Conferences are fantastic and everyone should attend at least one a year. I know sometimes it is difficult to get to them because of distance and the cost involved. These days we can get a lot of information from the conference on Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and sometimes live streaming.
The FGS Conference this year is in Fort Wayne Indiana which has the Allen County Public Library. It is is one of the largest genealogy libraries around. I was able to attend the conference the last time it was in Fort Wayne and got to research at the APCL for the first time. You wouldn’t believe all the research possibilities!
Genealogy conferences provide a lot of networking opportunities and the chance to meet new people. I always meet at least five new people at every conference I attend. The fun part is meeting the bloggers I follow on a regular basis in person. Putting a name to the face and having a nice conversation about genealogy without the noticeable glaze over that you get from family and friends who aren’t interested in your passion.
Besides being able to do some research at the ACPL the lectures offered by FGS this year are great. I am not representing a society but I still find the society lecture series informative. This year I am looking at “Creating Master Databases from Local Genealogical Resources” and “Creating a Virtual Cemetery Project.”
The methodology stream holds a lot of interest for me as well. This year I would like to learn more about DNA. Of course you always want to see speakers like Elizabeth Shown Mills and Thomas W. Jones not to mention Paul Milner. Since I am from Canada I am interested in lectures on the Border States such as Ohio, New York and Michigan. It can also be the lure of a great story even if I have no interest in the area of research.
All these are on offer this year at the FGS Conference in Fort Wayne Indiana. Have you registered yet? Why not go in and see what is available on the program schedule. Don’t forget to start working on your research plan for the ACPL.
See you in Fort Wayne!
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