Turn the PAGE!!

 

The Fall Seminar at the Library of Michigan/Archives of Michigan in Lansing was a resounding success!  It was a packed room for the opening and closing sessions that John Philip Colletta provided, with 174 in attendance, filling the Forum!  In the lower middle picture, there were still seats left but within minutes the lower right photo showed that the room began to fill quickly – if there was an empty seat, it was hard to find!

With four workshops, Dr. Colletta led us through case studies, stories of his ancestors or others he had researched, and he gave us much to think about and learn.  A classically fun moment was when John said “You paid $50 for today?  Here’s the Colletta tip for today …. TURN THE PAGE!”  We all roared, but he was right!  He gave example after example of ancestors found through persistence, using multiple record sources and being targeted on our goal – finding an illusive ancestor.

There were great responses to workshops by Kris Rzepczynski (Senior Archivist, Archives of Michigan), Randy Riley (State Librarian, Library of Michigan), Jessica Trotter (Capital Area District Libraries) and Dan Earl (Vice President of MGC) as attendees learned about Great Lakes migration, the ups/downs of the Library, traveling to do genealogical research, and using Internet Archive.  Lunch provided opportunities for networking across the state and learning from each others’ experiences and discoveries.

Dr. Colletta has a long history of book writing, research and speaking, with a display about his Discovering Your Roots: An Introduction to Genealogy” series promotion shared with attendees wanting more from John’s expertise and knowledge.  Watch for sales!

After a well-attended “lock in” on Friday night and a full day on Saturday, happy family historians were still sharing what research they wanted to do next – all the way to the parking lot!

Don’t forget – TURN THE PAGE!  Thanks to Dr. Colletta, Randy Riley, Kris Rzepczynski, Jessica Trotter and Dan Earl for a great day of learning.

2018 Michigan Genealogical Council Fall Seminar

Featuring John Philip Colletta, Ph.D., the MGC Fall Seminar promises to be a rich and full learning opportunity!  Please join us on Saturday, November 3, 2018 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Michigan Library & Historical Center, 702 W. Kalamazoo, Lansing, Michigan.

Dr. Colletta, a popular genealogy lecturer for 30 years, has worked at the Library of Congress and taught National Archives programs for 20+ years.  He is on the faculty of the Institute of Genealogy & Historical Research (IGHR) and the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG).  He has published key resources and guides for genealogists:  They Came in Ships: A Guide to Finding Your Immigrant Ancestor’s Arrival Record; Finding Italian Roots: The Complete Guide for Americans; Only a Few Bones: A True Account of the Rolling Fork Tragedy and its Aftermath; and the Great Course “Discovering Your Roots”.  He has received many professional honors, including fellowship in the Utah Genealogical Association and distinguished service awards from the Dallas Genealogical Society and the National Society, Daughters of Colonial Founders and Patriots.  Fluent in French, German and Russian, Dr. Colletta’s website provides much more information, so check here for more – http://www.genealogyjohn.com.

You WILL want to register for the day of classes, Dr. Colletta’s lectures – and, if you want a boxed lunch, you MUST register before October 31st!  Register here .

Dr. Colletta’s lectures are:  Finding the Town of Origin: U.S. Sources for Discovering an Ancestor’s Native Town Overseas; Lesser Used Federal Records: Sources of RIch Detail About Ancestors’ Lives; The County Courthouse: Your “Trunk in the Attic”; and Breaking Through Brick Walls: Use your HEAD!  

Additional lectures are scheduled:  Jessica Trotter, Librarian at Capital Area District Libraries, is presenting Genealogy Road Trip: No, Really, It’s Not All Online!  Randy Riley, State Librarian at the Library of Michigan, shares about Library of Michigan: Rise and Fall and Rise of a Family History/Local History Treasure.  Kris Rzepczynski, Senior Archivist at the Archives of Michigan, is offering Researching Great Lakes Migration in the Archives of Michigan’s Abrams Genealogy Collection.  From Dan Earl, VP of the MGC, we’ll hear about Going WAYBACK: Using the Internet Archive in Your Research.

REGISTER NOW!!!

Register here .

 

City Directories: Learn from Dan Earl!

Are you struggling to find your ancestors in-between census years?

In his program “City Directories: Not Your Average Phone Book,” Daniel Earl will look at the wealth of family history information that can be found in city directories, where to find them, and how they can help scale that brick wall.

The Abrams Foundation Family History Seminar will be held in Lansing on July 20-21 and will feature David Allen Lambert of the New England Historic Genealogical Society. Brought to you by the Archives of Michigan and the Michigan Genealogical Council, the event’s information, program schedule, and registration page can all be found here: http://seekingmichigan.org/…/2018-abrams-foundation-family-…

Dan’s presentation (Session D) is Friday, July 20, 2:00 – 3:00p.
We look forward to seeing you in Lansing!