YouTube Genealogy

We are fortunate in Cincinnati to have our own nationally-recognized genealogy speaker with Patricia Van Skaik, Manager of the Genealogy and Local History Department at the Main Library. Pat did a presentation at the 2013 Roots Tech Conference in Salt Lake City on how the YouTube platform can be used to bring your ancestors to life with video.

I, like so many others, was not in a position to travel to Salt Lake. But there is nothing stopping me from getting to the Main Library to take in this wonderful talk. If you are planning on attending, please click on our society's facebook page and let us know that you will be there. (While your at it, "like" the page and join more than 300 others interested in HCGS).

As an added bonus, stick around for a talk by Dr. Charles Dillard at 2:00 PM. Dr. Dillard is a direct descendant of the Black Brigade, a group of African-Americans who defended Cincinnati during the Civil War. Come learn the details.

Submitted by: Kathy Reed

Ask the Experts 2013 - Day at the Library

The "Experts" Share Their Expertise

The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County hosted the annual "Ask the Experts" Day at the Main Library. Representatives of more than a dozen local genealogy and history groups were available for anyone hoping to better understand their family's history.

The day began with a talk by Deb Cyprych on how to find available 19th Century orphan records for Hamilton County. Deb has been working on this project for several years and her information is invaluable.  

Patricia Van Skaik Introduces Deb Cyprych

If you are a member of HCGS, you can log on to our website and look up these Tracer articles: 

Deb's talk included additional updates that have become available since these articles were published. She recommended that researchers check the website of the Cincinnati History Library Archives or plan a visit to take advantage of their vast collection.

Marion Crawford Stover discussed her experiences growing up in a northern Kentucky orphanage. She reiterated a point made earlier in the day by Deb Cyprych. Many children who lived in orphanages had one or two parents who were alive, but unable to care for their children. Alcohol was often a contributing factor.

If you've never attended one of these events, I can't recommend them enough. Plan to attend the 2014 Family History Day and check your calendars for the many other events that are scheduled for this month.

Patricia Van Skaik, Marion Crawford Stover and Chris Smith

Brave New World of Technology

Dave Schroeder and Leeann McNabb Speak at Irish Program

Ever since our society started a Facebook page, we have had more and more requests for some of our programs to go online. The HCGS Tech Team has struggled with exactly how to do this. We think we are getting closer and closer to that reality.

Yesterday Dave Schroeder and Lee Ann McNabb gave wonderful presentations at the library. Click on this link for a description of their topics. With no forewarning, both speakers agreed to be part of an experiment on using Google+ Hangouts on Air which allows you to record the talk live using YouTube and then saves the program for all to see.

OK -- bear with me for a moment. To learn to do these things, we've had to explore Google Hangouts, YouTube channels, Youtube for Non-profits, technology for recording, etc., not to mention the technical difficulties of sound, lighting, and possible editing. Non-techies -- keep reading, please (just ignore this last paragraph).

Well, take it from me, it's been exciting. Jenny Davis, Gail Burkholz, John Tholking and I have been hard at work on these issues. But, WE NEEDED GUINEA PIGS!!!

Patricia Van Skaik aka DigiGenie is always willing to play along. What's so great is that so were both speakers. So we've learned lessons. It's obviously going to be awhile before we get this down. David Schroeder's talk had pretty good sound, but we did not pick up any of his slides because they were washed out. The video is a little dark and his voice is slightly out of sync. Not bad, though, since we used a webcam.

After the break, we re-positioned the camera, hoping to be able to capture Lee Ann's wonderful slides. This attempt was not much better, and the lighting was still bad. So we may not be able to share this video in it's current configuration.

So what did we learn? We learned we have lighting and sound issues. We may need to use a better video camera. Some editing skills may be in order -- but, we're making progress.

Now this is where YOU come in. If you go to the latest copy of the Tracer that just came out, you'll see a plea from our Director of Digital Resources, Jenny Davis, for more volunteers. She has a survey where you can let her know just what kinds of things you might be interested in doing. You don't have to be an "expert," (obviously none of us is), but if we're going to do more and more of this kind of thing, we're going to need additional hands. The motto of the HCGS Tech Committee is, "If we don't know how, we'll find out."

So here is our first attempt. Let us know what you think. Better yet, let us know how you want to contribute.

  

P.S. If you are already on Facebook, "like" the HCGSOhio page using the link in the first sentence. We're trying to get to 200 "likes" this month.

Submitted by Kathy Reed

A Great Day at the Library

This past Saturday approximately 45 people attended a program on using historical newspapers to further your genealogical research. Patricia Van Skaik discussed how to use Pro Quest and showed how she had used this resource to try to identify the descendants of African-American Civil War soldiers. She also discussed the strengths and limitations of OCR software, providing us with tips on how best to take advantage of search results.

Steve Headley discussed free online indexes that are available to anyone. The first was Chronicling America, which includes digitized newspapers from around the country. Participating states share their digitized newspapers for this nationwide database. Newsdex is a local project that originally started in 1927. For Cincinnati researchers, it is a valuable resource. You can access it through the PLCH home page by searching on databases. If you identify an article or obituary that is relevant to your research, you can request that a librarian send it to you by return email. There is no cost for this service.

The third speaker, Kathy Reed, did a presentation on how she was able to break down a "brick wall" through the use of all three of these resources. She has a "black sheep" Kentucky ancestor whose activities were reported in 16 separate newspaper articles from 1882 that were picked up as far away as Los Angeles.

In between each talk, attendees had the opportunity to ask questions of the presenters and socialize with each other. Snacks were provided by the Hamilton County Genealogical Society which co-sponsored this event with the library. This half-day program was planned and organized by the HCGS Tech Program Committee chaired by Jenny Davis. The committee also acknowledges the contributions of Liz Stratton who suggested many of the topics for the day. Based on the turnout, we hope to offer similar programs in the future.

Submitted by Kathy Reed

Using Online Historical Newspapers

Mark your calendar! The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County and the HCGS Tech Program Committee are co-sponsoring a half-day event on Saturday, January 26th from 10:00 - 12:45. Participants will come away with a better understanding of how to access historical newspaper databases to aid their genealogy research.

Patricia Van Skaik, Manager of the Genealogy and Local History Collection at PLCH will present the Pro Quest Historical Newspapers collection. This collection has full-text and full-image articles, including obituaries, birth and marriage announcements, and more. Of particular interest to genealogists researching in Hamilton County: Cincinnati Enquirer - 1841-1922 and Cincinnati Enquirer - 1999- current.

Steve Headley, Chief Indexer for the Genealogy and Local History Department at PLCH, will present the Chronicling America historic newspapers collection. This collection is a similar archive but with different newspapers, including The Daily Press -- Cincinnati, 1859-1859, Cincinnati Daily Press -- Cincinnati, 1860-62, and the Labor Advocate, Cincinnati, 1912-1937. Steve will also present Newsdex, the library's index to local newspaper articles.

Finally, Kathy Reed, HCGS Recording Secretary and Tech Programs team member will present Toppling Your Brick Wall Using Newspapers. Kathy will share how she utilized historical newspapers to break through a genealogical "brick wall" and discovered a thrice-buried ancestor along the way.

So join us on Saturday, January 26th from 10:00 AM to 12:45 PM at the Main Library in the Huenefeld Tower Room on the 3rd Floor. Refreshments will be provided during two breaks. No RSVP is needed.

Submitted by Jenny Davis and Kathy Reed

Library Lock-In, Saturday, October 27th, 2012

Taste of Tech Programs in the PLCH Computer Lab

Last Saturday was the annual Lock-In for genealogists at the Main Library. Registered genealogists had the opportunity to do their research from 6:30 - 11:30 PM with the aid of our fine library staff from the Genealogy and Local History Department. About 45 people attended this year's event.

The HCGS Tech Team provided another option for attendees this year. The Tech Team offered five mini-technology programs in the Computer Lab adjacent to the Genealogy Department. Each program lasted about 15 minutes, with participants free to select from a menu of opportunities and come and go as they pleased. At the end of each session, members of the Tech Team offered assistance as needed.

This was the first time we had tried something like this, and the Team was very excited about the number of people who chose to participate. The number of participants ranged from 9 - 17 with an additional five Tech Team members available for assistance. Since the Computer Lab has only 18 computers, we couldn't have been happier with the turnout. Some members stayed for all five sessions.

At the end of the evening, the group was surveyed as to Tech Programs they would like us to sponsor in the future.  Three requests included using newspapers for genealogical research, scanning and photo editing. All three of these programs are in the pipeline for the future.

We would like to thank Chris Smith, Patricia VanSkaik and the other librarians who made this after-hours opportunity available to our members. As a first-time attendee, I'm already looking forward to next year's event.

Imagine My Delight . . .

I just got home and opened my copy of the Ohio Genealogy News for the Fall of 2012. Boy, did our Chapter ever look good!  On p. 5 there was an article entitled "OGN Wins NGS Award."  To quote the first paragraph,

For the third time, the Ohio Genealogy News has won the top honor in the National Genealogical Society's annual Newsletter Competition.  OGN took first place in the major genealogical and/or historical society category and was awarded the prize at the NGS 2012 Family History Conference in Cincinnati.  Deb Cyprych and Jennifer Hershberger, OGN co-editors for the previous five years, accepted the award on behalf of OGS.

Credit:  http://ogs.org

I turned to p. 6 and saw a mention of our own Patrica Van Skaik of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County receiving the Griffin Yeatman Award from Hamilton County Recorder Wayne Coates in July. "This award recognizes volunteers who help preserve Hamilton County history."

If that wasn't enough, Shelley Bishop who writes A Sense of Family blog and has been linked to this blog had an article published on Using Genealogy Blogs for Ohio Research (pp. 16-20).  In it she referenced our blog and referred to "University of Cincinnati's online database of Cincinnati Birth and Death Records from 1865-1912" where she found her great-grandfather and his siblings. She also referred to a post on the Great Flood of 1937 and an "update about online access to local deed indexes."

I think this speaks to the incredible contributions made by our members to not only Hamilton County genealogy but also to Ohio genealogy.  Congratulations to Jennifer Hershberger, Deb Cyprych, and Jim Dempsey for putting the Hamilton County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society on the map -- and thanks, Shelley, for the mention.

Submitted by Kathy Reed

Patricia Van Skaik Receives Griffin Yeatman Award

On Monday, June 18, Hamilton County Recorder Wayne Coates presented Patricia Van Skaik, Manager of the Genealogy & Local History Department at the Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County, with the 2012 Griffin Yeatman Historical Achievement Award. From left to right are:  Kimber L. Fender, Cincinnati Public Llibrary's Eva Jane Romaine Coombe; Director Wayne Coates, Hamilton County Recorder; Patricia Van Skaik, Manger of the Library's Genealogy & Local History Department; Kenny Burke, Past-President of the Hamilton County Genealogical Society; Greg Edwards, Assistant Director -- Library Services; Paula Brehm-Heeger, Library Services Manager -- Central Region.

While working at the Library for the past 28 years, some of Van Skaik’s achievements include coordinating the annual Family History Day; developing a large collection of records on microfilm and books from courthouses and historical societies; working to digitize Cincinnati City Directories; and making grave registration cards of war veterans available.

A recognized genealogy expert who has spoken nationally and internationally, Van Skaik has served on the Board of Ohio Genealogical Society for more than 20 years. She has coordinated entry of local historical items into Newsdex, created a video archive of oral histories of 350 World War II and Korean War veterans, mounted an exhibit commemorating the 1937 flood, and developed enumeration district map overlays of the 1940 Hamilton County map. She also brought worldwide attention to the importance and preservation of the “Cincinnati Panorama of 1848.”

The Hamilton County Recorder’s Office created the Griffin Yeatman Historical Achievement Award in 1994 to recognize the citizens and groups of Hamilton County who volunteer their time and service to preserving and promoting the history of Hamilton County. The award is presented for excellence in historical preservation, research or achievement, which has contributed to the preservation of buildings, sites, structures and objects pertaining to Hamilton County’s History.

Press Release: 

CONTACT:

phyllis.hegner@cincinnatilibrary.org

513.369.4571

1940 Census is Coming! Learn More April 7

On April 2, the National Archives and Records Administration releases the long awaited 1940 census. Due to the personal information on the census schedules, federal law requires that they be locked from public view for 72 years.  The census is a key resource for family historians and often provides clues to other records. The 1940 census marks the first time census records will be offered free online.

In addition to information about all members of the household including age, sex, ethnicity, citizenship status and occupation, the 1940 census provides important information not offered on previous census schedules:

•Street address

•Persons absent from household

•Person providing information

•More detailed employment data, including income and public relief

•Residence in 1935

The 1940 census comes with a giant caveat.  Initially, it will not contain a surname index.  All searches will require a geographic approach by street address or enumeration district.  The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, one of the few libraries in the nation that owns copies of all available U.S. census records dating back to 1790 and a nationally ranked genealogy department, is ready to assist.  The Genealogy and Local History Department has acquired 1940 directories for over 3,000 U.S. cities, large and small, to assist with the search for street addresses.  The librarians have undergone special 1940 census training and have developed tools to assist with the online search, including specialized maps and expertise with websites to identify enumeration districts. As an added bonus, the Library will place orders for 1940 census records on April 2 for 1940 Ohio census records on microfilm, courtesy of the Friends of the Public Library and the Library Foundation.  These records will provide important archival backup and are easier to browse than loading individual pages on many websites.

Presentation, April 7

Five days after the release on April 7, the Genealogy and Local History Department kicks off the census with a special program by Department Manager Patricia Van Skaik, 1940 Census Is Here: Techniques for Achieving Top Search Results. This program will provide strategies for accessing the wealth of new information available in the 1940 census. Cincinnatians will have the opportunity to attend this program one week in advance of its presentation in Cleveland at the Ohio Genealogical Society Conference.

About the presenter:

Patricia Van Skaik is an expert in census research.  Out of town librarians have come to Cincinnati to consult with her on 1940 census preparedness. Ms. Van Skaik also conferred with database providers in February for information about how online access to the 1940 census would function. Ms. Van Skaik is a recipient of the RootsTech Distinguished Speaker Award and lectures widely on the intersection of history, technology and librarianship.

1940 Census Online Providers

National Archives and Records Administration, http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1940/

Ancestry.com

http://www.ancestry.com/1940-census

Archives.com

http://www.archives.com/1940census

FamilySearch.org

https://www.familysearch.org/1940census

Find My Past

http://www.findmypast.com/1940-census.asp

Volunteer to Help Create a Surname Index

https://the1940census.com/?gclid=CNugktWT-K4CFUMTNAodT2i9yw

For more information and Countdowns

Video on the 1940 census:

http://1940census.archives.gov/

Go to the National Archives website, http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1940/  or follow on Twitter  http://www.twitter.com/archivesnews or Facebook http://www.facebook.com/usnationalarchives

Watch Twitter @cincylibrary or contact the Genealogy and Local History Department at 513-369-6905 or “Ask a Librarian” through the Library’s website, www.cincinnatilibrary.org.

From Press Release - submitted by Liz Stratton

Why Google+ Could Be a Boon for Genealogists

Patricia Van Skaik
Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton Co.
AKA DigiGenie

A few weeks ago my nephew invited me to sign up for google+.  Google+ is the new social media application that is part of the google product line.  Although still under development and testing, more than 25 million "early adopters" have already signed on.

Many genealogists/bloggers immediately recognized it's ease of use and set about inviting members of the genealogy community to join their "circles."  As a member of the facebook community, I know that my genealogy friends may not find it interesting to read about how the potty training is going with my grandson.  On the other hand, other "friends" may be bored to tears with my latest genealogical breakthrough.  The "circles" feature in google+ enables you to easily separate all of your contacts into different groups.  Contacts can be placed in one circle (i.e. family), or more than one circle (i.e.family, bloggers, etc.)  You are free to set up as many circles as you want and identify them with any tag that is meaningful to you. When it comes time to post a comment in your "stream" you can easily choose what circles or individuals you want to be able to see that post.

A second feature that I find particularly appealing is one called "hangout."  It is similar to using skype.  You click on the "hangout" function and you can have an online conversation with up to 10 people.  You can decide if you want to use video, audio, text, or any combination.  While in hangout mode, the person doing the speaking is in the center of the display with the other participants displayed below the speaker.  The software will try to identify the speaker and switch to the speaker accordingly.  You just have to be willing to play with it.

To that end, Pat Van Skaik, Liz Stratton and I met at the library to try out the technology with each other.  We had a great time placing each other in circles, posting messages and using the hangout function while sitting in the same room.  Pat, in her role as DigiGenie is in the process of writing an article about how google+ could work for the genealogy community.  We'll post a link to her article after it is published.

So if you want to play, email me at khreed@cinci.rr.com.  I'll put you in one of my circles and send you an invitation to google+.  We can hangout together.  I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

For a better understanding of google+ and its features, go to this link:  http://www.google.com/support/+/