Organize Your Family History

Stay focused and happy while exploring your roots

August 2021 mid-month check in!

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It’s almost half way through the month and since I ordinarily post on Tuesdays and Fridays, I thought I’d do the mid-month check in for the 30 x 30 challenge a little early.

How’s it going? For those of you participating in the challenge, have you been able to get in 30 minutes a day?

My challenge is going very well. Except for last Saturday, when I forgot (it was a particularly busy day), I have researched each day. It hasn’t been 30 minutes every day but I did have one session that was nearly three hours so I’ve averaged 38 minutes per session. Yesterday I got through the last document in my backlog of unprocessed files. I started out with 20 in my backlog and was whittling it down until Day 8 when I added 16 files. (Yikes!) So I’m glad to have it down to zero. Now I get to do some new research. This feels great.

In case you’re interested, here’s a screenshot of the Surnames Backlog spreadsheet I created a while back that helps me focus on getting rid of the backlog during a 30 x 30 challenge. I also add the amount of time I researched so I have a nice record. (You can click on the image to see a larger version.)

How about you? Please leave a comment and let everyone know how your 30 x 30 is going!

Join me for August 2021 30 x 30 challenge?

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Oh my goodness, do I need a 30 x 30 challenge. After a dismal June challenge, my research did not pick up pace in July. So I’m declaring a 30 x 30 challenge for August 2021. During this coming month my goal is to spend 30 minutes a day for 30 days in a row doing genealogy research. If I average 30 minutes, that will be good enough. (I keep a spreadsheet that calculates my average.)

I find that daily research is so beneficial–it keeps my ancestors top of mind and makes it so much easier to dive right in. When I don’t have a challenge going, unfortunately, sometimes genealogy plummets on my priority list. So I’m thrilled to rev up again.

Would you care to join me? If so, please say so in the comments. Feel free to share what you intend to work on (genealogy research, genealogy organizing, a specific project or goal). About halfway through the month, I’ll do an update post and invite you to let everyone know how it’s going for you.

This is the boost I need!

RootsTech 2022 will be virtual (and free!)

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RootsTech announced on Wednesday that they have decided to make their 2022 conference virtual once again. As in 2021, it will be free of charge. It will be held March 3 to 5, 2022.

Here’s the video announcement.

Also mentioned in the video is the fact that they have chosen not to do an in-person RootsTech London this fall.

I loved hearing in the video that they will be highlighting a RootsTech 2021 session each week in their newsletter (which I believe I receive simply because I have a Family Search account). I think that’s terrific, because it will prompt me to watch RootsTech sessions. I’ve had a really hard time remembering to watch the sessions (and making the time to do it). If I can watch just one a week I know it will enhance my genealogy education.

I’ll be thinking about topics I might propose to present at the virtual conference. If you have any ideas for me, don’t hesitate to tell me in the comments!

Local library, here I come!

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The St. Louis County Library headquarters

I was so pleased to see when I checked yesterday that the history and genealogy room of the St. Louis County Library is now open to the public without an appointment. The library had been closed during the pandemic and then open by appointment only, but somehow committing to a time slot was too big a hurdle for me.

Now I can walk in as usual and use the library. I am so excited. I have been keeping a list in Evernote of documents that I found on Family Search that can only be found at the Family History Library or one of its affiliates. And I have a couple of other Missouri-related facts I’m hoping to uncover that the library might be able to help me with.

Online research is wonderful and I’m so grateful that I’ve been able to do so much from home during and since the pandemic. But I’m itching to get out from behind my desk to do some research. Two years ago at this time, I was about to leave for my Kentucky research trip and I remember well the planning and anticipation as well as the great time I had on the trip.

Going to the library isn’t as exciting as a research trip to my ancestors’ towns, but I am eager to go to the St. Louis County library this afternoon. If you live elsewhere, you might check to see if your local library is now open for you to come and research!

If you’re curious about how I’ll process the documents I find at the library today, check out  How I Do It: A Professional Organizer’s Genealogy Workflow, a 37-page downloadable pdf published last month and available for $19.99.