26 Days until the Used Book Sale at Mount Clemens Public Library

Do you like books? Do you like to save money? Do you like to support causes? Yes? Yes? Yes?

Then mark your calendars for September 16 - 19, 2015. These are the dates for the Used Book Sale at Mount Clemens Public Library. This year all proceeds benefit the library's Genealogy and Local History Room.

September 16, 5 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 17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. is Day One of the Sale.

September 18, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. is Day Two of the Sale.

September 19, 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

MCGG Meeting Topics Revealed for Fall 2015 AND MCGG is Now on Pinterest!

Hi Everyone!

We have released MCGG's Fall 2015 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 blog pages, you will find the PDF file 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.)

NEW! And for those of you who use Pinterest, MCGG has been a member since July. Due to limitations on username length we had to abbreviate our name so finding us isn't so simple -- someone else had our initials already. You can find us on Pinterest here.

We hope you enjoy the coming genealogy season. 

See You Soon at the Mt Clemens Public Library!

LE

DNA Sales at Ancestry.com until August 17 and FamilyTree DNA until August 15

If you have been thinking about DNA testing here are two sales that might interest you.

At Ancestry.com, the AncestryDNA (autosomal) test is on sale for 20 percent off until 11:59 p.m. EDT, August 17, 2015. So that makes the test $79 (instead of $99) plus shipping costs which are generally just under $10.

If you are concerned about the recent sharing of some data by Ancestry.com with research studies, just be sure to NOT check the box regarding sharing your non-descriptive information for research projects. In the past this has been the second consent check box of the three presented when you are registering your test before sending the completed test back.

Ancestry's sale seems to be in response to an unannounced sale over at FamilyTree DNA (FTDNA), where there are two coupon codes for its unannounced DNA sale. The FTNDA website itself does not mention any sale. So after seeing this sale mentioned this weekend at The Legal Genealogist blog, I checked around and the codes are listed at the RetailMeNot website and other similar sites. Supposedly these codes are good until August 15. (FTDNA uses Central Time for its cut-off times.)

To save 15 percent off orders of $99 or more, use coupon code CJS2015.
OR
To save $30 off orders of $168 or more, use coupon code CGS30.

So the FTDNA's autosomal test, FamilyFinder, would end up costing $84.15 at 15 percent off. (Almost as good at the usually good sale of $79 aka 20 percent.)

For the more expensive tests over $168 (or multiple tests totally at least that amount), do the math to see which coupon code will save you the most money.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

  

Tuesday Tip: Give Your Digital Files Names With Meaning and Don't Delay Doing It

Tuesday's Tip 
Remember to give each file a name that clearly identifies what is in that file!
 
So you visited a library, archive or a relative and captured lots images of documents, photos or things using a device(s) like your camera, tablet, smart phone or a digital recording device supplied by the library/archive. You may have the ability to name the file as you capture it but often you don't have that option and now you have a lot of files with names like:

20140424121116647_0002.jpg 
IMG_0353.jpg
Scan_02.jpg 
01.jpg
DSCN0001.jpg

And honestly, those names don't mean anything when you're trying find the answer you know is on your computer somewhere.

You likely have these files in a folder (or a few) ... likely named for that research trip or date of the trip. If you're lucky maybe (just maybe) you took the time to sort those files into sub-folders that tell you what book you scanned. But more often you arrived home and other matters became the priority so your files sit in the same state they were downloaded to your computer.

Now how do you know what you have? And how do you find it? You don't without a lot of opening and closing of files or viewing folder contents using the large or extra-large icons view.

Simply, you have to carve out a little time here and there to rename those files and organize them in a way that you understand so you can find them when you need them.  There are a variety of naming and organization methods. Find one that works for you and make it a practice to schedule some time to do this right after you return ... not years later.
 
See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

Who Do You Think You Are? Summer Seaon on The Learning Channel (TLC)

Did you know that we are getting a Summer season of the genealogy television show, Who Do You Think You Are?

The Summer season of Who Do You Think You Are? starts this Sunday, July 26 at 9 p.m. EDT on the cable television channel, The Learning Channel aka TLC.

Celebrity guests announced so far for this season are: Bryan Cranston, Ginnifer Goodwin, Tom Bergeron, and Alfre Woodard. 

Also, it was revealed that J. K. Rowling's episode from the British version of the show will also air as part of this Summer season. (I think someone is listening to the viewers about what they'd like to see.)

Everyone has different television delivery/provider systems. Use your television provider's schedule system to find the TLC channel number on your provider system and to learn when the show will be re-aired again.

Also, the episodes are usually available on the TLC website page sometime after they have aired. So if you don't have TLC you should be able to watch the show on your computer over the internet.

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

Back to School Sales = Savings on Office Supplies and Tech for Genealogists

Note: This was originally posted at 4:59 p.m., July 22. The author now realizes that it is Wednesday not Tuesday and hopes to get back on track as to what is the current day of the week.
Tuesday's Tip 
Back to School Sales on school supplies are not just for kids!
 
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 so you can partake of the savings too.

What would interest a genealogist? The first things that come to mind are USB drives (large sizes at great prices and small sizes at even better prices), pens, pencils, pencil lead (for those mechanical pencils), highlighters, file folders or pocket folders, index cards for those that like old school ways, plastic file boxes (keep that water damage away), sticky notes, binders, paper, computer accessories, etc.

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. Just remember to get as large of hard drive, 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.

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

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

Mt Clemens Public Library Receives Proclamation from Governor and Donation from MCGG

Don Worrell (left) accepts the proclamation.

Today was the Mount Clemens Public Library's 150th Birthday Fun Fest. 

It was hot, it was fun and during the event our favorite library received two things. First, a proclamation from the state governor recognizing the library's 150th year was presented to Don Worrell, library director. And then a large donation from the Macomb County Genealogy Group to support the library's local history and genealogy room was presented to Don for the library by Ann Faulkner of MCGG. Thank you MCGG members for making this donation possible.

For those that could not attend today, here are just a few pictures from today.

There was live music ...

... a fire engine (with hats) and face painting for the kids ...

... lots of cake and food ...

... our Ann Faulkner surprising Don Worrell with our gift ..

... and we think a good time was had by all.

Almost didn't recognize our favorite assistant library director, Debbie.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE