Friday, March 1, 2013

FamilySearch Library Changes Hours

If you are going to Salt Lake City after April 13th, the Family History Library will change its Saturday hours to 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Previously, it had been open from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

“This change is being made so that valuable staff and volunteer resources can be allocated to other busier times during the week that have greater patron demand,” said Don Anderson, director of the Family History Library. “This change will facilitate better service to patrons during the high-demand hours.”

To see the hours that the library is open during the week, ifhttps://familysearch.org/locations/library_hours

National Institute for Genealogical Studies Announces New Course: Creating Genealogy Programs for Adults & the Younger Generation.

Just read this press release from Louise St. Denis –

The National Institute for Genealogical Studies is proud to announce its newest course, Creating Genealogy Programs for Adults & the Younger Generation. This course was written by genealogist Jennifer Holik, author of numerous books about developing genealogy programs for children, societies, and libraries. The first course start date is Monday, March 4, 2013 and will be offered every three months.

Engaging adults in genealogy has typically been a concern of genealogical societies rather than libraries. Today however, many libraries are creating adult genealogy groups and programs. Attendance for these programs is easier to obtain than perhaps a youth program in genealogy. But, these libraries are also looking for ways to engage the youth in genealogy. The problem lies in how to capture their interest and create a program that will convey the basics of research in a way that is both meaningful and engaging.

This course provides an example of creating an adult genealogy program first, as a way to lay the foundation for a youth program. It follows with examples of youth programs for those in grades one through twelve. The examples are laid out into one hour, one and a half-hour, half-day, and full-day workshops and cover the basics of research while also incorporating social and local history. The final result is a rich and useful youth genealogy program. Requirements and suggestions on assisting youth who are earning Scout badges follows and finally, you will take the youth workshop beyond the classroom. Suggestions for continuing your own genealogical education, create and provide additional resources for your organization, and connect with others.

About this course, instructor Jennifer Holik remarked, “This course is important because we should be reaching out to the next generation and passing down our history, stories, research skills, and love of genealogy so these things won't be lost. Through the many examples presented, students will be walked through creating various programs which will make it easier for them to get started.”

“Creating Genealogy Programs for Adults & the Younger Generation would make an excellent choice as an elective to our librarianship certificate program” says National Institute for Genealogical Studies Director, Louise St Denis. Not just limited to librarians, this course is also suitable for genealogy society leaders, archivists, professional genealogists, or teachers.

For more information, contact Louise St Denis by going to the website  www.genealogicalstudies.com or email her at
admin@genealogicalstudies.com 1-800-580-0165 (North American)416-861-0165039 018 5544 ( Australia and New Zealand)020 3239 3835 (United Kingdom)Skype: louisestd

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Ancestry.ca Update: Free Indexes


Ancestry.ca has the following FREE indexes online –

Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935 http://search.ancestry.ca/search/db.aspx?dbid=1263

Canada, Ocean Arrivals (Form 30A), 1919-1924
http://search.ancestry.ca/search/db.aspx?dbid=1588

Irish Canadian Emigration Records, 1823-1849 http://search.ancestry.ca/search/db.aspx?dbid=1553

PEI Diaries, Family Histories, and Memoirs

The Island Register, a newsletter from Dave Hunter of Prince Edward Island, has put on Diaries, Family Histories, and Memoirs on his online site.

Some of them are -
1939 Travel Diary of John Winsloe - diary of an 80 year old Guernsey Cove man's ten thousand mile trip"

J. Henri Gaudet's series, Tignish Tellings - a history of the town and people of Tignish posted with the permission of his brother, Charlie Gaudet

The Murder of Robert C. Cudmore

The Yorston Family of PEI

A Northport Kitchen Table Interview: Reg MacLellan and Wilf Gaudin on Alberton and Rumrunning Times - taped interview transcribed by Faye Pound.

History Of Greenwich, P.E.I. - by Beverly Sanderson

History Of The Myers Family In Hampton, P.E.I. - by Raymond Myers in about 1972

The Lauretta Brooks Diaries - Summaries from 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, and 1935

1900 Trip to Europe From P.E.I. - Albert Prowse, Merchant, Murray Harbour

My Connections to the Andrews, Day, and Smith Families - Eda Pearl (Nicholson) Pursey

There is an additional 20+ interviews, and family histories on this particular web site.

Go to http://www.islandregister.com/diaryindex.html

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

UPDATE: New Brunswick GenWeb


New Brunswick GenWeb has put on 55 cemeteries and has another 16 cemeteries updates - mostly in Albert County.

Thanks to Helena Lewis for doing this update!

You can go to New Brunswick Cemeteries at http://cemetery.canadagenweb.org/NB

UPDATE: Vancouver, British Columbia, Mountain View Cemetery Index, 1887-2007

Ancestry.ca has put on a “third-party database” of the burials from the Mountain View Cemetery.

You can also go to 

139, 897 records have been added.

The website is http://search.ancestry.ca/search/db.aspx?dbid=70665

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

UPDATE: LAC Release of a New Version of the Census of Canada, 1911 Database


This bit of positive news came from the LAC today -

Library and Archives Canada is pleased to announce the release of a new version of the Census of Canada, 1911 database. This fifth general census covered the nine provinces and two territories that were then part of Confederation: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Yukon and the Northwest Territories.

Previously, users could search only by geographical information, such as province, district and sub-district. Now, they can also search by nominal information, such as the name, given name(s) and age of an individual.

I decided to look for my maternal grandfather Lester Blades in East Pubnico, Nova Scotia and he was there when I looked at the jpg of the census report. It was very easy to do. I just put his name in the search box, as well as the province of Nova Scotia. You should give this a try. You can either view it as a jpg or pdf – and it is FREE!

It is at http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1911/Pages/1911.aspx