Free webinars from the Illinois State Genealogical Society

Free webinars sponsored by the Illinois State Genealogical Society

May 8 – Some Great, Seldom-Used, Resources:  A Genealogical Potpourri with Timothy Pinnick
Register at https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/542750318

June 12 – The War of 1812 – America’s “Forgotten” War with Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG
Register at https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/361887982

July 10 – Clue to Clue: Tracking a Family Over Time and Miles with Jean Wilcox-Hibben, PhD, MA, CG
Register at https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/726337462

For the complete list of upcoming webinars, visit http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=234.

Society Indexing Contest.............

Let's get those fingers moving and help our society compete in the indexing contest!  We are slightly behind in the indexing per capita average.  If you are registered please consider adding a page or two to what you have been indexing.  If you are not yet a registered indexer go to the 1940 Census Community Project Getting Started page to register as an indexer, download the indexing software, and begin indexing. When creating your FamilySearch account, please select Pima County Genealogy Society as your group (note that Minnesota also has a group by the same name, but they have "-MN" appended to the name. Please be sure not to select that group). Registering with our society automatically qualifies you to be entered into weekly drawings.  As little as fifteen minutes a day indexing  would be a great help.

Dear Society Administrators,We've had a lot of questions asking about the society indexing contest that was mentioned earlier. Well, our society indexing group contests are finally here! We have some great prizes for those who want to take part in this competition. There will be a couple categories, depending on the size and activity of your society's group. Requirements and prizes will vary for each category. Grand Prize for Per Capita Production on the 1940 Index The grand prize will be awarded to the society with the highest average number of records indexed and arbitrated per person by a society with 2 or more people in their indexing group. They must have a 95% or higher indexing accuracy average. Prize: A mini-conference presented at your society location. The total value of this package is $6,000! This prize includes: 4 genealogists, each teaching three sessions (Speaker fees, travel, and accommodations are included). A syllabus of the conference presentations on a USB drive, CD, or print format (depending on the actual number of attendees). Your society provides the site for the conference or we can provide a local FamilySearch family history center where the conference can be held. Competition will go from April 2nd and continue until the 1940 US Census project is completely arbitrated; after which the winner will be announced. Runner up Prize for Per Capita Production on the 1940 Index A second place prize will be awarded to the society with the second highest average number of records indexed and arbitrated per person by a society with 2 or more people in their indexing group. They must have a 95% or higher indexing accuracy average. Prize: The prize will be a 1/2 day webinar mini-conference, for a value of total value of $1,700. This prize includes: 4 one-hour Family History Library sessions of your choice A projector An HD webcam An annual subscription to GoToWebinar (a webinar provider service) A laptop computer Competition will go from April 2nd and continue until the 1940 US Census project is completed. The winner will be announced one week after the last state is arbitrated. Small and Large Society Contest (April 26-May 2) We will have another contest from April 26th through May 2nd for the highest percentage of member growth in a society indexing group, based on the size of your society when the contest begins. For example, a small society can grow above 16 members and still compete in the small category for this contest. (Note: A small society indexing group has 15 or less people, while a large society indexing group has 16 or more people.) In the case of a tie, a random drawing will be done to select the winner. Prize: A brand new printer valued at $300 We will track the growth of your society membership from April 26th through May 2nd. Winners will be announced on May 4, 2012. You can see how many members your group currently has and monitor your growth by doing the following: 1. Go to indexing.familysearch.org. 2. Sign in with your FamilySearch Indexing user name and password. 3. Look at the number following open group has If your administration tab does not automatically open, you have not yet been made the administrator for your group. You can receive administration rights by creating your FamilySearch account and contacting the 1940 U.S. Census Project team by phone or e-mail at: Phone: 1-855-439-1940 Email: support@the1940census.com See Who is Leading A leader board will be posted soon at https://the1940census.com/society/societies-games-prizes/. You can see who is in the lead for the grand prize and upcoming contests. You will also see the winners of the society contests. Project Sponsors: For more information on the 1940 U.S. Census Community Project, reply to this email or call toll-free 1-855-IDX-1940

© 2012 1940 US Census Community Project. All rights reserved.

1940 Census Indexing Contest (April 23-29)

The 1940 Census contest for April 23-29 has been announced:

This week, to qualify for a membership card to Archives.com, indexers must index 1940 Census records in at least two states.  Three winners will be chosen at random from those indexers that complete at least one 1940 Census batch in two different states with at least 90% accuracy by Sunday, April 29.  These winners will all receive a membership card to Archives.com!

Check out the 1940 Census Blog Weekly Contest page for details. The contest ends at 10:59 p.m. (Arizona time) on Sunday, April 29.

Keep on Indexing! 

You voted and the results are in - Our new logo:

Congratulations to Sherri Hessick who won a free membership for the 2013 membership year.  Thank you to everyone that entered out logo contest.  We loved all of the submissions.

Naturalization Records Bibliography from 21 April Meeting

PCGS Naturalization Records Presentation Bibliography

21 April 2012

Eichholz, Alice. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources.  Provo, Utah: Ancestry Publishing, 2004.

Lainhart, Ann S.  State Census Records. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 2000.

Neagles, James C. and Lila Lee.  Locating Your Immigrant Ancestor: A Guide to Naturalization Records.  Everton Publishing, 1986. 

Newman, John J. American Naturalization Processes and Procedures 1790 – 1985.  Indianapolis: Indianapolis Historical Society, 1985.

Newman, John J.  American Naturalization Records 1790 – 1990: What They Are and How to Use Them.  Bountiful, Utah: Heritage Quest, 1998.

Rose, Christina.  Courthouse Research for Family Historians: Your Guide to Genealogical Treasures. San Jose, CA: CR Publications, 2004.

Schaefer, Cristina K. Guide to Naturalization Records of the United States. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

Szucs, Loretto Dennis.  They Became American: Finding Naturalization Records and Ethnic Origins.  Provo, Utah:  Ancestry Publishing, 1998.

Saturday's Meeting Handout

The link with the handouts for Saturday's meeting were emailed to members.  Several members have not updated their email addresses and therefore did not receive the link.  If you are a member and did not get an email link please send an email to pimacountygenealogysociety@gmail.com before 10 p.m. tonight and I will update your information and send your the link.  Guest may purchase copies at the meeting.

Don't forget to sign up for our tour of the University of Arizona Library.  Forms are available on the right side of the blog and will be available at the meeting.  Tours and workshops must be paid in advance.

Join your fellow members for lunch from 11:30 to 1:00 in the hospital cafeteria prior to the meeting Saturday afternoon.  We look forward to seeing you at the meeting.

This week's indexing contest

This week's contest has been posted on the 1940 Census Blog Weekly Contest page. 

This week only those indexers in the top ten percent of volume indexed and who have 90% accuracy will qualify for the contest.  Three winners will be chosen at random from the top ten percent of indexers as of Sunday, April 22.  One lucky winner will receive a $100 Amazon gift card and two lucky winners will receive a $50.00 Amazon gift card!

What is the bar you have to reach to make the top 10%? Today's 1940 Census Blog post "Are You in the Top 10%?" says that as of today:

The number of records indexed to be in the top 10% of volume ranges from 440 records (or lines of data on the census) to 4,760 records. So, as of today, if you have indexed over 440 records with 90% or more accuracy, you are qualified for the contest!

But be aware that those numbers are likely to change. You have until Sunday, April 22 to reach that top 10%.

How do you know how many records you have indexed and what your accuracy is? The easiest way to check is from your "My Work" screen in the indexing program.

1. Launch the Indexing program and log in. 
2. To find out how many records you have indexed, click on the “My History” tab from the "My Work" screen. Click on the “Names Submitted” button in that tab. This will list all projects you have indexed and give you the number of names in that project that you have indexed for the month and a total since you have started indexing.
   
   
3. To find out how accurate you are, click on the "Arbitration Results" tab. The average percentage agreement for projects you have completed within the last 90 days will be displayed. As an added bonus, you can click on the "Review Batches" button to see what the arbitrator disagreed with. This is a tool to help you learn from mistakes and increase your future accuracy.

 Keep on Indexing!