August Newsletter

August is "Back to School Month" in our communities, but did you know there are a lot of wacky and fun holidays in August as well?  Make it a month of celebrations!

August 1st - Respect for Parents Day.  Give your parents a call and express your appreciation for them, or record your appreciation for your parents in FamilySearch.

August 3rd - National Twin Day.  Check your FamilySearch account to see if there are any twins in your family.

August 4th - Hooray for Kid's Day.  Write up a memory with or about a child, send it to them, or add it to your Person Page in FamilySearch.  They'll only see it after you die, so it could be a surprise story for them in the future.  

August 9th - National Book Lovers Day.  Record a video at the Center about your favorite book.  

August 10th - Update Your Bio Day.  What a great idea!  Add that bio to your FamilySearch Person Page for safekeeping. 

August 12th - National Middle Child Day.  If you're a middle child or have a middle child, reach out to your older and younger siblings and share with them how special you are as a middle child to have each of them in your life!

August 13th - International Lefthanders' Day.  Check out FamilySearch and see if you can find any left-handers in your family.  If you know of any left-handers in your family, add that information in as a custom event to share the information with future generations. 

August 16th - National Tell A Joke Day.  There's an option to share your favorite joke on the Record My Story under Activities in FamilySearch. 

August 18th - Never Give Up Day.  Use this day to "try again."  We all have dead ends in our family trees.  Go to one of those dead ends and take a second look.  Maybe today will be the day to find the clue or the source you need.  If not, don't give up, and try again later.  Did you know you could record yourself reminder notes under the consultant planner section within FamilySearch?  Want more information about how to use the consultant planner for more than just consultants?   Check this blog post.    

August 19th - Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan; a celebration between a brother and his sister.  Reach out to your brother or sister and have a good chat with them, or record a favorite memory of your siblings on FamilySearch if they are deceased. 

August 22nd - Be an Angel Day.  Learn how to use Record Linking Lab and be an "angel" helper for future users in FamilySearch.  Check out their Facebook page for current projects and how to videos.

August 25th - Sacrifice Our Wants for Others’ Needs Sunday (the last Sunday in August).  For inspiration, check out this article from a RootsTech presentation given in 2017.

August 27th - World Rock Paper Scissors Day.  Just a fun way to remember childhood games.  Maybe you didn't play rock paper scissors as a kid.  If not, what games did you play?  Record them in FamilySearch or share your favorite games with your children or grandchildren. 

August 31st - We Love Memoirs Day.  What is a memoir?  According to Oxford Dictionary, a memoir is "a historical account or biography written from personal knowledge or special sources."  That means we all have memoirs to share.  Choose one to share with your family now, or start writing a family book as a Christmas gift.  Personal gifts are great, but they take a great deal of time.  Also, watch for classes at the Center about writing your own personal history or stories about others.  

Check out this post for more options. 

When you've finished the celebrating, and since the kids have jumped back into learning and researching, maybe it's time for you to do so too!  

There are a lot of options, here's just a few.

Come to the Center for some great one-on-one assistance.  

   Our hours of operation:

• Sunday 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm
• Monday 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
• Tuesday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
• Wednesday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
• Thursday 10:00 am to 8:00 pm
• If in doubt if we're open or have a quick question, call us: 208-878-7286

Check out our calendar for our classes this month.  

Check out our zoom replay options available.   

Free NGS Online learning options. 

New research option, only recommended for experienced researchers.  Turning on the 3-Star Record Hints in FamilySearch.  Check out the blog post for more information.

LINKS TO THE BURLEY FAMILY HISTORY CENTER'S MEDIA PAGES

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 Happy Pioneer Day!

Do you have pioneers in your lineage?  Or, are you going to be a pioneer for your future family?

To see if you have pioneers in your lineage, check out the activities on FamilySearch. 

Sections to view include: Female Pioneers, My Nauvoo Relatives, Pioneer Child, Pioneer's

Children Memorial,  Pioneers, and Saints by Sea

Talks and Quotes about Pioneers

1 - Elder Ballard- Pioneer Faith and Fortitude

2 - President Hinckley - These Noble Pioneers

3 - President Monson- Quotes about Pioneers

4 - President Oaks - Following the Pioneers

5 - Elder Featherstone - Pioneer Legacy

Media Library Collection of Pioneers from all over the world

Family History News 

1 - Did you know FamilySearch has added in a special cemetery search option?  Check it out here or go to the "search" drop down menu and select "cemeteries."

2 - Introducing Three Star Record Hints for Experienced Researchers.  Learn more about it and how to turn this option on in this blog article. 

3 - Updates to FamilySearch Memories Viewer. 

4 - Your Impact through FamilySearch.  See how your contributions have been helping those around the world.  

5 - Guided Research.  The best places for finding birth, marriage, and death records based on geographic location. 

6 - Temple and Family History Consultant and Planner videos.  These options can be used by everyone.  Check it out and see what you can learn about your family. 

7 - Genealogies.  "FamilySearch Genealogies is a large directory of family trees, also known as lineages or pedigrees, that people and organizations have shared with FamilySearch.  We organize the information into collections and make it available for you to search."

8 - The 1931 Canadian Census is available.

9 - Need a little encouragement or a jump start to your own research?  Check out some of the featured RootsTech videos for some inspiration.

 

10 - FamilySearch Newsroom.  Check it out for all of the latest updates for FamilySearch including links to the classes available at the FamilySearch Library.

Happenings at our Center:

1 - Our Summer Youth Program continues on Thursdays from 2:00 - 5:00 pm until August 8th (except July 4th). All youth are welcome. Those under age 11 should be accompanied by an adult. Each week will consist of a short lesson about family history and working together on Goldie May, followed by food and fun, and concluding with time to work on your own family history goals. Fun for everyone!


2 - Cameron is teaching Beginning Conversational Spanish classes for the rest of the summer. There are zoom links and google classroom options to work at home as well. Check out the calendars! Classes are on Tuesdays and Thursdays.


3 - Check out a new edition to our blog, Opciones en español (Options in Spanish) for websites, translation options, and other options to assist those Spanish speakers in our area. Note: Cameron is available to teach classes in Spanish if a group wishes to schedule one. You can contact Cameron directly at 208-312-5052.


4 - Limited classes will we taught during the summer. Watch for a full line up this fall including some new Zoom Class options.    

Be sure to check the calendar for all classes!  

The Burley FamilySearch Center will be closed on

the 4th of July!

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June Newsletter

Family History is for All Ages!

We are excited to announce our annual Summer Youth Program will be starting on June 13th!  We have a new format this year.  Each youth is encouraged to set a personal goal for themselves for the summer in relation to family history.  We will have lessons for 30 minutes at the beginning of each week, followed by a group activity relating to family history.  Then an hour of food and fun with friends.  The last hour will be dedicated to helping youth fulfill their own personal goals.  Come see what we have to offer.  Youth groups are welcome to attend.  

Involving younger children

Here are some great activities to try at home with your family.  Some are from the Friend Magazine, but the concepts apply to all ages.  Set a family history goal this summer of yourself!

"Little" Family History Celebrations by Blossom Heart and Home.  Ideas for fun family history activities to involve younger children. 

Family History Treasure Hunt from Friend Magazine in 2022

January -  Build your Treasure Chest

February - Music in My Family

March - Testimony Builders for my Family

April - Favorite Places

May - What's Important

June - Good to Eat

July - Where Do You Come From?

August - What's Special about Your Name

September - Remember Me

October - Talents in my Family

November - Family Traditions

December - Preserve Your Treasures

Family History Mystery from Friend Magazine in 2015

January - Current Heirlooms

February -  Future Heirlooms

March - Funny Family Stories

April - Family Photos

May - Your Photo

June - Your Family Pioneers

July - Your Baptism

August - None this month

September - Recipes

October - Favorite Scripture

November - Journals

December - Christmas Traditions

Make connections with family members using Family Groups and Together App

More information on these from YouTube video 

Turn on the Together App then download the app from App Store (at current, the only app available for download is for iOS)

Together App class by Cameron on YouTube

Turning on the Family Groups with information video from FamilySearch

Family Group class by Cameron on YouTube

New Summer Class - Conversational Spanish for Beginners

This class will start on June 6th and run for 12 weeks on Thursdays from 5:00 to 6:30 pm.  It will be taught by Cameron.  Here's what he posted to Facebook: "Whether you'd like to learn Spanish to better converse with friends and family or you'd like to improve your indexing and family history skills in another language, this class would be perfect for you!  Taught by Cameron Briggs in the comprehensible input method.  All ages welcome.  12-week bootcamp will be basic but intense to get you on your way to speak Spanish by the end of summer.  Classes will be held from 5:00-6:30pm.  For extra practice, there's a fun opportunity afterward to volunteer and teach English as a second language from 6:30-8:00 pm at the Community Council building.  We’ll mostly be using free resources available online.  One of them is Dreaming Spanish.  We will be using Google Classroom to keep track of homework, worksheets, videos and communicate.  So even if you can’t make it in person some weeks, you’d still be able to keep up."

Be sure to check the calendar for all classes!  

The Burley FamilySearch Center will be closed:

June 16th for Father's Day!

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May Newsletter

We're Official - New FamilySearch Sign!   

Tons of things happening at the Center and our blog has been updated.  Here's the highlights: 

Summer Youth Program 

Our Summer Youth Program will be held from 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. on Thursdays, June 13th - August 8th (except July 4th).  Each week will start with a 30 minute family history lesson, followed by 30 minutes working on a community project.  Then break time with food and fun.  You'll finish off the day working on your own family history project or working towards goals set at the beginning of the summer.  All ages are welcome to come; those under age 11 should be accompanied by an adult.

Mission Prep and FamilySearch

Cameron Briggs will teach a five week class about how to use FamilySearch on your mission.  Classes will start Sunday, May 5th at 4:00 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.  It will be repeated throughout the summer.  Check the calendar for dates and times. 

Cruz Professional Book Scanner

Scanner donated by Cameron Briggs

Cameron will be creating some how to videos about how to use this scanner.  Here's a link to a youtube how to video.  This will scan books, newspapers, or other documents and save them to searchable pdfs (among other save options).  It is also helpful for those larger photos or documents that will not fit on our other scanners.  If you want assistance using this device, contact Cameron for a quick user tutorial.  We have equipment to digitize about any media you might have.  Just bring items and a flashdrive (preferably new) to the Center and leave with digital copies to share with family and friends or post online. 

Check out all of our digitize options. 

Have you seen the zoom links?   

We have started posting zoom classes, including some from the expo.  Check them out here:  Zoom Replay Links

Activities

We have updated our activities page on the blog to include more options and it appears as its own page. Activities 

Groups

We have also updated our Group Visits page on the blog showing all of our options.  Check it out here:  Group Visits. 

Veterans

Do you know a veteran who would like to have their story preserved forever?  The Library of Congress is offering that option.  Senator Mike Simpson's office is assisting the Veteran Memorial Project.  Open to all veterans, including National Guard and Gold Star Families.  For more information contact:  Jessica Hammond at (208) 734-7219  Or check on the webpage.

National Prayer Day May 2nd!

Other helps out there:

Transkribus  Transcription assistance for multiple languages.  Not translation, but OCR transcription of those difficult to read old handwritings.  A free option or a paid subscription.

FamilySearch Inspire-  All About Your Ancestors.  Family History Experiences designed just for you. 

Quick Start Lesson Videos by FamilySearch

Five Things You Need to Know about DNA Testing by Amy Johnson Crow

Ten Old Map Collections for Family Historians

Full Text Search with Genealogy TV 

Why We Need Our Family Story More Than Ever by The Family History Guide

Be sure to check the calendar for all classes!  Please note that the May 2024 calendar is two pages.

The Burley FamilySearch Center will be closed:

May 26th and 27th for Memorial Day!

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April Newsletter

 Searching for Something Special!  

Check out these options....

How about a Special Learning Option- from home via Zoom Classes

We had some zoom classes taught at our Expo in February. Cameron has been teaching some classes via zoom for the last few weeks.    Some of these classes were recorded.  All of Cameron's classes in the future will be on zoom and recorded. We hope to include other instructors with some zoom classes in the coming weeks and months.   As the zoom recordings are processed and uploaded to YouTube, we will be including those videos on the "Zoom Class Replays" page available from the blog tabs above.   So if you can't make it to the center to watch these classes, you can zoom them live while they happen.   The links for the zoom classes will be shown on the calendar.  The calendar is also shown on the blog tabs above for ease in finding the links.  If you just can't make it or watch the class via zoom, wait for a bit and we'll get the link to the replay uploaded to the blog page. 

If you have specific classes you would like to see, just let the center know and we will do our best to accommodate your requests.  Or we'll try to find one for you online if we aren't capable of doing that class.   We look forward to "seeing" you at the center in person, or on zoom!    See the new "Calendar" tab above for ease in getting to the calendar for the zoom links. 

How about a Special Service Option

Do you have a desire to serve in Temple and Family History, but not available to do on a full time mission?   There's options available to work from home- and not just the missionaries whom answer the questions via phone.  Providing the ability to grow the tree in fun and exciting ways.   Or maybe a mission doesn't fit your personal situations at this time, your tree seems full, but you still want to be involved with family history- come learn more about serving a VROC mission, using Goldie May to add people and sources to FamilySearch and what the Record Linking Lab is all about.    Something for everyone!   Tammy will be offering this class on April 1st.... no fooling!    A chance to make a difference and to feel the spirit more in your life as your serve others!

Worth Repeating…..  Special Youth Options for Wednesday Evenings!  

We are offering some more options for youth to learn about family history.  The following options are available for Wednesday evening groups.  To schedule a youth group on Wednesday, call Heather at 208-312-2514.  If you need another time, call the center 208-878-7286 for contact information to make the necessary arrangements to accommodate your needs.   

• Know Your FamilySearch Center - Learn how to use Ordinances Ready, use the family history activities on FamilySearch, and use the Recording Room

• Ancestral Hometown Project - Choose a hometown from an ancestor in your tree using the fan, chart, use the map feature, then use Google to learn 3 things about that hometown.  Use Goldie May to attach records from that town, county, state, or country.

• Connecting Families - Learn how to attach sources and the information found in them to your family, thus assuring that ALL members of a family are found.

• Help with the current FSC project - We are helping our local museums and FamilySearch find people and connect their documents and stories to them.  Ask what the current project is.

• Love Your Cousins - Learn to use Ordinances Ready to connect families and how to do descendancy research to ensure that all members of a family have their temple work done.  You can also learn to use Family Groups to help with temple work.

• Family Heirlooms - Learn how to use the free FindMyHeritage photo tools, i.e. enhance, colorize, repair, animate, PhotoDater, AI Time Machine and Photo Storyteller. Take pictures and tell stories of family heirlooms so that those precious memories are preserved for the entire family.  Bring 1-5 photos on a flash drive or scan them to your empty flash drive at the FamilySearch center.

Online Options including some from Roots Tech

How to Self-Publish Your Family History Book by Maureen A. Taylor

All the Stories - Links to your FamilySearch account and shows the stories in your own family in one easy place to locate. 

Alice Child's Website offers some free options for learning and helps for Temple and Family History Consultants

Temple and Family History Bingo Cards

Amy Crow's Advice on the Three Biggest Genealogy Research

Brick Wall Ancestors Need a Search Party 

Where Did You Find that? Effective Searches on FamilySearch

Empowering Genealogists with AI

What's New at FamilySearch?

Fixing Sticky Problem in FamilySearch

Genealogy TV with Connie- Top Secret Research Trick

What's New at Ancestry by Crista Cowan at Roots Tech Presentation  

Full Text FamilySearch Video by Connie Knox

Be sure to check the calendar for all classes!

The Burley FamilySearch Center will be closed:

March 31st for Easter! and April 7th for General Conference

LINKS TO THE BURLEY FAMILY HISTORY CENTER'S MEDIA PAGES

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