Future membership meetings for the year will be held:

• Saturday, July 13, 2013
• Saturday, October 12, 2013

Please save the dates!

Photograph courtesy of Jane Knowles Lindsey.


Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

New Pinterest Board: Books by Our Members

Membership Coordinator Diana Edwards and Volunteer Coordinator Linda Okazaki are busy making plans for the April membership meeting. The theme will be: Preserving Your Genealogical Work through Publishing.

Members who have published genealogical books, articles, and other materials are invited to bring them to the meeting on Saturday, April 13, 2013. Please email Diana Edwards if you have a work to share. You will not be required to give a presentation.

In anticipation the meeting, we've added the new Books by CGS Members board to Pinterest.

We'll have more about the April meeting as the date approaches.


Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

An Idea You Should Steal: "My Favorite Ancestor" Presentations at Your Genealogical Society Meetings

California Genealogical Society President Jeffrey Vaillant had a great idea I think you should steal.

When the incoming board of directors had their first meeting this past February, Jeff added a new item to the agenda: "My Favorite Ancestor." After "old business" and before we move on to new agenda items, one director gives a short, two-three minute presentation about an ancestor. Jeff makes the next assignment so the presenter will have a month to prepare.

So far each presentation has included a a photo or two to pass around. Some have recited a short life synopsis, some have focused on a good story, and some have talked about some aspect of the research itself.

It has been such a successful idea it is spreading to other committee meetings at our society. Last month our Publications/Marketing chair, Shannon Reese, brought along some photos and the obituary he wrote for his grandmother, who died this past year.

One added benefit is that the photos are also being used in the "California Ancestors" feature in our monthly eNews. You can take a look at the photos on our California Ancestors photo board on Pinterest.

It goes without saying that genealogists love to share their family history. This has been a good way to put some of the focus back on our research.

If you think this is an idea worth stealing, or you are already doing something similar, please let me know by leaving a comment.


Copyright © 2012 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

The California Genealogical Society on Pinterest

My daughter introduced me to Pinterest late last year and my immediate reaction was a negative "Oh no, not another social networking site." I finally did take a look but I didn't see how Pinterest would be of value to the society and I felt we had already had a good mix of social media presence with Facebook, Twitter and Yelp.

Last week I took another look after noticing how many non-profits and genealogists had taken the plunge. I set up a page and some boards and did a little experimenting.

It's important that a social networking site provide unique value before it becomes part of our messaging and Pinterest provides a new service I've been thinking about for quite awhile. Every month we run a member-submitted ancestor photograph in the eNews and I've been wanting to create an online repository of the photos with links back to the archived newsletter for easy access to the original story. Our Pinterest "California Ancestors" board is exactly the solution I've been looking for.

Not all the photos have been pinned yet but I think it looks great already. Please take a look and let me know what you think!


Copyright © 2012 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library