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Archiver > APG > 2008-01 > 1201559205


From: "Peggy Baldwin" <>
Subject: Re: [APG] E: Jones APGQ article
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 14:26:45 -0800
References: <BAY129-W3083BFC8E3DFDA79CD370CA5340@phx.gbl><!~!AAAAAPVJg++TgcZHiMuUUbhpA2kkMkoA@HeritageBooks.com>
In-Reply-To: <!~!AAAAAPVJg++TgcZHiMuUUbhpA2kkMkoA@HeritageBooks.com>


Craig,

YES!!! That's how it's done in the Medical Library Association. Points for
various activities, and it is a road map for becoming a professional. I
really
like these categories. Besides, it's a delightful thought to be a "junior"
anything at the age of 56! I have been doing the things in the junior
category over
that last 5 years. There is more of a feeling of being nurtured into
professionalism
with what you suggest, rather than a punitive system.

In the Medical Library Association, I worked my way from regular to senior
to distinguished
in 10 years. The distinguished level requires 10 years in the field and
activity
on the national level.

Peggy

------------------------
Peggy Baldwin, MLS
Family Passages LLC
www.family-passages.com


-----Original Message-----
From: [mailto:] On Behalf
Of Craig Scott
Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 12:54 PM
To:
Subject: [APG] E: Jones APGQ article

I have held my tongue in regards to the issue of membership levels for some
time. Those of you who know me, know how difficult that might be for me.

I believe that we need to look at this membership issue from a different
angle. The angle that is based on the concept of continuous improvement of
ourselves as genealogists and of our profession.

Regardless of what the mission says or what the mission may be defined as,
at a later date I joined APG because I wanted to become a better
genealogist. When I joined I knew that I was deficient in many areas that I
had to get better at doing if I was going to become the genealogist that I
thought I wanted to become. I also joined APG because it looked like a good
group of people that I wanted to get to know better and a professional
organization usually is a good advocate for what you believe in.

What hampered my journey was the lack of a road map for getting better at
what I was doing. My background in the military and as a member of the
Health Care Information Management Systems Society and other professional
organizations prepared me for something which I was disappointed to learn
did not exist in the Association of Professional Genealogists. A tiered
self-motivated educational inducing road map with various recognition points
demonstrating my personal growth as a professional. When I joined and made
known my desire to participate in the program I was handed a checklist. It
was up to me to accomplish what was on the checklist at my own pace and the
only checking that was involved was that the event I said had occurred
actually had occurred. You received points of specific events in your
journey. When you got so many points you got a certificate recognizing the
completion of that tier and you got another check list.

I am in favor of anyone joining APG that has the desire to improve as
genealogists and believes in the Code. Our role as an Association should be
to provide an environment that is supportive of improving ourselves as
genealogists.

There might be four tiers in increasing levels of complexity.

For fun:

Member

Joins, does their own thing, really wants to improve but does not want to
put themselves out in the process. We gladly collect their dues. No sigma
attached to just being along for the ride.

Junior Genealogist

Attends local conferences, national conferences for five years, lectures to
local groups, writes articles for local society. Attends a national
institute. Has a list of 150 things to do over five years to get it done.
Each event is worth so many points as a function of its complexity. Write an
article for your local newsletter get five points. Write an article for a
state society journal get ten points. Write an article for TAG get fifteen
points. Attend a local conference get five points. Attend a national
conference get ten points. Work at the APG booth at a conference get fifty
points. Become an officer in your local society. Become a newsletter editor
of your local society. <G> Catch the drift. This is the taker phase.

Senior Genealogist

Does the same as above, but does more of the same, but now speaks at
nationals, writes articles for scholarly journals, mentors, etc. Hold
postnomials of an accredited program, certified or accredited. Graduate of
IGHR, NIGHR, etc. Lectures in these programs. Editor of a state or national
journal. Officer of a state or national genealogical organization. Has a
list of 150 things to do over a period of five years to get done. This is
the giver phase.

Fellow (an elected by the membership impossible to attain position that a
person gets because everyone who is everyone recognizes this person as
worthy) [Please just cause everyone else has a Fellow and there are too many
Fellows out there already does not mean that we can not recognize our "walk
on water" person of the decade.]

So there would be a ten year road map for improving yourself as a
genealogist where you transition from the taker of genealogical expertise to
the giver of genealogical expertise.

The only judging is that another member of the organization has to attest
that you were there, or did, or whatever. Keep it simple.

And by the way, these membership levels only mean something to you and your
sense of where you are in improving yourself. Not to be used (except
possibly the Fellow) in any ads, literature or business cards. Just a nice
certificate to hang on the wall of your den or office, right beside your
Graham T. Smallwood award. <G>

C.

Craig R. Scott, CG
President and CEO
Heritage Books, Inc.
65 East Main Street
Westminster, MD 21157
800 876-6103


2758 books in print and growing. Visit www.HeritageBooks.com






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