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Speak!
Volume 29, Number 1 March 2020
The Online Newsletter of the Genealogical Speakers Guild
From Our President I hope you enjoy this issue of Speak!
You may want to visit the Volunteer Opportunities page in the Members’ Corner of the GSG website. There you will find that the Publicity/Marketing Chair responsibilities have been updated, as well as the deadline for receiving your applications for this position. Also on the page are the four positions GSG needs to fill in order to add educational webinars to the list of benefits for our members.
There is also one more bit of assistance the Board and I would like from the GSG membership: please let us know what topics you would like to see addressed in a webinar. Send your suggestions to [email protected]
I hope all our members are staying healthy. Many society meetings and conferences have been cancelled and, therefore, speaker presentations have been cancelled. We all look forward to the end of these trying times and a return to normalcy.
Enjoy the articles and columns in your Speak! For future issues of the GSG newsletter, it would be wonderful if you took a moment to let me know what you like best, what you want to see added, or would like to see dropped/stopped.
Margo Fariss Brewer
President, Genealogical Speakers Guild
In This Issue
From Our President ......................... 1
Webinar Volunteers Needed ............. 2
Call for Nominations .......................... 3
Society Column ................................. 4
Calls for Papers ................................ 6
Member News ................................... 7
Member Info ...................................... 8
Speak! Policies/Board Members ...... 9
******* The next issue of Speak!
will be published in June 2020
March 2020 Speak! 2
REVISED CALL TO FILL WEBINAR POSITIONS!! Due to all that GSG members are facing with COVID-19 inconveniences and anxieties, the deadline for submitting applications for the necessary webinar positions, explained below, has been extended to 20 April.
The GSG Board would like to begin offering educational webinars every other month in the fall. However, to do this we need at least four of our capable members to step forward and volunteer for the positions needed to run an effective webinar. We know some of our members have this experience. Please help us resurrect this valuable benefit to all GSG members.
All of the webinar positions will be under the supervision of the GSG Board.
The four (4) webinar positions are:
Administrator - already filled - thank you
Two (2) Monthly Hosts (who work every other webinar)
o Duties: Assist in providing the Treasurer with
information for the yearly budget. Obtain a handout for the presentation
from the speaker. All speakers are encouraged to provide a handout.
Provide the handout to the webmaster for posting on the members-only protected area of the website.
Schedule a practice session with the speaker.
Obtain the cell phone number of the presenter in case it is needed the night of the webinar.
Obtain a copy of the presentation in a PDF file or presentation file, in case it is needed.
Provide speaker payment information via email to the GSG Treasurer for payment upon webinar completion.
Thanking the speaker promptly via email, acknowledging a successful webinar. Confirm that the backup presentation slide deck they provided has been deleted.
Moderator
o Duties: Start the webinar 30 minutes ahead Do soundchecks Start the recording Watch "in the background" for glitches Answer technical questions, etc. At the end of each presentation, will
provide any attendee questions to the presenter.
Do you have experience with one of these positions? GSG could use your help! Please send your application with name, biography, and contact info: [email protected].
We need your application by 20 April 2020 GSG is looking forward to your help as we take this step forward. Remember, GSG is a non-profit volunteer organization, so Ask not what your Guild can do for you, but what you can do for your Guild.
Your GSG Board
Margo Fariss Brewer, President C. Ann Staley, Vice President Elizabeth O'Neal, Secretary
Diana Crisman Smith, Treasurer Timothy N. Pinnick, Director Sheila Benedict, Director
March 2020 Speak! 3
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS The GSG 2020 Nominations Committee, consisting of Michele Doyle, Jamie Mayhew, and Phyllis McLaughlin, is seeking persons interested in serving the Guild. Nominations are open for three Genealogical Speakers Guild Board positions. The term for these officers is two years, from June 2020 to June 2022. The open positions and their duties are:
President: The chief executive officer of the Guild; presides at all meetings of the Executive Board and all membership meetings; appoints all committees; with Board approval acts on behalf of the Guild; and is responsible for filing all applicable forms.
Treasurer: Responsible for receiving, dispersing, and recording the funds of the Guild; presents a financial report at each Executive Board and membership meeting; responsible for filing all government tax forms (city, county, state, and/or federal) as required; and prepares an annual proposed budget for approval.
Director: Represents the general membership by voting on all issues before the Board and performs other duties as requested by the President or the Board.
If you have any interest in seeking any of these positions, contact the Nominating Committee and nominate yourself. This is not the time to be shy! Do you have some time that you can contribute to improving your Guild? Do you have expertise that would benefit the Guild and, by benefiting the Guild, benefit the members?
The Nominating Committee is charged to present at least one name for each vacant position. All nominees, whether presented by the committee or membership, who are members in good standing will be placed on the ballot for members' consideration.
Also, any member may nominate any other member, with that person's permission. Nominations will close on 13 April 2020. A ballot will then be prepared for electronic voting by each member in good standing, as outlined in the bylaws.
Send your nominations and any questions to the Nominating Committee at: [email protected].
DO YOU HAVE A BUSINESS BROCHURE? Now is the time to create your brochure, or update it, before the rush of conferences start next year.
Not sure how you want your brochure to look? Think about:
Picture or NO Picture? Graphics? Paper stock – Color? Pattern? Glossy? Tri-fold or single panel?
Also, think about their size. Brochures displayed in the Guild's conference booth need to be either a trifold or no larger than 3.75" x 8.5” to fit in the display holders; we no longer display business cards and odd-sized material.
Having your brochures displayed at the national conferences is one of your membership benefits. Take advantage of it by planning that brochure – or updating the one you have – today.
March 2020 Speak! 4
SOCIETY COLUMN USING GSG’S “CALLS FOR PROPOSALS” PAGE TO
CONNECT WITH SPEAKERS Program chairs are always on the lookout for fresh topics and new voices to add to their lineup of presentations for the year. One service the Genealogical Speakers Guild provides that can help is our Call for Proposals page. Calls for
proposals allow societies and speakers to partner in putting together programs that provide a variety of quality education within the society’s budget.
Most of the calls for proposals that go out for genealogy presentations are from conferences or webinar series, but societies can take advantage of this service, as well. Sending out a call for proposals lets you see who’s interested in speaking to your society, and you may be surprised at who responds. If a speaker from another part of the country is going to be in your area doing research or visiting family, your call for proposals can get that speaker’s attention and could result in a great addition to your year’s programs. Calls for proposals can also help you get to know speakers in your area you may not be familiar with or speakers
from just outside your area who are willing to travel a bit to present to your group. A call may also result in a speaker’s expressing willingness to put together a new presentation on one of your desired topics. Using a call for proposals frees program chairs from the limitations of using the same speakers again and again or choosing only from the list of presentations on a speaker’s website or listing in the GSG directory. Submitted calls for proposals are posted on the GSG website and are announced in each issue of Speak!
March 2020 Speak! 5
How does it work?
When you begin planning for your next year’s program sessions, include a call for proposals in your plan. A call does not have to be long and involved, but it needs to go out well ahead of your program year, and it does have a number of parts that help speakers decide whether to propose and that assist the speaker in preparing a response to the call.
1. Information about your society—where you are, dates and time you meet, length of presentations you’re looking for 2. Deadline for proposals—your deadline should give the speakers a minimum of 6–8 weeks to respond and then whatever time you need to go through the proposals and make your selections 3. Email address to send proposals to 4. Maximum number of proposals—you may or may not want to set a maximum per speaker 5. Topics you are interested in—the more specific you can be, the easier it will be for speakers to respond 6. Compensation—speaker fee, any other expenses you pay, what you don’t pay for 7. Structure for the proposals—here is a sample structure:
a. Speaker’s name, address, email, phone b. Speaker biography c. Previous lecture experience d. Presentation title e. Presentation description f. Audience level g. Preferred date(s) for the presentation
Post the proposal on the GSG website by sending an email to the webmaster at [email protected]. In addition, send it directly to speakers you would like to have on your program and invite them to propose. As proposals come in, be sure to acknowledge them with a brief email
thanking the speaker. You may want to include information about when you expect to make decisions on the program. After the deadline, review the proposals, make your selections, and send emails inviting the speakers you’ve chosen. Once you have responses from those you’ve invited, review the remaining proposals to see whether any of them might work to fill any holes in the program schedule. If you still have vacancies in the schedule, send invitations to speakers who have not proposed. Once your schedule is complete, send emails to those speakers you did not choose, letting them know they were not chosen and encouraging them to propose again next year. Advantages for Societies A wider range of choice in speakers and topics Proposals targeted to the society’s desired topics for the year Ability to put together the entire year’s program before the year begins Letting speakers come to you, rather than chasing them
Advantages for Speakers Awareness of societies within their travel range Awareness of societies in areas they plan to visit Ability to target proposals to society’s needs Ability to propose new presentations that meet society’s needs
Calls for proposals for societies’ program years allow speakers and societies to work as partners to meet their mutual needs. Both sides win in the process. If you have topics you’d like to see addressed in future columns, please contact me at [email protected].
March 2020 Speak! 6
CALLS FOR PAPERS The following is not a comprehensive list of speaking opportunities. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some events may have been cancelled or postponed. Please check with sponsoring organizations before submitting.
If you are aware of additional calls, please send to [email protected]
DEADLINE 31 Mar 2020 UGA Summit of Excellence - Virtual Conference 2020, This conference will be held virtually. Up to six lecture proposals will be accepted. For full details, guidelines, and compensation, please visit ugagenealogy.org/cpage.php?pt=587
DEADLINE extended to 15 Apr 2020 NGS 2021 Family History Conference, “Virginia: The Deep Roots of a Nation” will be held in Richmond, Virginia. The conference will be held 19-22 May 2021 14-17 Apr 2021. You may submit up to eight proposals. For full details, guidelines, and compensation, please visit https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/call-for-proposals and https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/speaker-compensation-details
DEADLINE 15 Apr 2020 The Fourth Meeting of the Critical Genealogies Workshop will be held at the University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia, 23-24 October 2020. Please see the website for full details criticalgenealogies.weebly.com/
DEADLINE 30 Apr 2020 Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS) conference will be held in Hampton, Virginia, 14-17 October 2020. Please see the website for full details www.aahgs.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.viewPage&pageID=3028&nodeID=60
DEADLINE 15 Jun 2020 The Register of Qualified Genealogists (RQG) 2020 Conference: “Genealogy and Social History: Know your Ancestors” will be held at the The Science and Industry Museum, Manchester, England, on 26 September 2020. See the website for full details: www.qualifiedgenealogists.org/2020-conference and www.qualifiedgenealogists.org/call-for-papers
DEADLINE 1 Sep 2020 The Society of Genealogists and the Halsted Trust are coming together to host a major family history conference: “Elizabethan Ancestors: Genealogy from the age of Elizabeth Tudor to Elizabeth Windsor.” This event will be held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Derby, DE74 2TZ, United Kingdom, 3-5 September 2021. Speakers may submit up to five proposals. Please see the website for full details: www.elizabethanancestors.org.uk and forms.gle/SfDxHhzJSXsR9TF29
March 2020 Speak! 7
MEMBER NEWS
Beginning in January 2020, GSG member Frieda Stiehl’s recently published book, Alfred & Agnes, has been serialized in The New Yorker Staats-Zeitung, the leading German-language weekly newspaper in the United States.
https://www.masthof.com/products/alfred-agnes-the-story-of-my-immigrant-parents?_pos=1&
This is a well-researched, compelling, true family history and immigrant survival story that reads like fiction.
The author, the daughter of German immigrants, grew up on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania. She holds a degree in German studies, spent many years studying and living in Germany, and has a deep knowledge of German history and culture.
In 2016, Frieda won first prize in the Excellence-in-Writing Competition (Unpublished Authors Category) sponsored by ISFHWE.
Availability: $24 (Soft-cover) from Masthof.com. Also available from Amazon.
MEMBER NEWS The Genealogical Speakers Guild, and the genealogical community as a whole, was diminished by the passing of Robert “Bob” McLaren on 17 March 2020. Bob, a long-time GSG member, was a fixture at nearly every major conference, usually sharing his knowledge at the FamilyTreeDNA booth. His research specialties were Scottish and Scots-Irish Research, and Genetic Genealogy (DNA).
A Scotsman through and through, he was invariably in his kilt, complete with sporran and a Sgian Dubh tucked into his sock. He was a kind man, a gentle man, and a gentleman. He was always happy to help and to renew acquaintances. Rest in peace, Bob. You will be missed.
March 2020 Speak! 8
DUES RENEWALS/ NEW MEMBERS
If paying dues renewals, or joining GSG for the first time, here are a few reminders: 1. Pay dues online through the GSG website. Select Membership Information from the menu bar, then select Join or Renew. Payments made through the GSG website will be processed via PayPal. You do not need to have a personal PayPal account, and we never see your credit card information. 2. Please do not go through your personal PayPal account to pay GSG—the funds will not automatically come to our account. In addition, YOU will pay the PayPal fee. When you use the GSG site, WE will pay the fee. 3. When paying your dues online, you will receive a letter from the Guild president. When renewing, please fill out the Membership Contact & Survey Form (opens in the GSG website - you don’t have to log in) to ensure that we have your latest contact information.
Any questions? Please email [email protected]
THE GSG IS ON FACEBOOK! Are you one of the 87 members in the Facebook GSG Members Group?
To join the group:
1. Go to Facebook 2. Search for GSG Members Group 3. Click on the result with the GSG logo 4. Click on the "Join" button and answer the questions 5. In a day or two, you will be a member.
If you have problems joining the group, contact Margo at [email protected].
March 2020 Speak! 9
Speak! Policies Speak!, the quarterly newsletter of the Genealogical Speakers Guild, is published in March, June, September, and December. The deadline for submission of articles and other material for the newsletter is the 15th of the prior month (15 February, 15 May, 15 August, and 15 November). As stated in Article II of the Bylaws of the Genealogical Speakers Guild (as amended and restated May 2004), the objectives of GSG shall be
1. To provide a unified, effective voice to promote speakers’ interests by providing a forum for the discussion of topics of concern to genealogical speakers;
2. To broaden the speaker base by identifying, educating, and assisting promising speakers;
3. To raise professional lecture standards; and 4. To aid speakers in understanding and fulfilling their
obligations to program planners and to audiences. Guidelines for Submitting Feature Articles Prior to submitting a feature article, authors are requested to review the newsletter guidelines outlined in this document (Speak! Policies) and submit article topic to Speak! editor, Lauren Maehrlein ([email protected]), for approval. Unsolicited articles will be returned to the author along with a copy of Speak! Policies. Articles must address a topic directly related to genealogical
speaking. Articles should be no more than 2,000 words. Book reviews should be no more than 750 words. The editor retains the right of acceptance of all articles,
news, and announcements. The editor retains the right to edit articles for accuracy, clarity, and length. Articles will be edited to
conform to the latest edition of The Chicago Manual of Style. Authors retain their copyright. First-time submissions should be accompanied by a short (75 words or fewer) bio of the author and a
photo. Both will be printed with the article when published. Not all articles submitted may be accepted for publication. Articles may not be published in the order in which they are received. The editor will balance
content and topics throughout the year. Articles by non-members will be considered when space permits.
These guidelines do not apply to member news, calls for papers, or other notices and/or announcements submitted by GSG members. Adopted November 2010; updated January 2015.
GSG BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President: Margo Fariss Brewer, 2020 Vice President: C. Ann Staley, 2021 Treasurer: Diana Crisman Smith, 2020 Secretary: Elizabeth O’Neal, 2021 Director: Sheila Benedict, 2021 Director: Timothy N. Pinnick, 2020 Speak! Editor: Lauren Maehrlein, MA
Tami Mize, proofreader Editor Emeritus: Phyllis Matthews
Ziller, MLIS Webmaster: Mark Beasley Roots-L Mailing List Moderator:
Jeannette Piecznski GSG Facebook Page Administrator:
Eric Basir National Conference Coordinators:
Margo Fariss Brewer and C. Ann Staley
