Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group

Sunday, February 7, 2016

[UVTAGG] Press Release for UVTAGG meeting Saturday morning, 13 Feb 2016, Provo

2016-02-07

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 at all levels of genealogy. If you need further information, please email me. Thanks.
Don Snow -- snowd@math.byu.edu

[UVTAGG] Press Release for UVTAGG meeting Saturday morning, 13 Feb 2016, Provo

The next meeting of the Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group - UVTAGG (Formerly the Utah Valley PAF Users Group) will be on Saturday, 13 Feb, from 9 am to noon in the LDS "Red Chapel", 4050 North Timpview Drive (650 East), Provo. This is the regular second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting. Information about the Group, meeting location, main presentations, classes, and class notes are available on their website http://uvtagg.org and the press releases are at http://blog.uvtagg.org . On the blog you can subscribe to receive the press releases via email when they are posted the week before the meetings.

The main presentation at this month's UVTAGG meeting will be by Michael Sandberg, a Senior Project Manager at FamilySearch. The title of his presentation is HELPING OTHERS LOVE FAMILY HISTORY. Mike will share a summary of his research about how effective (and not so effective) family history consultants help beginners. The presentation is offered as a "story board" that tells a narrative of the research discovered as the current state of consultants. It also shares a vision of what FamilySearch is targeting as a future state of family history consultants based on the best practices they have observed and some new developments that the organization is building for consultants in the future. As a Senior Product Manager at FamilySearch, Mike Sandberg's focus there has been helping develop solutions for individuals who are just beginning their experience with family history. In his tenure at FamilySearch, he has met with family history beginners in the United States, Canada, Guatemala, Brazil, Peru, New Zealand, and Tonga. This past year he was part of a team that researched the role of family history consultants and how they help beginners get started with family history. As part of this research he personally worked with over 50 beginners helping them find and add names to FamilySearch Family Tree. Before going to FamilySearch, Mike worked for over 20 years in the software industry. He holds a Masters of Organizational Behavior degree from Brigham Young University.

After the main presentation the following classes are scheduled. See the UVTAGG website for last minute changes and additions. RootsTech 2016 was last week and there will be announcements about information presented there.
(1) Helping Others Love Family History (Demonstration), by Mike Sandberg
(2) Selected Videos from RootsTech 2016
(3) Ask An Expert (Personal Help), by Don Engstrom and Don Reynolds
(4) Video of last month's main presentation: FamilySearch: What's In It For You and How Can You Help, by Randy Wilson
(5) RootsMagic, by Bruce Buzbee
(6) Ancestral Quest, by Gaylon Findlay

Notice that there is something for everyone, no matter what their level of family history expertise. This includes youth, those just getting interested in genealogy, long-time genealogists, and ward family history consultants. All meetings of UVTAGG are open to the public, whether members of the Group or not. The Group has the goal of helping individuals use technology to further their family history and there are usually about 80 attending the monthly meetings, including many family history consultants. The officers are Gerhard Ruf, President; Laurie Castillo, 1st VP; Don Snow, 2nd VP; Eileen Phelps, Newsletter Editor; Don Engstrom and Rayanne Melick, Membership and Finances; Bruce Merrill and Marie Andersen, DVD Library; and Chris Stevenson and Rick Klemetson, Webmasters. Several of these will be at the meeting to answer questions, help with membership, distribute the current issue of the monthly newsletter TAGGology, and check out and sell to members of the Group DVDs of past presentations and classes. Many members don't live close enough to participate in the monthly meetings, but pay the $10 per year online dues to belong so they can receive the monthly newsletter TAGGology via email and purchase the inexpensive DVDs of the presentations and classes. Gift memberships make great presents for family history-minded relatives, friends, and family history consultants. Membership is on a calendar year basis so now is the time to renew your membership to continue receiving the benefits. See more information about the presentations, classes, class notes, and how to join the Group on the websites above. You can also 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 of Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group (UVTAGG), snowd@math.byu.edu

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

[UVTAGG] Press Release for UVTAGG meeting Saturday morning, 09 Jan 2016, Provo

2015-12-30

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 at all levels of genealogy. If you need further information, please email me. Thanks.

Don Snow -- snowd@math.byu.edu

[UVTAGG] Press Release for UVTAGG meeting Saturday morning, 09 Jan 2016, Provo

The next meeting of the Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group - UVTAGG (Formerly the Utah Valley PAF Users Group) will be on Saturday, 09 Jan 2016, from 9 am to noon in the LDS "Red Chapel", 4050 North Timpview Drive (650 East), Provo. This is the regular second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting. Information about the Group, meeting location, main presentations, classes, and class notes are available on their website http://uvtagg.org and the press releases are at http://blog.uvtagg.org . On the blog you can subscribe to receive the press releases via email when they are posted the week before the meetings.

The main presentation this month at UVTAGG will be by Randy Wilson, FamilySearch Information Architect, on FAMILYSEARCH: WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU AND HOW CAN YOU HELP. FamilySearch has been helping people do their family history since 1892. This presentation provides an overview and unique perspective of what family history work is and how FamilySearch is involved in various aspects of it. We will discuss how FamilySearch discovers, acquires, preserves and scans original records; how these records are indexed by volunteers to make them available for searching, hinting, and linking into the Family Tree; and how the Family Tree helps everyone pick up where everyone else left off. We will also take a look at preserving your photos and stories, the research Wiki, and how you can preserve and share your personal research in "Genealogies". All along the way, we will be showing what FamilySearch provides to you, and show how you can most effectively participate to help yourself and others discover our families. Randy Wilson is the Information Architect for FamilySearch, where he has worked since 2003. He received a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Brigham Young University, where he did research in machine learning and neural networks. He was able to put this research to use in improving the matching algorithms used in possible duplicates and record hinting at FamilySearch. In recent years, he has helped develop data models to allow the Family Tree to link to records in order to help family history work become more efficient and more solidly built on sources. He lives in Riverton, Utah with his wife Linette and their five children.

After the main presentation the following classes are scheduled. See the UVTAGG website for last minute changes and additions.

(1) Digitize Your Photos and Movies, by Randy Wilson

(2) Keep Your PC Healthy, by Jerry Castillo

(3) Ask An Expert (Personal Help), by Don Engstrom and Don Reynolds

(4) Video of last November's main presentation: If Sherlock Holmes Were a Family Historian, by Barry Ewell

(5) RootsMagic, by Renee Zamora

(6) Ancestral Quest, by Gaylon Findlay

Notice that there is something for everyone, no matter what their level of family history expertise. This includes youth, those just getting interested in genealogy, long-time genealogists, and ward family history consultants. All meetings of UVTAGG are open to the public, whether members of the Group or not. The Group has the goal of helping individuals use technology to further their family history and there are usually about 80 attending the monthly meetings, including many family history consultants. The officers are Gerhard Ruf, President; Laurie Castillo, 1st VP; Don Snow, 2nd VP; Eileen Phelps, Newsletter Editor; Don Engstrom and Rayanne Melick, Membership and Finances; Bruce Merrill and Marie Andersen, DVD Library; and Chris Stevenson and Rick Klemetson, Webmasters. Several of these will be at the meeting to answer questions, help with membership, distribute the current issue of the monthly newsletter TAGGology, and check out and sell to members of the Group DVDs of past presentations and classes. Many members don't live close enough to participate in the monthly meetings, but pay the $10 per year online dues to belong so they can receive the monthly newsletter TAGGology via email and purchase the inexpensive DVDs of the presentations and classes. Gift memberships make great presents for family history-minded relatives, friends, and family history consultants. Membership is on a calendar year basis so now is the time to renew your membership to continue receiving the benefits. See more information about the presentations, classes, class notes, and how to join the Group on the websites above. You can also 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 of Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group (UVTAGG), snowd@math.byu.edu

==============================================

Friday, November 6, 2015

[UVTAGG] Press Release for UVTAGG meeting Saturday morning, 14 Nov 2015, Provo

2015-11-05

Don Snow -- snowd@math.byu.edu

[UVTAGG] Press Release for UVTAGG meeting Saturday morning, 14 Nov 2015, Provo

The next meeting of the Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group - UVTAGG (Formerly the Utah Valley PAF Users Group) will be on Saturday, 10 Oct 2015, from 9 am to noon in the LDS "Red Chapel", 4050 North Timpview Drive (650 East), Provo. This is the regular second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting. Information about the Group, meeting location, main presentations, classes, and class notes are available on their website http://uvtagg.org and the press releases are at http://blog.uvtagg.org . On the blog you can subscribe to receive the press releases via email when they are posted the week before the meetings.

The main presentation this month at UVTAGG will be by Barry J. Ewell on IF SHERLOCK HOLMES WERE A FAMILY HISTORIAN. Family history is a journey of discovery about finding answers to the questions one ponders at one time or another. The steps of the journey are guided by the questions we ask. With each answer comes another question. In time you begin to feel a sense of connection and bond that spans generations. In this presentation we will discover 10 ways to supercharge your family history research. In other words, how to become the Sherlock Holmes of Genealogists. Barry J. Ewell is the founder of MyGenShare.com -- http://mygenshare.com/ , a website for individuals interested in learning, sharing, and discovering family history. He is a writer, presenter, researcher, and mentor of genealogists. He has presented and shared his knowledge and experience at local, regional, and national conferences. Research interests include Eastern U.S., United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Germany, and Russia. In his professional career in advertising and public relations strategy for technology companies he has worked for companies like IBM, 3M, and Rational Software.

After the main presentation the following classes are scheduled. See our website for last minute changes and additions.

(1) Use the US Census to Resolve Family History Research Problems, by Barry J. Ewell

(2) Fast Accurate Research - Affiliate and Other Genealogy Websites, by Van Celaya

(3) Ask An Expert (Personal Help), by Don Engstrom & Don Reynolds

(4) Video of last month's main presentation: Genealogy Wikis: A Users Guide, by Kory Meyerink

(5) Ancestral Quest, by Gaylon Findlay

(6) RootsMagic, by Renee Zamora

Notice that there is something for everyone no matter what their level of family history expertise. This includes youth, those just getting interested in genealogy, long-time genealogists, and ward family history consultants. All meetings of UVTAGG are open to the public, whether members of the Group or not. The Group has the goal of helping individuals use technology to further their family history and there are usually about 80 attending the monthly meetings, including many family history consultants. The officers are Gerhard Ruf, President; Laurie Castillo, 1st VP; Don Snow, 2nd VP; Liz Kennington, Newsletter Editor; Don Engstrom and Rayanne Melick, Membership and Finances; Bruce Merrill and Marie Andersen, DVD Library; and Chris Stevenson and Rick Klemetson, Webmasters. Several of these will be at the meeting to answer questions, help with membership, distribute the current issue of the monthly newsletter TAGGology, and check out and sell to members of the Group DVDs of past presentations and classes. Many members don't live close enough to participate in the monthly meetings, but pay the $10 per year online dues to belong so they can receive the monthly newsletter TAGGology via email and purchase the inexpensive DVDs of the presentations and classes. Christmas is coming and gift memberships make great presents for family history-minded relatives, friends, and family history consultants. Membership is on a calendar year basis, so if you join now, you will get the Nov and Dec TAGGologies, plus all of next year's. See more information about the presentations, classes, class notes, and how to join the Group on the websites above. You can also 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 .

Note that due to the chapel being needed for the wards, we will have no meeting in Dec, so the next UVTAGG meeting after this one will be on Saturday, 9 Jan 2016.