Family History Library/FamilySearch Microfilm/Microfiche Rental Ordering Now Extended to September 7, 2017

We just spotted this one just a few minutes ago. Apparently a software upgrade at FamilySearch.org inadvertently removed the ability to order LDS microfilm rentals for a good part of a week. The error has since been fixed.

Microfilm lending (rentals) were due to end tomorrow, August 31, 2017, but to make up for the "lost time," FamilySearch officials have extended the lending expiration date to September 7, 2017.

If you tried to place a rental order and got an error message that the film did not exist, try placing that order again. It should work now unless the microfilm is already digitized or is a restricted film. If you still have not ordered your microfilm rentals, take a breath and know you have a few more days to place that order. But again we suggest you do not wait until the last minute to do so.

The nearest local Family History Centers here are in Roseville and Bloomfield Hills.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

Got Eastern European Ancestors? Take a Little Road Trip ... Lisa Alzo to Speak at Toledo Lucas County Public Library

If you have Eastern European ancestors and don't mind a little road trip, Lisa Alzo is presenting Researching your Eastern European Ancestors from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on September 23, 2017, at the McMaster Center of the Toledo Lucas County Public Library's Main Branch in Toledo, Ohio.

Alzo will discuss the basics of Eastern European genealogy and provide tips and tricks to help you along the way.

Register at the Toledo library website events page or by phone at 419-259-5233. The program is free as is parking. For the lunch break you can bring your own lunch or visit one of the local restaurants.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

Free Access to UK and Irish Records on Ancestry.co.uk

Don't have an Ancestry subscription with access to the world records?

Monday is a summer bank holiday in the United Kingdom so Ancestry.co.uk is having a free access weekend to its UK and Irish Records until 11:59 BST, Monday, August 28, 2017.

See a list of the featured collections available for free on this page. To participate in the free access weekend you need to register for free with Ancestry.co.uk to receive a username and password. Your ancestry.com (United States) username and password won't work.

Be sure to download any of your finds because access to the records after the free access weekend will require a paid membership.

Have fun searching.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

It is 28 Days until the Used Book Sale at Mount Clemens Public Library

Coming Soon!

Mark your calendars for September 20 - 23, 2017. These are the dates for the Used Book Sale at Mount Clemens Public Library sponsored by the Macomb County Genealogy Group.

September 20, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. is the Preview Event. Preview Event Admission is $10 per person. Shop the sale early for the best selection.  

September 21, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. is Day One of the Sale. 

September 22, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. is Day Two of the Sale. 

September 23, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. is the Last Day of the Sale. 

Check back here for additional details in the coming weeks.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library! 
LE

The First MCGG Friday Meeting for Fall 2017 is September 8 ... Welcome Back

Fall is just around the corner and that means genealogy meetings are returning. MCGG's first meeting of Fall 2017 is on Friday, September 8, at 1:00 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Mount Clemens Public Library, Cheryl Warnock will present Organizing and Preserving Your Photos.

If you are in the Mt. Clemens area, PLEASE JOIN US.

See you soon at the Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

The Macomb County Genealogy Group Reveals Its Meeting Topics for Fall 2017

Hi Everyone!

We have released MCGG's 2017 Fall meeting schedules for our MCGG Friday Group and our Let's Talk...Genealogy discussion group on Wednesday. 

The meeting dates and topics can be found on the respective pages of this blog site or in our Southeast Michigan Genealogy Events calendar on the Calendar page. 

On both the MCGG Friday Meetings and Let's Talk Meetings pages, you will now find the PDF file link of our current meetings flyer which can be viewed and downloaded. (Please note the image of the flyer in this post is just a low-res image. To see/download the flyer PDF you need to go to either of the meeting pages.)

We hope you enjoy the coming genealogy season. 

See you soon at the Mt Clemens Public Library!
LE

Macomb County Genealogy Group Adopts a New Logo as of August 2017

MCGG's New Logo as of August 2017.

The Macomb County Genealogy Group (MCGG) is proud to announce we have a new logo. 

MCGG's own roots began on 12 October 1973 as a program meeting of the Mount Clemens Public Library. The group has been meeting year round ever since on every other Friday afternoon. Our previous logo was designed by past MCGG chairperson Karen Harris in about 2004. About 13 years ago MCGG began the Let's Talk...Genealogy discussion group an evening meeting that has meet once a month (September to June) to allow those who work during the day to partake in their chosen hobby of genealogy.

MCGG's former logo.

To go with our incorporation as a non-profit in 2016 we decided to update the MCGG logo. We kept and updated the book; traded the laurel for a pedigree chart and a "sphere" representing the world; and after moving some elements around we added our established and incorporated years.

Our Let's Talk...Genealogy logo, created a few years ago, received a slight update of colors to coordinate with the new MCGG logo. 

MCGG's revised Let's Talk...Genelaogy logo.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library! 
LE

Intermittent Closures Over the Next Few Days Possible for MCPL Parking Lot

The new and revised MCPL parking lot. Photo courtesy
of Debra Larsen, Mount Clemens Public Library.

Due to some additional repair work that has become necessary, the parking lot of the Mount Clemens Public Library located on Cass Avenue in Mount Clemens may be closed intermittently over the next few days.

If you find the lot closed, please park next door at the church parking lot on Cass Avenue.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

August 14 - 20: MyHeritage Record Week Free Access to One Billion Census Records

MyHeritage website is celebrating passing the 8 billion historical records mark on its SuperSearch with a free access week August 14 - 20, 2017, for everyone to all its major census collections from the U.S., U.K., and Ireland, Canada, and Nordic countries.

Starting today you can search 94 census collections without a data subscription. Got ancestors from Finland, Sweden and Denmark? MyHeritage has some exclusive records that other websites do ont have for those countries. Links to various census collections can be found in the MyHeritage blog post announcing the free access week.

It appears no username is required to search and see the census images. Please note that the page display is a bit different than the other big genealogy websites, we suggest clicking on display full screen to better see the census image.

For those with ancestors in Northern Germany, don't forget that Sweden controlled parts of Pommerania for a long time so if you have some surnames that sort of sound Swedish take a look. Or put in the your ancestral village name and see what appears. A search for anyone born in Tribsees (a village in Vorpommern, Germany) yielded a few results. The census does not cover that area of Germany but it catches those born there that moved back to Sweden.

Have fun searching!

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

MCPL Parking Lot Construction is Done

The new and revised MCPL parking lot. Photo courtesy
of Debra Larsen, Mount Clemens Public Library.

The parking lot repairs for Mount Clemens Public Library located on Cass Avenue in Mount Clemens are now finished.

Come visit the library. Do some research or check-out a book and/or movie and enjoy the lot's new smooth surface. No more dodging holes and metal drain grates. 

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

Ancestry Summer Sale until August 15 AncestryDNA Tests Now $69

Ancestry.com is having a Summer Sale on its AncestryDNA test. Regularly $99, the test is on sale for $69 plus taxes and shipping until 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, August 15, 2017.

For those who buy things on Amazon, the AncestryDNA test is on sale for the same sale price but shipping is free because it meets the $25 minimum to qualify for free shipping. If you are an Amazon Prime member, your free shipping gets the product to you even faster. On the Amazon website, do a search for AncestryDNA. Usually only one result with AncestryDNA appears, click on it to see the item entry. Look next to the green In Stock under the price and you should see "AncestryDNA Official" and not a third-party of another name.

Autosomal DNA tests can be taken by males or females.

As of last month, AncestryDNA tests must be activated by the test taker with a separate email and Ancestry username. The test requester can be given access by the tester (DNA owner) as a manager. For elderly and those without computers to be tested Ancestry's recommendation is to help them set up the needed accounts. Genealogy bloggers have had some ideas on how to do this.

In addition, remember that to access all aspects of a DNA test like being able to contact matches, you need to have an Ancestry database subscription. Or at least an AncestryDNA Insights subscription which is about $49/year as of 2016, does not include database access and is available by contacting Customer Service by phone. BUT note that if someone is doing a test for you, that DNA owner does not have to have an Ancestry subscription. As long as you are invited as a manager of that test and you have an Ancestry subscription you will have the same access to all the features as your own or other tests you already manage.

Yes there are now more hoops to jump through with an AncestryDNA test, but Ancestry does have the largest DNA test database (matches) available.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

Genealogy News Catch Up

Usually we try to post on genealogy news as it happens but sometimes life gets in the way. Here is a compilation of some genealogy-related news items.

Family History Library/FamilySearch Microfilm Rentals to Cease Distribution September 1, 2017
Back on May 30th, FamilySearch announced that it will discontinue distribution of FHL microfilm/microfiche rentals on September 1, 2017. Two of the reasons for this are changes in the microfilm industry and the progress made on digitizing its microfilm collection. Though FamilySearch says it does not expect to be complete digitization of its collection until 2020.

The last day to place a microfilm rental order is August 31, 2017. If you know you need/want to order microfilm(s), do so sooner rather than later. To order/rent a microfilm, log into your free FamilySearch user account, double check that you have specified the Family History Center you want your rentals to be delivered to and then use the FamilySearch catalog to locate the films/fiches you desire. Click on the icon to order the film/fiche. You might want to prepare you list of film/fiche numbers first to make ordering easier. Payment is by credit card or PayPal.

What happens after September 1st? We're not sure. If digitized microfilm is not made available freely from home, it might be possible it could be added to restricted access items meaning you would need to view it when visiting a local Family History Center or at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. What happens will likely depend on FamilySearch getting revised/updated agreements with the owners of the original material/records regarding distribution.

Genealogists may be taking a few more research road trips in the future.


MyHeritage Acquires Millennia Corporation (Producer of Legacy Family Tree Software and Legacy Family Tree Webinars)
On August 3, My Heritage and Millennia Corporation announced that MyHeritage is acquiring Millennia Corporation which is the producer of the Legacy Family Tree software and Legacy Family Tree Webinars website/service.

The merger is friendly and the announcement says "... everything will stay the same ... just better." New features will be developed for future releases/updates, an improved webinar platform to provide more than than 1,000 virtual seats for live webinars, "significant discounts" on MyHeritage subscriptions and DNA tests, and the same high-level customer service.

To celebrate the acquisition, there is a limited-time offer thru Sunday, August 13, 2017, of saving 50 percent off of Legacy Family Tree software and/or Legacy Family Tree Webinar 1-Year memberships (new customers or extensions for existing customers.) Use the links below to get to the product sale, or use the links in the Legacy blog announcement which is linked above.

Legacy Family Tree software
Regularly from $34.95 now from $17.48

Legacy Family Tree Webinar 1-Year Membership
New or Extension regularly $49.95 now $24.98

If you are an existing Family Tree Webinar subscriber/member, do not forget to sign into your webinar membership account before placing an order.


Do Not Forget the Family Tree DNA Month-Long Friends and Family Sale
See our August 1st post on the Family Tree DNA Friends and Family Sale on DNA tests that started August 1 and continues thru August 31.
Those are the news items, there will be another catch up post regarding genealogy sources in the near future.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

Finally, Word about the 'Preserve the Pensions' Digitization Project Status

Yesterday the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) on its website's blog FGS Voice published a post on the what has been happening (not happening) with the digitization of the War of 1812 pension files located at the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C.

FGS acknowledges that genealogists have been frustrated by the lack of progress on this project despite the Preserve the Pensions fundraising initiative accomplishing its overall goal. No new War of 1812 pensions files have been added to the Fold3 website for about a year.

Now we finally know that the security issues at the St. Louis branch on another project (unrelated to the War of 1812 pensions) lead to an all-stop of all digitization projects. Unfortunately the negotiated next step, a test of the new procedures on M[oore] - Q pension files, will not be completed until third-quarter 2018. (It is planned to start this September.)

So it appears the last section, the R-Z pension files, will not be started until after that — a very long wait for those with end of the alphabet ancestors. That is assuming the test of new procedures/protocols goes well. Hopefully FGS will do better at keeping the genealogical community informed even if the whole story can not be shared.

Read the full FGS Voice post by clicking on the link above.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

Parking Lot Construction Progresses, Mount Clemens Public Library Still Open

MCPL parking lot after one
week of construction.

It has been one week since construction began on parking lot repairs for the Mount Clemens Public Library located on Cass Avenue in Mount Clemens. Progress is being made and construction continues. 

Though the library parking lot is completely closed for repairs and resurfacing, the library itself is still open during this time. 

MCPL parking lot at end of day one last week.

Neighboring business First Presbyterian Church is kindly allowing library patrons to park in its FRONT parking lot accessible by Cass Avenue. Entry into the library will only be available through the south (FRONT) entrance which is the one facing Cass Avenue. The north entrance (to the library parking lot) will be closed due to the construction.

So if you are planning a visit from far away or even nearby, do not worry the library is open for business. You just have to remember where to park for a short while.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

Friends & Family Sale at Family Tree DNA Save on Select Tests until August 31

originally posted Tuesday, August 1, 2017 at 1:19 pm. made comment regarding a particular sale price

Last year it was the Sizzling Summer Sale, this August it is the Friends and Family Sale ... either way DNA tests are on sale for 20 percent off at Family Tree DNA until August 31, 2017. 

So which tests are on sale? 

Individual Tests
Autosomal Test  Family Finder is now $69, regularly $89 save $20

Y-DNA Test (male-only, father's line)  Y37 test is now $139, regularly $169 save $30

mtDNA Test (male or female, mother's line)  mtFull Sequence test is now $159, regularly $199 save $40 
 
Bundled Tests (for one individual)
Autosomal Test with Y-DNA Test (multiple tests package for one male)
Family Finder with Y37 test package is now $198, regularly $258 save $60
 
Family Finder with Y67 test package with mtFull Sequence is now $430, regularly $556 save $126
 
Autosomal Test with mtFull Sequence Test (multiple tests package for one person who can be male or female) 
Family Finder with mtFull Sequence package is now $218, regularly $288 save $70

Upgrades for Existing Y-DNA and mtDNA Test Holders 
mt or mtPlus to mtFull Sequence upgrade is now $119 
y12 to y37 upgrade is now $69
y25 to y37 upgrade is now $35
y37 to y67 upgrade is now $79
y37 to y111 upgrade is now $168
y67 to y111 upgrade is now $99
Big Y upgrade is now $449 [note: The Big Y upgrade sale price has also been reported as $395. This cost difference may be due to participation in a Y-DNA Project. FTDNA Project administrators and their participants often get a small price break on test kits.]

If you already have a DNA test at Family Tree DNA and want to upgrade that test to include another type of DNA test that is on sale and buy an upgrade to your existing test, simply sign into that particular DNA test kit and then place the order. You will need to do this for each test separately if you plan to upgrade multiple tests. 

Shipping and taxes are extra which vary depending on where the test is being shipped. Shipping to Michigan was $12.95 (the last we know) which covers receiving and sending the test.

Also, remember that Family Tree DNA also has a DNA Automsomal Transfer option. Autosomal DNA Transfers can be done with 23andMe V3 or V4 tests and AncestryDNA V1 and V2 tests. The initial transfer is free for a look at your matches and is just $19 to unlock the test to see more and be able to contact matches. We have two posts here and here that explain DNA Autosomal Transfers.

Family Tree DNA does not require an annual subscription. Each test kit has its own login/password. You can manage your own test or allow (give access) to someone else to do so for you. Inside the test kit is a release form the tested person signs and sends with the samples so the DNA can be tested. There is also an option to indicate Beneficiary Information (who gets access to your DNA after you are gone) in the test kit account settings.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE