Sessions at Federation of Genealogical Societies 2011 Conference on Friday 9th September

How to find and genealogically research in this noted manuscript collection. This lecture will explain the background and organization of the collection, and describe the research strategies necessary to exploit its riches.

New databases and websites for researching African Americans spring up every day, and not all are on genealogy websites. Maximize your research by learning new databases and finding hidden gems off the beaten path.

As genealogists, we tend to forget we're also entrepreneurs. The Small Business Planner takes you step by step from determining if you are ready to start your own business, to starting and managing your business, through planning your exit strategy.

Sponsored by Association of Professional Genealogists (APG Professional Management Conference Session)

Attendees will learn how to compare and contrast information from related sources to reveal information, relationships, and identities that no single source specifies.

Come and learn how to get the most out of the Family Tree at FamilySearch.org. This course will provide an overview of the features of the Family Tree and highlight useful tips and tricks for getting the most value out of this valuable free resource. You'll also get a sneak peak of upcoming new features.

Public speaking tips (including managing stage fright); pros/cons of various presentation styles (e.g., PowerPoint vs. overheads); and publicity, fees, contracts, etc. will be covered.

Sponsored by Genealogical Speakers Guild

Researching German ancestors? Come learn common language terms, how to read German handwriting, and a variety of sources for finding your German Ancestor's home in Germany. This workshop also includes a look at historical events which impact German research and an overview of the common records available for researching in Germany.

Sponsored by FamilySearch

Guidelines for researching in the Gateway to the West--Ohio. Areas covered include the township, county, and state levels and where researchers can find the best genealogical records. Major repositories will be discussed and how to access them.

The lecture will cover the background that is needed to understand Scots-Irish research; it will place it in its historical context and also discuss the records in the United States that are used to locate the place of origin in Ireland.

NARA staff will take questions about NARA from the audience.

Sponsored by National Archives and Records Administration

Afraid to try DNA as a research tool because the science seems intimidating? This overview will explain how DNA relates to genealogy, what kinds of DNA tests are available, and how researchers can share test results with each other.

Mentoring genealogists takes many forms, everything from teaching by example to full-time employment of apprentices. This one-hour presentation will cover the full spectrum and include examples from several well-known genealogists' careers.

Sponsored by Association of Professional Genealogists (APG Professional Management Conference Session)

A look at various major record types for New England pointing out some of the idiosyncrasies that create pitfalls that researchers don't expect.

Sponsored by New England Historic Genealogical Society

FamilySearch's information, products, and services go beyond www.familysearch.org. FamilySearch networks a community of affiliates who identify our ancestors in source documents, pictures, graves sites, etc. FamilySearch also networks a community of affiliates who use our FamilySearch data in applications, web sites, products, and services that bring meaning to this information about our ancestors.

Sponsored by FamilySearch

Not all lectures are everything to everyone. Some topics are inherently geared toward a specific audience; state your title clearly and tailor your presentation accordingly.

Sponsored by Genealogical Speakers Guild

St. Louis played a key role in the development of the west. Learn more about St. Louis records dating from 1765 to the current day as well as their access and availability.

Sponsored by St. Louis Genealogical Society

From interment to immigration there are more English, Irish and Scottish records on Ancestry.com than ever before. Learn which records are most useful to your quest to discover your British Isles ancestors.

Sponsored by Ancestry.com

City directories are valuable sources that help to pinpoint our ancestor's existence. Using these directories with other genealogical sources can provide a goldmine of information. Learn how city directories helped solve a family mystery of migration, death and relationships.

Family photo collections are full of fading color photographs. This workshop will provide useful techniques for restoring lost color. It will include colorization of B&W photos. Audience members are encouraged to bring photos from which Eric will choose one to use during this demonstration.

In this session, the instructors will discuss and demonstrate applications for the iPhone and iPad, from genealogy to deed-platting to Google Earth. These apps can also help a professional genealogist run their business as they can be used for accounting, contact management, and file sharing. Live demonstrations from the iPhone and iPad will be shown on the projector, enabling attendees to see the usefulness of these apps for themselves.

Sponsored by Association of Professional Genealogists (APG Professional Management Conference Session)

Crucial information on direct ancestors is often found by exploring collateral relatives, associates, and neighbors. Case studies present examples of invaluable finds.

Billions of digital artifacts have been made available online with billions more on the way making it increasingly easier to find records about ancestors. Come see how to use FamilySearch.org to take advantage of the world of digital artifacts to make it easier to find, organize and share the evidence of your ancestors.

Sponsored by FamilySearch

When preparing a presentation, it's important to recognize that the approach for a lecture is vastly different from a class which is not at all like a speech. Knowing which is appropriate for your intended audience is key.

Sponsored by Genealogical Speakers Guild

An evening celebrating the Federation of Genealogical Societies' 35th Anniversary, featuring a look into the past and future of FGS, dinner, and "The Lincoln Family Album," by noted Lincoln scholar, Harold Holzer.