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Archiver > APG > 1999-12 > 0944521419


From: "Mic Barnette" <>
Subject: Re: [APG] Conference vs. membership
Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 17:03:39 -0600


There seem to be changes in the air.

While the numbers of genealogists conducting research has risen, the numbers
attending national conferences and regional conferences seem to either stay
the same, or, drop.

One would think because the numbers go up, the numbers at conferences should
go up,as well.

Personally, I feel the new people joining the genealogical community are
terribly misinformed. They listen to the hype from all types of media that
tell them all they have to do is get online. Everything they need is on the
Internet.

The good thing is there really is a whole lot on the Internet.

The bad thing for the newbie genealogist looking for his/her ancestor is
that a lot of what is on the Internet is just plain information. Useful
information, but not, name-type information.

A lot of the information on the internet that is name specific is not
necessarily correct, or, even if it is, it often is not cited so one might
follow up on it.

The Internet warriors believe collecting names is what genealogy is all
about.

The national, regional and local organizations need to make an effort to
make contact with the people on the Internet and get them out of their
computer chair and to the conferences so there can be face to face dialog.

I believe one of the reasons the national conferences are not growing is
that the same speakers with the same lectures are available on the local and
regional level. Genealogists no longer have to go to a national conference
to hear a lecture by a particular speaker. The speaker goes to the
genealogist. If that is the case, local societies should be growing leaps
and bounds.

Local societies will need to advertise more and go out and get more
publicity, both locally, and on the Internet. They need to let the Internet
genealogist know they are there and intice them to the meeting in their own
town.
The local arena is where we can make the most contact with the most people.

Once at a meeting the armchair genealogist will realize there is more to
researching than just what is on the Internet. It will , also, make it
easier to deciminate information about genealogical standards to the newbie.

MIC


Mic Barnette's Writes a Weekly Genealogy Column In
The Houston Chronicle. Read it on the Web At Barnette's
Family Tree Book Company
http://barnettesbooks.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Myra V Gormley <>
To: <>
Date: Monday, December 06, 1999 12:12 PM
Subject: Re: [APG] Conference vs. membership


>My comments about numbers of attendees at genealogical conferences were not
>aimed at any group, but simply a point that evidently we are not reaching
>thousands of new genealogists, and if we don't attract them, how can we
>educate them? I do not think it is necessary to have 10,000 attendance at
>one or two national conferences, but instead providing the educational
>opportunities offered through hundreds or even thousands of these types of
>forums around the country each year might be the way to go, and instead of
>conferences that take up the better part of week, make them 1- or 2-day
>events. In the midst of the so-called Information Age there must be better
>ways to educate and reach the newcomers into this hobby.
>
>I think Joan's suggestion (below) is an excellent one -- and we should
>consider the possibility. There are hundreds of excellent and in-depth
>reviews of books, CDs, etc. out there being published by various
>genealogical groups, but most of our societies' periodicals have limited
>readership. If only there was a way for these articles to be incorporated
>into a Web site where they could be read by the masses. Hmm. I guess I'm
>thinking we need the Consumer Report, Better Business Bureau and Reader's
>Digest for Genealogists. Now, how about that acronym?
>
>====================================================
>A web site dedicated to errors and ommissions on these CDs, where anyone
>could submit what they found wrong for everyone, including the producers,
>to see, I think would be a good idea. It should contain wording such that
>the producers would not feel they are being attacked, but rather would
>consider it a "help for them" site, as they could check it regularly and
>find things to correct; people would like it as they could check regularly
>to see if the data they are using has reported errors. People would have
>one place to go to report errors. I see this as a "service" vehicle for all
>concerned. Sort of like a "Better Business Bureau for genealogy CDs"
>reporting site.
>
>And a comment on the 1820-1850 NY Passenger List CD that someone mentioned:
> If that is based on the existing index to that port, 1) that index only
>covers 1820-1846, and 2) it really doesn't "cover" it -- the number of
>names is very few compared to the number of passengers. If you find anyone
>in it, you are lucky. But do I use the index? Of course I do. I know its
>limitations, and with that knowledge I can accurately evaluate the results
>of my search.
>
>Joan Lowrey
>La Jolla, CA
>
>========================
>
>
>
>Myra Vanderpool Gormley, CG
>Co-editor RootsWeb Review/Missing Links
>
>
>
>==== APG Mailing List ====
>The Association of Professional Genealogists
>************* 1979 to 1999 *****************
> Celebrating 20 years of excellence!
>
>

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