Minnesota has lost a wonderful genealogist

Jean Legried was one of those people you admired. I thought about her last week when I realized I hadn't received her usual Christmas letter. Now I know why, Jean passed away on January 1st and her health had been declining.

I first met her back in the early 1980s. She taught me that a disability or other challenge need not stop a person from living, helping others, or from becoming a knowledgeable professional genealogist who kept up with standards and education.

Jean was a well-known genealogist is the Norwegian research community, in Albert Lea and Freeborn County as well as in Minnesota in general. She served on the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Genealogical Society with me. She taught us about the importance of handicapped accessibility at our meetings (and library) and that such access did not mean the dirty freight elevator! She was 200% correct.  People who have been active on the discussion list of the Association of Professional Genealogists and other online lists may remember her posts of past years. Jean was also an associate of the Board for Certification of Genealogists for many years.

Her late husband Peder was a fantastic cook and I remember the chicken salad he made for a meeting of a group of Minnesota professional genealogists many years ago. Jean bragged about her son, daughter-in-law and especially about the grandkids. I met her mother a couple times and she was so nice.

Genealogy has lost a special person.

Thank you to Sandy Thalmann for alerting me to Jean's obituary http://www.bayviewfuneral.com/obits/obituary.php?id=140931  I love the picture her family chose for the obituary.

Ancestry.com discontinues Expert Connect

I received this press release from Ancestry.com today:

"Over a year ago Ancestry.com created Expert Connect as a way to expand its service offerings and provide additional assistance for members through an elite group of professional genealogists and researchers. Through this service, customers were given the opportunity to hire genealogists to retrieve records, perform research or simply acquire expert advice. Though this service has been a positive experience, Ancestry.com

Professional genealogist or thinking about that occupation?

Today must be a big day for press releases. This just came from APG:

The Twelfth Annual Association of Professional Genealogists Professional Management Conference took place September 2, 2009, in Little Rock, Arkansas. The Syllabus is available for sale while supplies last at http://www.apgen.org/catalog/products.html for $20 plus shipping and handling.

The PMC presentations included:

• Writing Professionally by Tom Jones, CG, CGL, FASG

• Solving Mysteries for Money: the Forensic Genealogist and Private Investigator by Mary Ann Boyle, Ph.D., CG

• The Bachelor: Reconstructing a Solitary Life Using Obscure & Far-Flung Records by Mary Penner
  

• Talking to the World by Sherry Irvine, CG

• Elements of a Good Client Agreement by Richard Camaur, JD, CG

• The Genealogy Consumer: Who Pays for Professional Research? by Natasha Crain, MBA

• Publish! And Supplement Your Income by Desmond Walls Allen

• Bull's Eye! Planning and Delivering a Winning Marketing Campaign by Heather Henderson

• Get Paid For Your Passion: Becoming a Professional Genealogist by Elissa Scalise Powell, CG

Kathleen W. Hinckley, CG
Executive Director

What is a genealogical consultation?

I have received some questions in regard to my appearance on TV last week. A couple people want to know what a genealogical consultation is and how does it help someone working on their family tree.

That's an easy one to answer. It's as simple as hiring a professional genealogist to sit down and give you what ends up being a private class based on your own family. If you are new to genealogy, a consultation can help you get started. If you have been doing some work, the consultation helps you learn about more sources, where they are found, what else you need to know, and many other things. It's a time to ask all sorts of questions and get some answers that are directed specifically to your own research. These consultations can take place in someone's home, at a library or a restaurant.

Some consultations can be done as working sessions at a genealogy library or courthouse. No matter the place, it is reasonable to expect to pay for 2-3 hours minimum for an in-person consultation where you bring all your material with you and you take notes. If you desire a written report that will increase the time. If your consultation consists of you sending the professional consultant your materials, that person doing a thorough review and analysis of what you have, and preparing a report reviewing what you have done and what is suggested for the next steps, be prepared for several more hours of time. It takes almost as much time to prepare the report as it does to analyze the materials.

Who do you hire?

• Someone who has been researching family history for quite a while.
• Someone who knows about online resources
• Someone who knows about all the other important resources found in courthouses, archives, libraries, churches, and historical societies
• Someone who can review what you already have or have found and help you tailor a reasearch plan -- sort of a "to do" list for genealogy shopping.
  
• Someone who knows how to evaluate sources for their importance and accuracy
• Someone who continues their education in genealogy and history and hasn't been stagnant in the field.
  
• Someone who can look at the broader picture -- in other words who knows enough to help you get your ancestors out of the town, county and state you have them in.
  
• If you need help only in research in another country, that person needs to have a working familiarity with resources particular to that place.
• The consultant may be someone with access to a variety of databases that you don't have.
• The consultant may know of some obscure indexes, guidebooks, databases or even another professional that may be just what you need for part of your family history work.
• The professional may be a whiz at things electronic and can help set up your databases, software, and other options.

A consultation usually ends up saving you a lot of money down the road since you will now be better prepared for the continuing research process. And before you ask, yes, I am a genealogical consultant for hire. My area of expertise is the U.S. and Canada. It's one of the most fascinating aspects of my business.