Googling Genealogy and Other Items from 3 May Show

We certainly had a great interview with Paul Allen on May 3rd. His vision of the future of genealogy is far reaching, and one I think most of us can appreciate, and help to bring to pass. You can read more of Paul's insights on his blog.

Time got away from us in our interactive web site segment, as we explored some less-common ways to use Google. Among the things missed was the promised PowerPoint presentation on "Googling Genealogy." Well, we posted it on the ProGenealogists' website, on the Articles page. On that page, look for the section on "Encyclopedic and Educational Materials" and then click on the "Googling Genealogy" link. Note that the link may take 20 seconds or so to load, and you need to manually advance the slides by clicking on them.

We also did not get time for the news items of the week, which was the posting of the Mexican Boarder Crossing database at Ancestry.com. The database covers 1903-1957, with hundreds of thousands of names from over a thousand microfilms. Our free site of the week was the Illinois State Archives, which has posted a significant number of databases, including marriage and death indexes.

Thanks for all your support for this first season of Family Roots Radio. Be sure to send us your questions and comments, as we plan for the next season.

Season One: Podcast Schedule

Here's a listing of the episodes from season one of Family Roots Radio. Click on the title to listen to the episode.

May 3, The Future of Genealogy, Paul Allen
April 26, Common Surname Research, Christine Rose
April 19, Effective Library Research, Tom Kemp
April 12, Colonial Settler Biographies, Martha McCartney
April 5, Finding Living Relatives, Megan Smolenyak
March 29, Maximizing your Genealogy Software, Dick Eastman
March 22, Keeping Current with Genealogy, Leland Meitzler
March 15, Unlocking the Secrets of RootsWeb, Myra Gormley
March 8, Finding Answers through Education, Karen Clifford
March 1, Outfitting Your Genealogy Library, Craig Scott
February 22, Internet Census Records, Kathleen Hinckley
February 15, Surname Genealogy Websites, Matt Helm
February 8, Immigration Sources, John Philip Colletta

Episode Thirteen: Podcast Available

If you missed our thirteenth episode, you can listen to the archived version, or feel free to download a copy to your desktop or mp3 player.

The quickest way to download is to right click on the "download a copy" link above and select "Save Link As" (Mozilla) or "Save Target As" (Internet Explorer). You will then be given options where on your computer to store the file. Our podcasts are 60 minutes long and average approximately 12mb in size.

If you use Apple iTunes (available for Mac and Windows) to listen to podcasts, click here to subscribe via iTunes to Family Roots Radio.

Future of Internet Genealogy, and Google the Topics on 3 May

As we approach the end of our first season on Family Roots Radio, we've got a great show with significant topics to share. With Paul Allen as our guest, what better topic to discuss than the future of Internet genealogy. It's hard to believe how far we've come in the past decade or so, but just wait till you hear what's coming in the future. You'll enjoy sharing Paul's vision for what we'll all be able to do, in the not too distant future.

Of course, as they've already proven, Google is a major part of the future of the Internet. They are already a major tool for genealogists, so we'll explore the topic of "Googling Your Genealogy." With such a powerful search engine, it's surprising how much more it can do than we expect. Indeed, we'll even introduce you to Google's "custom search engine" function through which you can create a search engine for all your favorite pages. We'll even demo the concept with our Genealogy Sleuth Search Engine. Powerful things are happening in the future, and with Google. You won't to miss this.

Then, of course, there's our professional tip of the week, as well as the software tip. Don't forget about our free data site of the week as well. It'll be another jammed packed show. Tune in!

Paul Allen to Guest on 3 May Show

Our May 3rd show will have a very special guest. As the founder of Ancestry.com, Paul Allen, will be discussing the future of Internet genealogy with us. Currently the CEO of World Vital Records, Paul's been measuring and assessing the Internet as a genealogical venue for more than a decade. Few people know more about how to use the Internet as a vehicle to bring people together with records, other researchers, family members, and even their ancestors. He'll have the inside scoop for us on Family Link, a new way to approach your family history research. Paul's excitement and experience is something we can all learn from. You won't want to miss this special interview with America's leading Internet genealogy entrepeneur.

More Library Links from 26 April Show

We had a great show with Christine Rose, and we again thank her for her time and knowledge, as well as the lifetime of research work she has put into family history. During the show we talked a lot about researching common surnames and there were a couple of points to bring out here on the website. Christine mentioned the value of DNA surname study projects, especially for common surnames, to see into which clan of the name your family might fit. It can be hard to find such projects, so start with the major DNA companies, such as Relative Genetics, Family Tree DNA or Sorensen Molecular Genealogy Foundation, but it would not hurt to do a Google search such as "Miller DNA Study." Christine also reminded us to make good use of the different genealogy forums, which we discussed further in the show. It is also important to use Cyndi's List as well as Linkpendium to find surname websites.

Christine is also a noted author. We earlier wrote about her book on courthouse research, but she is also the co-author of the Idiot's Guide to Genealogy, available at most book stores. Her other books are available on her website.

In our research tip from the Pros, we spoke about the very helpful "Site Finder" from Gold Bug. It's easy to use, and tells you the county for any location, while also plotting it on a map. Be sure to choose "Show both map and table." Meanwhile, our "Free Data Site" for the week was the excellent Database Searches from the Kentucky Land Office.

We also answered Laurie's question about creating her own free website by pointing out a series of articles (now up to three installments) on Dick Eastman's Online Newsletter. Go to "Host Your Own Genealogy Web Server at Home" for more information.

Also, as we wind down the first season of Family Roots Radio, we asked listeners to send us their suggestions for guests and topics as we plan the next season. Just write to korym@familyrootsradio.com. We're anxious to hear from you!

Episode Twelve: Podcast Available

If you missed our twelfth episode, you can listen to the archived version, or feel free to download a copy to your desktop or mp3 player.

The quickest way to download is to right click on the "download a copy" link above and select "Save Link As" (Mozilla) or "Save Target As" (Internet Explorer). You will then be given options where on your computer to store the file. Our podcasts are 60 minutes long and average approximately 12mb in size.

If you use Apple iTunes (available for Mac and Windows) to listen to podcasts, click here to subscribe via iTunes to Family Roots Radio.