Happy (Belated) Second Blogiversary!

I'm a bit behind since the holiday and I haven't yet acknowledged last week's milestone. On November 28, 2007, the California Genealogical Society Board of Directors voted to approve the CGSL blog. It was a venture started rather hastily, with great enthusiasm but little planning. I admit to losing a few nights' sleep the first week wondering how I would ever sustain it. Now I can't believe it's been two years.

Since that time CGS and I have discovered a whole new Web 2.0 world of wikis and social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter where I've made many new friends in the GeneaBlogger community. My colleagues are a prolific bunch who fill my blog reader with an endless stream of all things genealogical and who offer a font of inspirational ideas which I gladly co-opt for the benefit of CGS.

During this last year the CGSL blog has become a kind of internet centerpiece for the society. Blog articles link back and forth to the CGS website, to the eNews and to social networking sites and calendars where our events are posted.

Recently Amy Coffin of We Tree featured the CGSL blog in her article Should Your Genealogical Society Have a Blog? She summed up the blog-website relationship perfectly:

Blogs are websites. Websites aren't always blogs. A genealogy society's web page is like a store window. It highlights the group's value, hopefully enticing visitors to walk through the virtual door and explore the site. A blog is like a genealogy society's in-store sale circular. It is a good communication tool for the latest information and quickly changing details. A genealogy society's web page serves one purpose and a blog another.

Now that the whole blog-website-internet dynamic is working well for us, CGS is ready to pretty things up a little. Several members of the Pub/Mark and Website Committees have been working on the CGS "brand" and we will be rolling things out over the next couple of months.

Today Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings very graciously recommended the CGSL blog in his Follow Friday post. Nothing gets past Randy and he made note of the fact that this blog has a new URL: http://blog.californiaancestors.org/. This is the first peek into the branding project which will involve a major redecorating overhaul of the CGSL blog.

Stay tuned.

Wordless Wednesday

Working on the Judge Project

Photograph by Kathryn M. Doyle, October 5, 2009, Oakland, California.

CGS e-News, December 2009

The December 1, 2009 issue of the CGS e-News, volume 3, number 12 has been published and emailed to members and friends. As always, the e-News features timely information about the California Genealogical Society and our upcoming events. Each edition also includes Suggested Links From the Blogosphere and a photo feature: CGS Ancestors. This month's photograph is of Job Daniel Joseph SEMLER and his family on their homestead near Sargent, Nebraska. Member Mary Hunt found this photograph of her ancestor on the Prints and Photographs Online Catalog on the Library of Congress website.

All past issues of the CGS e-News are available for viewing at the e-News ARCHIVE. The January 2010 issue will be e-mailed on 12/31/2009. To receive a copy, please join our mailing list.

Gold Rush Records: Clues Amidst Chaos, by Nancy Peterson

The Fall 2009 issue of New England Ancestors magazine is out and it's all about the California Gold Rush. The feature article is Gold Rush Records: Clues Amidst Chaos, by CGS Research Director Nancy Peterson.

The magazine's Managing Editor, Lynn Betlock, sums up Nancy's article like this:

Nancy Peterson’s informative and detailed survey of gold rush era records forms the centerpiece of the issue. The comprehensive source listings serve as an invaluable checklist for researchers. And by describing the context in which records were created — or not created — Peterson offers a stark contrast between life in orderly New England and unruly California.

New England Ancestors is a benefit of membership in the New England Historic and Genealogical Society. The current issue is available online to NEHGS members.

The CGS Fire Drill Convergence

November 19, 2009 started out like a normal Thursday at the California Genealogical Society Library. Long-time volunteers Anne Robinson and Gene Peck were working on yet another project for the society. Past-president Verne Deubler was seated at a computer handling the CGS email. Linda Darby was finishing the manuscript collection overhaul, Lavinia Schwarz stopped in to handle a book order and our newest Desk Duty volunteer, Roger Bird, was shelving books. Dick Rees arrived at around 10:00 a.m. to tell us that a fire truck was parked out in front and he thought that there might be a fire drill.

Just then the relative quiet of the library was shattered by the extremely loud and obnoxious sound of the building fire alarm. All genealogical activity stopped as we followed procedure and made our way through the basement maze to the stairwell to exit the Breuner Building. On the way out we passed Engine 15 from the Oakland Fire Department.

The tenant occupants of the eight floors of 2201 Broadway are to gather in the parking lot behind the building on Valley. Luckily it was a gorgeous sunny but crisp autumn day. While we waited for the "all clear" we learned that we accomplished the building evacuation in a record six minutes.

We also learned that our newest volunteer was quite comfortable discussing fire drill procedures. In fact, Roger Bird is a retired captain with 31 years service in the Oakland Fire Department. Amazingly, Capt. Bird's home station was #15 – located at 27th Street and Telegraph – the one closest to the building!

Roger introduced us to his colleagues who stopped by the library for a short visit. At least a couple of our new friends are interested in their family history so we hope we convinced them to come back again and do some research.

Photographs by Kathryn M. Doyle, 11/19/09, Oakland, California.

Wordless Wednesday

 Publication Planning Meeting

The Judge Project

Photograph by Kathryn M. Doyle, November 16, 2009, Oakland, California

The Best (Genealogy) Things in Life Are Free!

CGS member Kay Speaks sent word from the Livermore-Amador Genealogical Society (L-AGS) about a last-minute change for their Thanksgiving weekend seminar. Their Ancestry.com speaker had to cancel and will be rescheduled for next year.

Susan Goss Johnston will present The Best Things Are Free: Using Free On-line Genealogy Resources For Your Family Research on Saturday, November 28, 2009, from 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The morning seminar and afternoon workshop are free and open to the public.

There is an amazing amount of material available on-line from resources that don't charge a fee to access their information. Some of this data is identical to that found on popular fee- based subscription web sites!

There will be a lunch break from 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Attendees are invited to bring a bag lunch and attend two short presentations by Kay Speaks on Google Search Tips and Basic Techniques for Saving On-line Research Results.

Susan Goss Johnston graduated from Yale University with a degree in physics. While raising her family she discovered a passion for genealogy. For the next thirty years she would be a genealogist, teacher, and lecturer. Johnston is a graduate of the National Institute on Genealogical Research, the Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis course at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research, and the National Archives' course, Going to the Source. She has traveled throughout the states giving a variety of genealogical lectures and has taught numerous classes and courses about genealogy research on both the east and west coasts. Johnston currently teaches genealogical research procedures and techniques for both the beginning and advanced student at Las Positas College. She is a popular Bay Area lecturer. 

Saturday, November 28, 2009
LDS Church, 950 Mocho Street, Livermore
8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
The Best Things Are Free: Using Free On-line Genealogy Resources For Your Family Research
Sponsored by the Livermore-Amador Genealogical Society and the Livermore Family History Center.

Download the registration flier.

CGS Directors, Officers and Duties

On Monday I reported on the slate of nominees to the board of directors to be announced and voted on at the Annual Meeting in January. The following is the relevant section of the society bylaws - Article V - from page two:

ARTICLE V: DIRECTORS, OFFICERS AND DUTIES

Section 1. Directors
a. The number of directors shall be not less than five (5) nor more than twenty (20).

b. The last active past president, he or she consenting, shall serve as a Member of the Board of  Directors until replaced by a new past president willing to serve on the Board of Directors.

c. Immediate family members of Directors are ineligible for candidacy during the period of the sitting Director's term.

d. The term of each Director shall be two (2) years from the date of election.

e. Any vacancy in the Board during an unexpired term may but is not required to be filled by the Board. Such Director shall serve until a successor Director is elected.

f. Directors shall be limited to a maximum of three successive two-year terms, or a total of six (6) consecutive years.

Section 2. Officers
a. The Directors shall determine officers.

b. The officers shall be President, Vice-President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, Recording Secretary and Corresponding Secretary.

Section 3. Duties
a. The President shall be the executive officer and spokesperson for the Society, preside at all meetings, and supervise all its business and affairs. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee. The President may assign other duties to Directors as necessary. The President shall appoint committee chairs.

b. The Vice President shall have all the responsibilities of the President in his/her absence.

c. The Chief Financial Officer shall be responsible for the financial operation of the Society and serve as chair of the Investment Committee.

d. The Treasurer shall see that a proper financial system is maintained to record all receipts and disbursements of the Society.

e. The Recording Secretary shall keep a minute book of the proceedings of all meetings of the Society.

f. The Corresponding Secretary shall conduct the general correspondence for the Society and maintain a file of all the Society's correspondence.

g. The Directors-at-Large shall be assigned duties by the President as needed.

Wordless Wednesday

Volunteer Appreciation Reception

Saturday, November 14, 2009

 

Photographs courtesy of Tim Cox and Jane Knowles Lindsey, Oakland, California.

News From the 2009 Nominating Committee

The 2009 Nominating Committee – Dick Rees, Lorna Wallace and Chair Chris Pattillo – have announced the nominations for the 2010-2011 Board of Directors for the California Genealogical Society. Nominations will be presented at the January 2010 Annual Meeting.

Tom Gesner, Craig Manson and Jeffrey Vaillant are nominated as new board members. Nancy Fike and Diana Wild, currently serving as appointees to vacant positions (Corresponding Secretary and Recording Secretary) are nominated for their first term. Lavinia Schwarz is nominated for her second term. Nancy Peterson is nominated for her third term.

The first terms of Stephen Harris and Cathy Paris will end in 2011. Kathryn Doyle and Chris Pattillo will end their second terms in 2011. The terms of Paul Mayer and John Moore end in January – they will not be serving a second term. Carolyn Steinberg is resigning her term; Sandy Fryer has been appointed to take her place. Jane Knowles Lindsey is ending her third term; she will continue on the board as Past President. After serving more than ten years on the board in several capacities, Verne Deubler is stepping down. His long service to the society is greatly appreciated.