All Day Workshop in April

On April 18, 2009, join us for an All Day Workshop on "Preserving Our Precious Heirlooms" from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Plano Bible Chapel (1900 Shiloh Rd, Plano).
The speakers are Naomi Taplin and Alan Lefever from the Texas Baptist Historical Collection. Bring your own family treasures and learn how best to preserve them.
See the flyer and our website for registration and more information!

December Saturday Seminar

Join us December 20th for our Annual Show & Tell Saturday Seminar. Bring projects or research you have worked on this year and share your accomplishments!
Doors open at 10:15 am and we'll finish up at 12:30 pm. Our Saturday Seminars are free and are held at the program room of the W.O. Haggard, Jr. Library (2501 Coit Rd., Plano)

Website fixed

The website is working fine again. Check out our activities at www.genealogyfriends.org !

Website problems

I'm having some trouble updating our website at genealogyfriends.org (hosted by Rootsweb). Hopefully it will be resolved soon!

In the meantime, I'll keep this blog updated.

September Saturday Seminar - say that three times fast ;-)

Join us September 20th for our next Saturday Seminar. It will feature Dr. Steven Butler speaking on "Convict Ancestors from England". Doors open at 10:15 am and we'll finish up at 12:30 pm. Our Saturday Seminars are free and are held at the program room of the W.O. Haggard, Jr. Library (2501 Coit Rd., Plano)

August Saturday Seminar

Join us August 16th for "Beginning Genealogy" presented by our own Barbara Coakley.
10:15 am to 12:30 pm in the program room at the Haggard Library

July Saturday Seminar

July 19, 2008 - The Genealogy Collection at Haggard Library
Cheryl Smith, a Genealogy Librarian at the Haggard Library, will speak on the holdings of the Genealogy, Local History, Texana and Archives and the resources available online for research.

New Genealogy Friends email address and URL

The Genealogy Friends website can now be found at www.genealogyfriends.org . The old URL will still work, our hope is this address will be easier to remember.

We also have a new email address: genfriends@genealogyfriends.org . Soon the old email address will no longer work, so update your address books today!

George Washington Inaugural Bible

On June 28 and 29, the North Texas Masonic Historical Museum and Library will be exhibiting the original Bible on which George Washington took his oath of office.

For information on locations, times and tickets, see the North Texas Masonic Historical Museum and Library.

June class on Researching with Newspapers

The Genealogy, Local History, Texana and Archives department of the Plano Library has announced a free class, presented by our own Barbara Coakley:

"Extra, Extra, Read All About It - Using Newspapers to Fill in Details of Your Ancestors' Lives"

When: June 14, 2008, 10:30 - 12:00 noon

Where: Jeanette Bickley Bland Meeting Room located in the Genealogy, Local History, Texana and Archives department of the Haggard Library

Download the flyer

Beginning Genealogy Class

Join the library staff for a beginning genealogy class:

"Where Do I Begin ... Learn the who, how, what and where of finding your ancestors."

When: May 21, 2008, 10:30 - 12:00 noon

Where: Jeanette Bickley Bland Meeting Room located in the Genealogy, Local History, Texana and Archives department of the Haggard Library

flyer

Notes from the May Saturday Seminar

Lynne Darrouzet, JD, gave a great presentation on Organizing Your Family History Research. Here are links to some of the software she uses:

• Genealogy software - Legacy Family Tree
• Note taking software - Microsoft OneNote
• Search your computer to find files - Google Desktop
• Online backup - Mozy

Genealogy Class at Collin College

Collin College is offering Genealogy II. The class will meet on Monday nights 6:30-9:00 pm from July 7 to August 25, 2008 and is taught by Barbara Coakley. The class will acquaint you with original record sources including land, military, court, tax, probate, naturalization and immigration records. It will also enhance your skills in interpreting records, analyzing evidence, and planning research.

Gen Friends Research Retreat

Gen Friends is sponsoring a Research Retreat to the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City, UT. The retreat is from Tuesday, November 11, 2008 to Sunday, November 16, 2008. The fee for the retreat is $80.00 for Gen Friends members and includes:

• Pre Trip Workshop to Prepare you for the trip
• Orientation to the FHL by library staff
• Consultations with experienced researchers
• Lecture by a Professional Genealogist

You are responsible for your own transportation and hotel reservations. A block of rooms has been reserved at the Salt Lake Plaza Hotel (800-366-3684).

Join us for a great opportunity to explore the vast resources of the largest genealogy library in the world with a group of fellow researchers. For more information visit the Gen Friends website www.genealogyfriends.org or email newsletter@genealogyfriends.org.

Room Change for April's Saturday Seminar

April's Saturday Seminar with Naomi Taplin speaking on Preservation Techniques will be held in the meeting room downstairs in the Genealogy area instead of the main floor Program Room. Unfortunately we won't be able to provide refreshments this time since it is in the library area and food and drink aren't allowed.

April Saturday Seminar - Preservation Techniques

Join us Saturday, April 19, for our monthly Saturday Seminar. This month we present Naomi Taplin, librarian at the Texas Baptist Historical Collection, who will speak on preservation techniques. We meet in the program room at the Haggard library, doors open at 10:15 a.m.

Beginning Genealogy class at GLHTA

The Genealogy, Local History, Texana and Archives department of the Plano Library has announced a free class:

How to begin searching for your ancestors - Learn the what, where, who and how to begin finding information on your family!

When: March 26, 2008, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Where: Jeanette Bickley Bland Meeting Room located in the Genealogy, Local History, Texana and Archives department of the Haggard Library

More classes are in the planning stages, we'll keep you updated!

March Saturday Seminar - Genealogy Software

Join us March 15th for our monthly free Saturday Seminar. This month's topic is Genealogy Software Programs - Joanne Corney will talk about Legacy Family Tree and Tresa Tatyrek will talk about Family Tree Maker.

Doors open at 10:15 a.m. and we'll be done at 12:30 p.m. We meet in the program room at the W. O. Haggard Jr. Library (2501 Coit Rd, Plano).

Hope to see you there!

Notes from the February Saturday Seminar

Genealogy Friends Membership Handbooks are ready. If you are a member and didn't pick it up today, they will be available at the March Saturday Seminar.

Attendance in the Genealogy, Local History, Texana and Archives room has slacked off since the opening. The numbers need to stay up or increase to justify it's current budget. Please don't reshelve your books or microfilm, the staff and volunteers count them as they are put away and it is one measure of GLHTA usage.

Aaron Holt gave a great presentation about the Southwest Branch of the National Archives in Fort Worth. They are the repository for Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana.

Some links of interest:
National Archives
Southwest Branch of the National Archives

Classes

Classes on Beginner Genealogy are about to start at Collin College's Plano High School location. The popular and professional Barbara Coakley is the teacher. Please check with the college's catalogue for details.
http://www.ccccd.edu/cs/areasofstudy/conted/index.html#

Salt Lake City trip planned

Genealogy Friends plans another visit to Salt Lake City and the Family History Library (FHL) in the fall of 2008, probably late October or early November.

Please visit our homepage for particulars. From our site at http://www.rootsweb.com/~txgfpl/ just click on Research Retreats on the far left side. As soon as the date is selected we will post it at this site.

There will be at least one class on researching at the FHL or some other topic of your choosing, personal consultants to help with your research problems, and plenty of opportunities to get to know and network with other family history researchers from our area.

If you are searching specific countries we will try and arrange that someone fluent in that country's languages is present to help translate, interpret, and guide you through the resources while at the FHL.

This is a great time to research the biggest genealogy library in the word with worldwide holdings and enjoy researching with others from home with your interests.

Plan on it and let us know as soon as you decide to go with us! We ALL have a good time on these retreats! JOIN US!

Personal Library Donation Help Needed ASAP

Genealogy Friends has just received a significant “personal library donation” for the Genealogy, Local History, Texana, and Archives (GLHTA) section of the Plano Libraries.

Because of the amount of books already boxed and ready to be moved to the GLHTA and the weight involved, we need two or three strong men to lift the boxes--eleven boxes at this time but the number is expected to grow in the next couple of weeks--and put them into the vehicles.

So far we have an SUV and a truck owner who donated their vehicles for the transport. We just need lifters.

If you can help with the pickup and transport of these books from a nearby location to the W.O. Haggard Library please let us know ASAP.

We always appreciate your help and support!

Brenda
President

Write a Book Challenge Results

A big Thank You to everyone who participated in Brenda's Write a Book Challenge! Ten books were submitted and are being readied for the GLHTA* collection. Two more books are almost finished and will be added as well.

* GLHTA - Genealogy, Local History, Texana and Archives

February Saturday Seminar

Join us February 16th for our next Saturday Seminar. Aaron Holt from the Southwest Branch of the National Archives will do a presentation about their collection. We meet at Haggard Library, first floor program room, 10:15 a.m.

Grand Opening - Genealogy, Local History, Texana and Archives

The grand opening of the "Genealogy, Local History, Texana and Archives" room at the W. O. Haggard, Jr. Library is scheduled for January 26, 2008!

The room will be open regular hours (10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), with the festivities from 2:00 p.m. till 5:00.

January Saturday Seminar

Join us on January 19th for our monthly Saturday Seminar in the program room at the Haggard Library in Plano. This month we present John Pritchett, a respected Colonial Virginia genealogist, speaking on "Writing a First Person Genealogy."

Doors will open at 10:00 a.m., with the seminar starting at 10:15.