FGS - Connect. Explore. Refresh - Prompt One (Part Four)

The first prompt

"Tell us and your readers/followers what you think of when you here Connect. Explore. Refresh in relation to a genealogy conference"

For this final part of prompt one, I am going to bring together the strands in preparation for a genealogical conference. My opening statement in part one was

"There has never been a better time to Connect with others, Explore genealogical material, both on and off line and Refresh our thoughts on our research, our families and the historical context in which they lived."

Having made the decision to attend the conference you need to plan. Who do you want to connect with? Is that a fellow genealogist, a genealogical buddy, a speaker that you enjoy hearing present, someone who you want to hear present?

All of that can be achieved as long as you plan what your aims are. Do you plan on spending time at the Family History Centre? What records do you hope to connect with and explore? What do you plan to refresh? - research undertaken in the past, previous friendships and connections made or a wider historical context that might assist your understanding of the times your ancestors lived in?

There is so much to think about when you decide to attend a conference, and once you have made a plan it most certainly helps when you want to Connect. Explore. Refresh.

Here are the links to the earlier posts. Connect. Explore. Refresh
Twitter #FHS2015

FGS - Connect. Explore. Refresh - Prompt One (Part Three)

The first prompt

"Tell us and your readers/followers what you think of when you here Connect. Explore. Refresh in relation to a genealogy conference"

Earlier I posted about Connect. Explore. Now we are going to look at Refresh

I am a firm believer in reflecting and taking stock. To revisit those earlier discoveries to see if anything "pops". Perhaps data you missed or didn't know you had until you did subsequent research.

Just before a genealogical conference, where technically you have access to the best in the field, revisit those earlier discoveries, shake down those missing and problematic ancestors. Set your attendance at the lectures on offer to enable discussion, discovery of those question marks that reside over your family tree.

Don't forget to refresh your learning. What did you learn? What do you want to explore further? Use attending conferences such as FGS as a stepping stone to discovery. Not just of those missing ancestors, but also of what you can gain in terms of expanding your knowledge.

At the back of your mind ask the following - what do you need to know in terms of

• personal growth and development
• in order to establish a result to your genealogical puzzle
• who can you catch up with who you can learn from, network with and share information and development

Genealogy is a two way street. It is about interaction with others. It is about refreshing those puzzles, friendships and enabling discussion and discovery.

What a wonderful way to Refresh. Stay tuned for the bonus posts Twitter #FGS2015

FGS - Connect. Explore. Refresh - Prompt One (Part Two)

The first prompt

"Tell us and your readers/followers what you think of when you here Connect. Explore. Refresh in relation to a genealogy conference"

Earlier we explored Connect. Now we are going to look at Explore.

The internet has opened up the genealogical research arena far more than anyone probably thought possible. Pretty much every institution has some kind of web presence. Be that the largest libraries in the land - The British Library, the Library of Congress or the obscure and fascinating. Each one of those brings to the on-line world the ability for others to increase their knowledge, Explore the bowels of their facilities and tap into the depth of material, both on and off line.

It doesn't just stop there, Individuals can and do set up website, blogs and share historical and genealogical data. The internet enables that exploration from the confines of our studies, offices, sofa's and alike. We can explore the website of archives in a controlled manner, knowing what we seek and where we can access the material from. We can also have not the vaguest clue of where or what we require, but can explore using a search of a single name, place or keyword.

We get to encounter material known to us, to encounter new material, to explore new and different archives, connect with new friends and family who we stumble across whilst exploring. If we are very lucky we are the ones that are found whilst others are exploring.

We should be brave, uninhibited and open to search suggestions as we explore the virtual halls of libraries, archives and museums. Serendipity will probably make an appearance too, and as many of us know that whilst searching for something, we sometimes locate other material relevant to our ancestry.

The internet allows us to be a virtual explorer, a Dr Livingstone if you will, exploring the vast amounts of data that is there if only we can see it. We can search from the comfort of our homes, schools, libraries and perhaps workplaces! The costs and dangers of physical exploration removed, but the wealth of discovery from our explorations is and can be priceless.

What a wonderful way to Explore. Stay tuned for the posts looking at Refresh and a bonus post. Twitter #FGS2015

FGS - Connect. Explore. Refresh - Prompt One (Part One)

The first prompt

"Tell us and your readers/followers what you think of when you hear Connect. Explore. Refresh in relation to a genealogy conference."

There has never been a better time to Connect with others, Explore genealogical material, both on and off line and Refresh our thoughts on our research, our families and the historical context in which they lived.

Lets delve a little deeper. For those who have started their genealogical research in the last fifteen years will barely remember a time when the internet was in not existence in its current form.

The internet has revolutionised they way we live, shop, research and interact with other people, strangers and family alike. Who would have thought that following a group of potential strangers would be considered okay before the concept and delivery of Twitter?

The internet has enabled us as researchers, both those new to the passion and those who have researched for a long time to access material within a few clicks of a button. The reality is the super highway has bought research material to us, rather that us going to them. Of course not all material is on-line, and you still can not beat touching a document that has the penmanship of an ancestor. To touch very gently the pages of a document that they touched. That feeling is so magical and yet hard to achieve if you live many thousands of miles away.

The internet has enabled us to Connect with others in a variety of way. The archive institutions who have placed their catalogues on line for all to benefit from. The mailing lists frequented by researchers, those who choose to share their family tree on line be that by a facility offered by Ancestry or FindMyPast or alike, or whether sharing by writing a website or blog. Those that frequent aspects of Social Media like Face Book, those of us that can see a website for a genealogical Society on-line and decide there and then to join and take advantage of what it means to be a member of something. Those researchers who attend on-line meetings using Google Hangouts, Google communities and webinars. Those researchers who use on-line methods to collaborate and work together on a genealogical task.

The internet has enabled us to make new friends, find lost family members and connect with friends, family and strangers in a reasonably safe and controlled way.

It has enabled us to be part of something in the present, whilst seeking the past in order to preserve for the future.

What a wonderful way to Connect. Stay tuned for the posts looking at Explore and Refresh and a bonus post. Twitter #FGS2015

FGS - Connect. Explore. Refresh

I heard earlier this week that I had been added to the list of genealogy bloggers as an Ambassador for the FGS Conference 2015

There is a full list of FGS conference Ambassadors HERE.

Over the coming weeks and months there will be periodic posts about the conference based upon my responses to a series of prompts.

It is a fine way to get the excitement building in advance of attending a large genealogical conference, so stay tuned!