by Lisa Cooke | Feb 25, 2016 | 01 What's New, RootsTech
One lucky winner has claimed the RootsTech 2016 Genealogy Gems Think Tank Grand Prize! See what was won–maybe there’s something you’d like to award yourself.
The Genealogy Gems booth at RootsTech 2016 was a hopping place. Thousands of people stopped by to say hello, check out products, ask questions and get selfies with Lisa.
Hundreds of those who came by entered to win a fantastic Grand Prize, with more than $275 worth of prizes contributed by those who delivered Think Tank talks in our very own mini-theater. Congratulations to the winner, Eric Youngberg!
These were the prizes. What do you see that you might want to award yourself? Thanks for using our links to make any purchases: that supports the free Genealogy Gems podcast.
- From Lisa Louise Cooke:
- From Lisa Alzo:
- Ready, Set, Write! Share Your Family’s Story Video Class ($9.95 retail value; watch a preview here)
- Digital Writing Tools for Genealogists Video Class ($9.95 retail value; watch a preview here)
- 10 Ways to Jumpstart Your Family History Narrative Video Class ($9.95 retail value; preview not available)
- From Family Tree Magazine:
- From Denise Levenick–Her 2 Favorite Genealogy Smartphone Tools:
- From Diahan Southard:
Featured prize: Genealogy Gems Premium Membership
Genealogy Gems Premium website membership brings you a full year’s access to exclusive content by leading genealogy educator Lisa Louise Cooke. Learn family history research strategies and technology tools–delivered in Lisa’s warm, conversational style–from more than 25 on-demand webinars and more than 130 Premium podcast episodes. At $39.95 for for hundreds of hours of genealogy education by Lisa Louise Cooke, it’s a bargain–and a booster for your research!
by | Feb 10, 2016 | 01 What's New, Book Club, RootsTech
We have a door prize winner for the Genealogy Gems Book Club Open House held at RootsTech 2016. And here’s how everyone’s a winner with the free Genealogy Gems Book Club.
The Genealogy Gems Book Club got two thumbs-up at RootsTech 2016! Several people I talked to have enjoyed reading our featured books and then listening to the author interviews at the end of each quarter. Others are simply tuning in for the author conversations or adding the books to their “to read” lists. That’s what we love about the Genealogy Gems Book Club: there’s something for everyone.
At the Genealogy Gems Book Club Open House last Thursday at RootsTech, we offered a chance at a door prize for all those who suggested a book title for the Book Club. Alexis Maurer from Salt Lake City, UT won the drawing! She’s received a year’s Genealogy Gems Premium website membership, giving her full access to the Book Club interviews on the Premium podcast every quarter.
There’s still plenty of time to enjoy this quarter’s featured title, Orchard House: How a Neglected Garden Taught One Family to Grow
, a memoir by Tara Austin Weaver. Tara is one of the world’s leading food bloggers, as author of Tea & Cookies. Her recipe for Orchard House is one part food, one part gardening and two parts family drama, liberally seasoned with humor and introspection. She’ll appear on the Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast in March. (Interview excerpts are played on the free Genealogy Gems podcast, too.)
Click here to read more about the book and see other titles we’ve recommended.
by | Feb 3, 2016 | 01 What's New, Google, RootsTech
Won’t be at RootsTech? You can still watch Lisa Louise Cooke’s popular classes on using Google for genealogy for FREE online this Friday.
One of Lisa Louise Cooke’s most popular lecture topics is Google searching for genealogy. In fact, after teaching, she often hears back from people like Debbie, who recently emailed to say, “SOOOOO happy…I have had this brick wall for over ten years…couldn’t find a thing to prove a connection that I suspected. Thanks to a [webinar] by Lisa Louise Cooke, I found the solution to my brick wall yesterday! I was so ecstatic.”
That’s why I’m glad that not one but TWO of her classes on Google searching for genealogy will be live streaming this Friday for FREE. Here are the details:
“Proven Methodology for Using Google for Genealogy” at 1:30 pm MST. This is one of only 15 popular RootsTech classes that will be streaming at RootsTech.org. Go to their website to watch and to learn about other free streaming RootsTech sessions.
“Google Power Strategies“ at 5:45 pm MST. Lisa is teaching this class at our booth and will be streaming it live through Periscope.
Get the free Periscope app in Apple’s App Store or Google Play, sign up for a free account, and follow Lisa Louise Cooke to tune in.
Be sure to get the app and follow Lisa right away! This is our maiden voyage using Periscope, the live broadcasting app. If all goes well, we’ll stream live from the expo hall floor sporadically throughout the week in addition to this special Google session. If you sign up for notifications in Periscope you’re phone will “ping”
Mary Tedesco from Genealogy Roadshow at Rootstech talks genealogy TV and Italian research with Lisa Louise Cooke at RootsTech.
It can be tough to choose from all the streaming classes, but don’t worry if you miss some of them! Amy Crow and Peggy Lauritzen will both be joining Lisa for YouTube videos on their streaming class topics, so you can catch the highlights later on the Genealogy Gems YouTube channel. That’s a great place to catch exclusive interviews like the one shown here with Mary Tedesco (click here to watch it!).
Sign up for the free Genealogy Gems newsletter at the top of this page (and receive a free Google search e-book!) to hear more about these and other “Genealogy Gems!”
by Lisa Cooke | Feb 1, 2016 | 01 What's New, Conferences, Oral History, RootsTech
StoryCorps founder Dave Isay will keynote at RootsTech 2016. Can’t catch him there? Watch his inspiring TED talk about the stories of our lives. It will make 
you want to go interview someone!
I’m looking forward to hearing Dave Isay at RootsTech 2016! An award-winning radio producer, MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship and TED prize winner, and the founder of StoryCorps, Dave has spent his life capturing other people’s stories. He’s so passionate about it–and he’ll be sharing that passion as a RootsTech keynoter on Friday, February 5.
Dave’s TED talk on gathering people’s stories is amazing and I’m not the only one who thinks so. It’s had over 1.1 million views so far. If you’re going to be at RootsTech 2016, don’t miss his talk. If you’re not (or if you want a sneak peak of his awesomeness), watch his TED talk below:
“Every life matters equally and infinitely,” Dave says. Inviting someone to talk about his or her life “may just turn out to be one of the most important moments in that person’s life, and in yours.” We do this when we record loved ones’ life stories. We honor their feelings, experiences and opinions by asking about them and preserving them. Sometimes we share personal moments of understanding, forgiveness or revelation. As Dave says, “Amazing conversations happen.”
Why not make it a goal to capture a loved one’s story in an interview in 2016? Better yet, why not do it soon, in celebration of Valentine’s Day? It’s a gift of love that builds your relationship with whomever you interview. And when you’re done, you’ll have documented more family history. What could be better?
We {Heart} These Ways to Capture a Loved One’s Oral History
Use the StoryCorps App (StoryCorps being the story-archiving program founded by Dave Isay)
Transcribe a Q&A with a Loved One: Write Your Family History
How to Reconstruct Childhood Memories
by Lisa Cooke | Jan 25, 2016 | 01 What's New, Conferences
Will you be at any genealogy conferences in 2016? Lisa will! She’d love to meet you. Here’s the trick: register in advance so you get the best prices, hotels and more.
Are you planning to attend any genealogy conferences in 2016? Conferences are great for learning in-person from top-ranked instructors. It’s energizing to rub shoulders with attendees who share your passion for genealogy. At many conferences you can also shop for family history books and other products that boost your research.
Here’s a list of upcoming events where Lisa will be teaching. Mark your calendars and register early (many have early-bird registration discounts). And definitely say hello to Lisa when you’re there! (Click here to see the most recent calendar on her website.)
Rootstech 2016
Innovator Summit, Rootstech sessions, and the Think Tank at Lisa Louise Cooke’s Genealogy Gems booth #1230
Salt Lake City, UT
Feb. 3-6, 2016
Elgin Genealogical Society
Live Webinar
Elgin, IL
Feb. 18, 2016
OC Public Libraries | Laguna Hills Technology Library
Special Presentation: Google Earth for Genealogy
Laguna Hills, CA
March 4, 2016
Genealogy BASH!
Orange County California Genealogical Society
Huntington Beach Library, Huntington Beach, CA
All Day Seminar
March 5, 2016
Ark-La-Tex Genealogical Association
Bossier, LA
All Day Seminar
March 12, 2016
Kansas Historical Society
Topeka, KS
All Day Seminar
April 16, 2016
Bend Genealogical Society
Bend, OR
All Day Seminar
April 23, 2016
Ohio Genealogical Society Conference
Mason, OH (near Cincinnati)
April 28-30, 2016
Gems Contributing Editor Sunny Morton will be presenting here, too!
National Genealogical Society Conference
Fort Lauderdale, FL
May 4 – 7 2016
Ontario Genealogical Society Conference
Ontario, Canada
Keynote
June 2 – 4, 2016
Midwestern Roots Conference
Indianapolis, IN
July 15 & 16, 2016
Genealogy Society of Southern Illinois
All Day Seminar
August 13, 2016
Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society Conference
Arlington, WA
August 19, 2016
Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference
Springfield, IL
August 31 – Sept. 3, 2016
Can’t make it to any of these? Check out Lisa’s top-notch teaching in these FREE video presentations:
Google Earth for Genealogy Video Class
How to Use Evernote for Genealogy
Google for Genealogy: It’s All Related
