UVTAGG Press Release: Online Meeting Saturday Morning 14 Feb 2026: KATHRYN GRANT on USING FAMILYSEARCH'S TREE INTEGRITY FEATURES

UVTAGG Press Release: Online Meeting Saturday Morning 14 Feb 2026:  KATHRYN GRANT on USING FAMILYSEARCH'S TREE INTEGRITY FEATURES

2026-02-03

Journalists and newsletter editors, please post this where you can. If you need more information, please see our website -- https://uvtagg.org and Press Release Blog https://blog.uvtagg.org/. If you have questions, please contact me. Thanks.

Gerhard Ruf - uvtagginfo@gmail.com

[Short Version]======================.

UVTAGG MEETING, Saturday Morning, 14 Feb 2026 on Zoom and Facebook

10 am - 11 am MDT:  KATHRYN GRANT on USING FAMILYSEARCH'S TREE INTEGRITY FEATURES

Details on UVTAGG.org and on the UVTAGG blog.

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[Long version]======================.

UVTAGG MEETING, Saturday Morning, 104 Feb 2026 on Zoom and Facebook

Details and links to watch are on https://uvtagg.org and on the UVTAGG Facebook page.

10 am - 11 am MDT:  KATHRYN GRANT on USING FAMILYSEARCH'S TREE INTEGRITY FEATURES

ABOUT THE PRESENTATION:

You've likely noticed that FamilySearch has been adding features to Family Tree to improve "tree integrity": the accuracy and trustworthiness of information in the shared tree. This presentation will highlight several of these features, including the new edit guidance feature. We'll cover how the features work and provide tips for using them. These features make it easier than ever to contribute quality information, correct errors, and avoid common mistakes. 

ABOUT KATHRYN GRANT:

After years on the sidelines, Kathryn began doing family history. Somewhat to her surprise, she discovered that she loved it! Her specialty is helping new family historians find success and maybe even avoid some of the mistakes she’s made. Kathryn teaches Sunday classes at the BYU Family History Library and presents at other family history events. Her column on family history ran in the Nauvoo Times for about a year and is still available online. In addition, she’s a regular contributor to the FamilySearch blog. Kathryn works as a technical writer and instructional designer with a focus on usability and process improvement. Her current work assignment includes developing training used on mobile devices. Besides family history, she loves uplifting music, thought-provoking books, and fresh raspberries.

ABOUT THE GROUP:

All meetings of the UVTAGG group are open to the public and have the goal of helping people use technology to further their family and personal history. The Group is in its 36th year and was first called the Utah Valley PAF Users Group. On the blog is a way for anyone to receive the press releases via email. The public is invited to watch the presentations on the UVTAGG Facebook page.  Members of the group ($15/year), besides being able to interact with presenters on ZOOM, receive the monthly newsletter, TAGGology, via email and have access to the more than 650 videos of past presentations and classes. TAGGology contains a wealth of information about genealogy, including information for Temple and Family History Consultants. Request a free sample copy of the Newsletter by emailing to uvtagginfo@gmail.com.

Officers of UVTAGG are Gerhard Ruf, President; Laurie Castillo, 1st VP; 2nd VP (Vacant); Secretary (vacant); Jerry Castillo, Membership Officer, TAGGology Newsletter Editor (Vacant); Bonnie Dimond, Treasurer; Carol Hill, Social Media Publicist; Chris Stevenson, Caleb Clayson, Jerry Castillo, and Dawn Brimhall, Broadcast and Website Specialists. For further information contact President Gerhard Ruf at uvtagginfo@gmail.com (801-602-5048), or 1st VP Laurie Castillo at gengal@comcast.net.

Gerhard Ruf

President, UVTAGG

uvtagginfo@gmail.com

UVTAGG Press Release: Online Meeting Saturday Morning 10 Jan 2026: ROBERT GIVENS on THE PLACE OF VITAL RECORDS IN FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH

UVTAGG Press Release: Online Meeting Saturday Morning 10 Jan 2026:  ROBERT GIVENS on THE PLACE OF VITAL RECORDS IN FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH

2025-10-05

Journalists and newsletter editors, please post this where you can. If you need more information, please see our website -- https://uvtagg.org and Press Release Blog https://blog.uvtagg.org/. If you have questions, please contact me. Thanks.

Gerhard Ruf - uvtagginfo@gmail.com

[Short Version]======================.

UVTAGG MEETING, Saturday Morning, 10 Jan 2026 on Zoom and Facebook

10 am - 11 am MDT:  ROBERT GIVENS on THE PLACE OF VITAL RECORDS IN FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH

Details on UVTAGG.org and on the UVTAGG blog.

====================================.

[Long version]======================.

UVTAGG MEETING, Saturday Morning, 10 Jan 2026 on Zoom and Facebook

Details and links to watch are on https://uvtagg.org and on the UVTAGG Facebook page.

10 am - 11 am MDT:  ROBERT GIVENS on THE PLACE OF VITAL RECORDS IN FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH

ABOUT THE PRESENTATION:

Family Historians rely on Vital Records for many of the details that are needed to complete the research on their ancestors.  When available, Vital Records should be your go-to records.  This presentation will explain what Vital Records are, why we seek them out, challenges in using them, what specifically can be found in them, when we can't find them - the records we can substitute for them, and a FamilySearch tool - Guided Research - that makes finding Vital Records in select areas easy for everyone. 

ABOUT ROBERT GIVENS:

Robert Givens has received degrees from Fresno State College and California State University, Fresno. His career in education spanned 39 years as a teacher and administrator. He started researching his family history during his high school years and has been even more actively involved since his retirement in 2008. This included 8 years directing the Fresno North Stake FamilySearch Center and currently with his wife are Area Temple and Family History Advisers for 8 stakes in the Fresno region. For 15 years as a FamilySearch volunteer, he was actively involved supporting various features of FamilySearch, including helping patrons with their problem records, launching and supporting social communities and administering research groups sponsored by FamilySearch in Facebook, and working on its Research Wiki. He is an experienced researcher in New England, Midwest and southern state records, has published 4 genealogy books, and has presented genealogical topics in multiple states. When he is not researching, he loves to travel, garden, read, and watch sports on TV.

ABOUT THE GROUP:

All meetings of the UVTAGG group are open to the public and have the goal of helping people use technology to further their family and personal history. The Group is in its 36th year and was first called the Utah Valley PAF Users Group. On the blog is a way for anyone to receive the press releases via email. The public is invited to watch the presentations on the UVTAGG Facebook page.  Members of the group ($15/year), besides being able to interact with presenters on ZOOM, receive the monthly newsletter, TAGGology, via email and have access to the more than 650 videos of past presentations and classes. TAGGology contains a wealth of information about genealogy, including information for Temple and Family History Consultants. Request a free sample copy of the Newsletter by emailing to uvtagginfo@gmail.com.

Officers of UVTAGG are Gerhard Ruf, President; Laurie Castillo, 1st VP; 2nd VP (Vacant); Secretary (vacant); Jerry Castillo, Membership Officer, TAGGology Newsletter Editor (Vacant); Bonnie Dimond, Treasurer; Carol Hill, Social Media Publicist; Chris Stevenson, Caleb Clayson, Jerry Castillo, and Dawn Brimhall, Broadcast and Website Specialists. For further information contact President Gerhard Ruf at uvtagginfo@gmail.com (801-602-5048), or 1st VP Laurie Castillo at gengal@comcast.net.

Gerhard Ruf

President, UVTAGG

uvtagginfo@gmail.com

UVTAGG Press Release: Online Meeting Saturday Morning 11 Oct 2025: MARILYN THOMSEN on AI OPENS COURT RECORDS

UVTAGG Press Release: Online Meeting Saturday Morning 11 Oct 2025:  MARILYN THOMSEN on AI OPENS COURT RECORDS

2025-10-05

Journalists and newsletter editors, please post this where you can. If you need more information, please see our website -- https://uvtagg.org and Press Release Blog https://blog.uvtagg.org/. If you have questions, please contact me. Thanks.

Gerhard Ruf - uvtagginfo@gmail.com

[Short Version]======================.

UVTAGG MEETING, Saturday Morning, 11 Oct 2025 on Zoom and Facebook

10 am - 11 am MDT:  MARILYN THOMSEN on AI OPENS COURT RECORDS

Details on UVTAGG.org and on the UVTAGG blog.

====================================.

[Long version]======================.

UVTAGG MEETING, Saturday Morning, 13 Sep 2025 on Zoom and Facebook

Details and links to watch are on https://uvtagg.org and on the UVTAGG Facebook page.

10 am - 11 am MDT:  MARILYN THOMSEN on AI OPENS COURT RECORDS

ABOUT THE PRESENTATION:

AI has opened court records like never before. The Full-Text Search at FamilySearch locates family in court, probate, will, guardianship, deed and land records. The Summarize feature cuts through legal jargon. This class will talk about how to recognize in what part of the court process these documents are created, how to attach the sources to the Family Tree and use the AI generated transcripts in research logs and research plans.

ABOUT MARILYN THOMSEN:

Marilyn Thomsen served as the editor of TAGGology, the Utah Valley and Technology Group’s newsletter for 10 years. She graduated with a BA from BYU (’05) with a Family History focus in US Southern research. She was a volunteer on the US & Canada floor at the Family Search Library in SLC and worked on other projects. She was the Director at three FamilySearch Centers in Utah. After completing National DAR training, she enjoyed lineage research for new applicants. During her BYU Internship at the National Archive Regional Center in Georgia, she rambled through courthouses and cemeteries of her Southern roots. With her husband, Richard, she visited the homes, parishes and archives of her ancestors in Denmark, Isle of Man and England. Marilyn loves to put flesh on the bones of her ancestors and won BYU’s Family History of the Year Award for histories focusing on her Utah Pioneer ancestors. Her enthusiasm when teaching comes because she really loves helping others find their roots. Her husband, Richard, shares a passion for digging up dead relatives and connecting them to living relatives.

All meetings of the UVTAGG group are open to the public and have the goal of helping people use technology to further their family and personal history. The Group is in its 35th year and was first called the Utah Valley PAF Users Group. On the blog is a way for anyone to receive the press releases via email. The public is invited to watch the presentations on the UVTAGG Facebook page.  Members of the group ($15/year), besides being able to interact with presenters on ZOOM, receive the monthly email newsletter, TAGGology, and have access to the more than 650 videos of past presentations and classes. TAGGology contains a wealth of information about genealogy, including information for Temple and Family History Consultants. Request a free sample copy of the Newsletter by emailing to uvtagginfo@gmail.com.

Officers of UVTAGG are Gerhard Ruf, President; Laurie Castillo, 1st VP; 2nd VP (Vacant); Beccy Martin, Secretary; Jerry Castillo, Membership Officer, TAGGology Newsletter Editor (Vacant); Treasurer (Vacant); Carol Hill, Social Media Publicist; Chris Stevenson, Brent Nelson, Jerry Castillo, and Dawn Brimhall, Broadcast and Website Specialists. For further information contact President Gerhard Ruf at uvtagginfo@gmail.com (801-602-5048), or 1st VP Laurie Castillo at gengal@comcast.net.

Gerhard Ruf, President

UVTAGG

uvtagginfo@gmail.com