2018-10-04
Journalists and newsletter editors, please run this as a news item and/or in your calendar of events. For a shorter version please show the main speaker and topic, give the UVTAGG websites, and say there are classes and helps at all levels of genealogy. If you need further information, please email me. Thanks.
Don Snow -- snowd@math.byu.edu
[UVTAGG] Press Release: Family History meeting Saturday morning, 13 Oct 2018, Provo, Utah, and online
The next meeting of the UVTAGG (Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group) will be on Saturday, 13 Oct 2018, 9 am to noon, in person at the Latter-day Saints "Red" Chapel, 4050 North Timpview Dr., Provo, Utah 84604, and online at their Facebook page linked to http://uvtagg.org. This is the regular second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting and the main speaker this month will be Laurie Castillo on HOW TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL WITH GENEALOGY WEBSITES. Every website has its own unique qualities and quirks. Understanding each site will greatly improve the success of the researcher. Discussion will include the many elements that go into the making of a website. Knowing the website owner and the purpose for maintaining it may prove insightful. Becoming familiar with the search functions and features available improves the quality and relevancy of results. The presentation will discuss search functionality such as searching with wild cards, just a last name, just a given name, location, or keywords. Examples will illustrate some very helpful ways to test a website search in advance so searches can be tailored for improved effectiveness. The result hit lists and what can be done with information found will be discussed. Many other questions exist: Does the site include any collaborative or interactive features? What are your legal rights concerning data or pictures there? What about website contents and organization? Do you really know exactly what you are searching? Is there an inventory? Answering these questions and more will increase success!
Laurie Werner Castillo is the 1st Vice President of UVTAGG and is a professional genealogist who has done historical background research for books and family research for private clients. She has written articles for publication and presented at numerous conferences, national, state and local, including RootsTech, FGS (Federation of Genealogical Societies), UGA (Utah Genealogical Association), and BYU (Brigham Young University). She has worked with the UGA in several positions and for many years has been a Family History Missionary, Consultant, and Teacher at the BYU Family History Library, a Stake Family Records Extraction Director, and a Ward Temple and Family History Consultant. She specializes in research in continental Europe and Scandinavia, especially Germany, Sweden, France, and the Netherlands. She has researched most everywhere in the U.S. and particularly enjoys New England, Midwest, and the “Western Frontier”. Besides all this, she is a U.S. Census specialist and is well-versed in Early LDS Research. Laurie was born in Santa Monica, California and raised in West Los Angeles. In high school she participated in musical groups and was a point guard on the girls basketball team. She attended BYU where she met and married Jerry Castillo from San Antonio, Texas. Jerry also works with technical aspects and teaches classes at UVTAGG. Laurie graduated from BYU with a BS in Family and Consumer Economics and the Castillo’s live in Orem. She was a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Trainer for the City of Orem, Utah, and did Earthquake Preparedness presentations. They have two grown children and 6 grandchildren.
After the main presentation the following classes are scheduled. See the UVTAGG website and blog (URLs below) for last minute changes.
(1) Marilyn Thomsen, FAMILY HISTORY MEMORIES WORKSHOP (Bring your smartphone or computer!)
(2) Don Engstrom, John Blake, and Lee Cox, ASK AN EXPERT (Personal Help)
(3) Video of the September main presentation, Robert Ives on INTRODUCTION TO THE FAMILY HISTORY GUIDE
(4) Gaylon Findlay, ANCESTRAL QUEST
All meetings of UVTAGG are open to the public, whether members of the Group or not. The meetings have something for everyone, especially Latter-day Saints Temple and Family History Consultants. The Group has the goal of helping individuals use technology to further their family history and there are usually 30-40 people at the monthly meetings in person and more attending via the Internet. To watch the meeting on the Internet go to the website http://uvtagg.org at 9 am the morning of the meeting and click on the link to join with your Facebook account. During the class period at about 10:35 am, repeat this process to watch the class that is being broadcast. The live presentation and class are open to the public at no charge. Also, anyone can sign up to receive emails of the press releases on the blog http://blog.uvtagg.org .
The Group is also experimenting with teaching online family history classes between the regular meetings for anyone interested, whether members of the Group or not. The October classes, their topics, times, and how to register, will be announced at this meeting, will be listed in TAGGology, the monthly newsletter, and will be posted on the website. Benefits of membership ($15/year and half price after Jun) include having access to the more than 400 past presentations and classes on the website, receiving via email TAGGology, the monthly newsletter, and having access to many genealogy resources through UVTAGG's membership in the Federation of Genealogical Societies. The officers are Gerhard Ruf, President; Laurie Castillo, 1st VP; Don Snow, 2nd VP; Eileen Phelps, Newsletter Editor; Don Engstrom, Membership; Rayanne Melick, Finances; Bruce Merrill and Marie Andersen, Video Library; and Rick Wightman, Chris Stevenson, Brent Nelson, and Rick Klemetson, Webmasters. Several of these will be at the meeting to help with membership and check out or sell to members the inexpensive DVDs of past presentations and classes. Gift memberships and DVDs make good presents for family history-minded relatives, friends, and Temple and Family History Consultants. Volunteers who help with the organization get reduced rates for membership and the Group is looking for a newsletter editor to assist and later take over editing TAGGology. For further information about UVTAGG contact President Gerhard Ruf at pres@uvtagg.org (801-225-6106), or 1st VP Laurie Castillo at gengal@comcast.net , or 2nd VP Don Snow at snowd@math.byu.edu .
Don Snow, 2nd VP, snowd@math.byu.edu .
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