Genealogists Prepare! It's Back-to-School Sale Time! Time to Restock Your Genealogy Supplies

 It's time for our annual reminder ...
Back-to-School Sales on school supplies are not just for kids! These sales are for genealogists too!

Just a few of the many supplies a genealogist would use.

They're here ... Back-to-School sales are out there. So prepare yourself for these sales AND for Amazon Prime Day 2024 which is July 16 & 17 this year.

Anyone who uses a lot of common office supplies should keep their eyes and ears open for some extreme savings that are only around this time year for certain supplies. So be smart and pay attention to those Back-to-School Sales going on for the next couple months so you can partake in the savings too. 

What would interest a genealogist? The first things that come to mind are USB Flash drives (large sizes at great prices and small sizes at even better prices); printer/copier paper; pens and pencils; pencil lead (for those mechanical pencils); highlighters; file folders or pocket folders; paper and binder clips; index cards for those that like old school ways; plastic file boxes (keep that water damage away); sticky notes; binders; paper; computer accessories (like mice, computer bags, external hard drives for backups and backups for the backups or to just expand your file storage capacity, printers, software, large monitors, and more); etc. Even office desks and chairs can be found on sale. 

Yes, for some things it is best to make sure you get acid-free versions, but that can get expensive and sometimes compromises must be made. Note acid-free copier/printer paper is easier to find nowadays. 

Also, at about this time of year (July/August/September) computer manufacturers are about to release their new models so good to great prices can often be found on this past year's models. (If your computer is really old and can not upgrade to Windows 10 11 because of old hardware or low-memory issues consider these sales. Also if your computer is more than five years old consider the changes currently taking place in Windows 10  11 updates that will not account for older hardware.) Why risk continuing to use old hardware -- step into the modern technology world. Just remember to get as large of hard drive and as much memory as you are able to afford, and keep an eye on processor speed/power. There are other factors to consider when buying a computer -- these are three key ones. While desktop computers are a little less expensive, laptops have the advantage of portability meaning you can take them with you to the library or researching. 

Laptops with DVD/CD readers/burners are getting harder to find but you can find them though it may mean a larger laptop. Or consider getting a stand-alone DVD/CD drive to go with the laptop. Chrome books and tablet/laptop conversions can be cheaper but may not run your programs/applications. Make sure the device you are considering can handle your must-have program/applications. 

A new thing to consider is the number of USB ports included in the laptop/desktop and even which other ports are included. Many of today's computers are now using USB-C (that smaller port) rather than traditional USB so you also want to keep an eye out for a USB hub or docking station which allows you to expand your plugin options using just one USB-C port. Some hubs simply give you more USB ports others also add HDMI ports, SD-card ports, ethernet ports, audio/mic port, etc. there are many combinations out there. And, do not forget about those external hard drives for additional storage space AND for backing up all your data. Lastly, you can always add a large-size monitor to make viewing the screen easier.

And for those who shop Amazon. Hopefully, you see this before the 2024 Prime Day begins. If not you might want to wait for Black Friday/Cyber Monday.  Put what you are eyeing in a shopping list and watch it for a while to see how the price drops or rises. Great deals can be found so keep an eye out for those short term deals but remember to do your due diligence and make sure your sale price is indeed a good one.

May you find the deals on what you need, not on what you don't need. 

See you at our favorite library! 
LE

Archives of Michigan Releases a New Collection; Making Some Updates Too!

How about some news about the Archives of Michigan?

 
1. Through a partnership with the Daughters of the American Revolution National Headquarters (DAR) of Michigan, the Archives of Michigan is proud to release a new online collection on Michiganology.org -- the Michigan World War I Veteran Service Cards.

These are informational cards created in 1921-1932 about Michigan veterans who served in the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marines from 1917-1919. They provide a wealth of information for family historians, including place and date of birth, current residence, rank, assignments, battles, and injuries. Given the near-total loss of federal WWI service records from a 1973 fire in St. Louis, Missouri, state-level collections like this one are an effective alternative! You can search the collection by name, birthplace, army serial number, city, county, state, and birth date. (Note: some cards just have an age or approximate age rather than a birth date.)

As of this time Michiganology's homepage does not reflect the collection's release. But it is there.

2. The Archives of Michigan is and has been updating its Michiganology.org website. Now when you go to preform a search, you are actually taken the Michiganology search interface on the preservica.com site. Besides the tailored search interface for Michigan Death Certificates 1897-1952, there are now somewhat tailored search interfaces for Michigan State Census 1827-1894; Surveyor Field Notebooks 1815-1918; Survey Maps 1816-1860; General Photograph Collection ca. 1860-1990; Archives of Michigan Map Collection ca. 1810-1970; State Government Records; Local Government Records; and the World War I Collection.

From the Michiganology.org homepage if you select Browse Digital Collections, you are taken to a landing page telling you about the changes happening to the search features of the Michiganology website. Essentially, "The Archives of Michigan has recently updated its metadata indexer. These changes will add new metadata fields for upcoming collections, allow for sorting results, and improve overall searchability. A full re-indexing of all digital collections is being complete to ensure every collection is up to date with the new indexer. As collections are being re-indexed, you may experience some irregularities when searching. These should resolve once all collections are fully re-indexed. We appreciate your patience as we work to improve your search experience on Michiganology."

You can then select a specific collection from the icons at the bottom of the page or select Advanced Search and then pick a collection.

Using the World War I Collection Service Cards as an example, we searched using just a surname. (See above.) The results were presented with filters on the left, or you can just scroll the list. 

After selecting a result, the resulting page shows what was abstracted and images of the card's front and back. Use the icon above the abstracted information and image (circled in red in this image below) to download a PDF with the card's images.

3. The Archives of Michigan's second floor Reading Room will be closed to the public starting June 24 for some remodeling updates and will reopen July 15. But the public can access materials from a temporary location.

From the Archives of Michigan website page, "The Archives of Michigan will be closed to the public on Monday, June 24, 2024, due to remodeling. Starting on Tuesday, June 25, the reading room will be temporarily located in the Morris Learning Center on the first floor of the Michigan Library and Historical Center's east wing. Researchers can access books, microfilm, and archival material from this temporary location during the remodel. Please be patient as retrieval times may be longer than usual. The Archives of Michigan's second floor reading room will reopen to the public on Monday, July 15, with new carpet, tables, and chairs."

Have a great summer researching!
 

See you at our favorite library!
LE

Mount Clemens Public Library's Local History & Genealogy Room will be Closed Wed., July 3rd; the Library will be Closed July 4 - July 7 for the July 4th Holiday

Just an FYI ...

"American Flag" by JeepersMedia is
licensed under CC BY 2.0. Altered: cropped.

The Local History & Genealogy Room at Mount Clemens Public Library will be closed tomorrow, Wednesday, July 3rd, so the staff can work on some projects.

And, the Mount Clemens Public Library will be closed for the Independence Holiday from Thursday, July 4 to Sunday, July 7. The library will reopen on Monday, July 8.

Enjoy the Independence Holiday! Be Safe!

See you at our favorite library!
LE

This Wednesday is MCGG's Last Meeting of it's 50th Anniversary Year

This genealogy year was MCGG's 50th Anniversary Year. This Wednesday is the last official meeting of our 50th Year. We hope you have enjoyed our year and we hope to see more of you back in-person for our 51st year of MCGG.

MCGG Let's Talk...Genealogy discussion group meets in-person (hybrid) THIS Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. in the Local History & Genealogy Room of the Mount Clemens Public Library. Our topic is ... Tips to Find What You Don't Know.

Let’s share and compare how we figure out what we don’t know – find the information to form an answer to a question, find how to do an aspect of genealogy we are unfamiliar with, etc.

Our plan is that our meetings will be hybrid meaning the meeting will be in-person with a virtual Zoom option. The Zoom meeting link (or registration link) will now be found on our Southeast Michigan Genealogy Events Calendar and our Facebook page. Members will receive a reminder email with the Zoom invite or a reminder that registration is required for a meeting.

New attendees are always welcome.

 

See you at our favorite library!
LE

Family Tree Maker 2024 Great Lakes Tour, 2 Events Next Week with Virtual Option

For our MCGG Members and readers who use Family Tree Maker genealogy software, Software MacKiev is having a Great Lakes Tour that kicks off later this week with the Ontario Genealogical Society Conference in Toronto, Canada, on June 14 that ends June 22 with the conclusion of the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society 50th Anniversary Conference. Click here to see the various Family Tree Maker Tours.

In between the conferences of the Great Lakes Tour, Family Tree Maker has three events -- one in Michigan, one in Ohio and one in Pennsylvania though that one is private. Registration is required for the events.

The Michigan event on Monday, June 17, 2024, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. is hosted by the Washtenaw African American Genealogy Society and the Fred Hart Williams Genealogical Society at the Ypsilanti District Library.

Unfortunately, the in-person registration portion of the event is closed. But there is a virtual Zoom option. If you are not able to attend in person, you can register via Zoom by clicking here.

The Ohio event is on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. is hosted by the Ohio Genealogical Society in Bellville, Ohio.

Unfortunately, the in-person registration portion of the event is closed. But there is a virtual Zoom option. If you are not able to attend in person, you can register via Zoom by clicking here.

Here is what both the Michigan and Ohio events will cover per the Software MacKiev's website: The Family Tree Maker team has been listening to you — our customers — and working hard to create a compelling major new edition. We will be showcasing all the new features and capabilities live at this event. Attendance is free, and we hope to see you there.

• Session 1: Introducing FTM 2024 and Reminding Our Users of What Family Tree Maker Already Does So Well 
• A quick review of the current Family Tree Maker edition.
• Family Tree Maker is already an amazing program with many underused features.
• Connect! A completely new workspace and new Relative Hint™ feature that make it easier than ever to share your tree and collaborate with your family.
• Easy on the Eyes™: a revolutionary way of enlarging parts of the screen right when you need it. An answer and relief for those of us with tired old eyes.
• Hyphenated dual surnames support following the Hispanic tradition.
• Improved support for managing and reporting relationships.
• Tools for cleaning up orphaned items (media, sources, and citations).
• And more… 

• Session 2: A Deep Dive with Family Tree Maker Connect and AlbumWALK 
• New improvements to Family Tree Maker Connect, and using Family Tree Maker Connect for yourself.
• Sharing your tree with family and receiving new Relative Hints.
• Introducing AlbumWALK® — Making your photos talk — literally.
• Working seamlessly between Family Tree Maker and AlbumWALK.
• Q & A.

LE Note: If this is similar to the tour done before the release of Family Tree Maker 2019, there may be an opportunity to pre-order FTM2024 at a discounted price. Please note: we are guessing about this possibility based on personal attendance of a FTM2019 tour event before its release.

See you at our favorite library!
LE

Legacy Family Tree version 10 Released -- It's Free!

Legacy Family Tree version 10 genealogy software is released on June 3!

See a video and lists of new features on the Legacy Family Tree website. New features include a FAN (Friends, Associates and Neighbors) Club Report based on shared events you have entered; 5 additional new reports (Ahnentafel Report, Names/Lifespans only, Pedigree Chart option to use ahnentafel numbers, Surname Groups and Family View (based on the Legacy software interface.) With version 10 now you can see your ancestor locations on Google Map; have BillionGraves Support; and double the amount of Quick Access Icons from 10 to 20; Color Coding now with two starting points for you and your spouse; more tools with the DNA Center. 

And everything is free with Legacy 10. Everything in Legacy — and they mean everything — is now free! All features, tools, and reports previously available only in the Deluxe Edition are now included in Legacy 10. That includes customer favorites: Wall Charts, Research Guidance, Chronology. There is now not a difference between standard and deluxe features.

At this time this is the PC/Windows version. See the system requirements for Legacy version 10.

For additional news on what is included in Legacy version 10, see the release announcement post.

See you at our favorite library!
LE

Holidays, Anniversaries Mean Genealogy Sales and Free Access in June

June is a busy month for many with events like graduations and weddings and Father's Day. This year we have the 80th Anniversary of D-Day (probably the last major anniversary where veterans of World War II will be present.)

"American Flag" by JeepersMedia is
licensed under CC BY 2.0. Altered: cropped.

These various events tie into genealogy and result in various sales and free offers in the genealogical and family history community.

So, keep an eye for those DNA Sales to name just one type of sale.

As for free offers, FindMyPast.com is having a free access "weekend" from 10:00 BST Thursday, June 6 to 10:00 BST Monday, June 10 that is 5:00 a.m. EST Thursday to 5:00 a.m. EST Monday.

Almost all of Findmypast’s family tree hints, newspapers and records are free to access. The 1921 Census of England and Wales and Tree Search are not included. To view any excluded resources during the free access period, you’ll need a valid subscription. Read our free access terms and conditions here .

Have fun researching your ancestors!

See you at our favorite library!
LE