The National Library of Scotland have announced a couple of workshops for January designed to help people make better use of their services. The workshops offer practical information on family history research and advice on what services they can offer to the family historian.
On the 14th January, the workshop is 'Getting started at NLS' and on the 15th January, the second workshop is 'Discovering family history at NLS'. If you're local to Edinburgh or have a Scottish ancestral connection , it may be worth a visit to find out more! There's more details on the National Library of Scotland website.
This year, The National Archives announced 'Discovery' their new online catalogue, would become the only way to search online through The National Archives record collections. Many family historians were used to the previous 'Documents Online' system in place before Discovery so to help with any queries and to help people find their way around the new online catalogue, The National Archives have announced a webinar on the 20 January 2014.
The webinar takes place from 14.00 to 15.00 hours UK time and will look at how to conduct searches, using keywords, filters and other useful features to help make the most of the 'Discovery' catalogue. It's hosted by Audrey Collins and if you'd like more information, please visit The National Archives website.
The Society of Genealogists 'Evening Skills Course Stage 1' starts up again on the 23rd of January. For those new to family history research or have only a little experience in researching, the course Stage 1 is ideal to build up your knowledge. It is a 10 week course.
The course has proved very successful in the past and the SoG have a team of professional genealogists who will introduce the records and illustrate how they should best be used for the study of family history.
According to the SoG website, "publications, electronic finding aids and the internet will, of course, be included along with all the basic sources needed to start research. Skills courses stages 2 & 3 will follow later this year."
If you'd like more information , please visit the Society of Genealogists website.
The latest competition run by TheGenealogist is currently available to enter on Facebook. It's a 'name the place' competition and there's a 100 free 12 issue subscriptions to 'Discover Your Ancestors', the online family history periodical up for grabs.
If you haven't seen Discover Your Ancestors, it's a great new online family history magazine with plenty of useful articles and handy tips for the family historian.
If you'd like to have a go at winning one of the prizes, go to https://www.facebook.com/thegenealogist?ref=hl
The new Christmas issue of the email newsletter from S&N Genealogy Supplies is now available to view. Find out what party games were popular at Victorian Christmas parties and also see the latest offers on software, scanners and other archival products. There's still time to order for a Christmas delivery in the UK too.
There's more at: http://www.genealogysupplies.com/email_news.htm
As the main family history fair in the world gets ever closer, the organisers have been issuing regular updates and promotions to entice people along for the 2014 event. With the first of the celebrities -John Simpson now confirmed, it promises to be another good event.
With the usual main exhibitors, excellent speakers and family history societies sure to be present and the Imperial War Museum launching their new First World War initiative at the show, there's many reasons for those both new to family history and the more experienced family historians to attend.
Don't forget the show runs from Thursday to Saturday this year with no Sunday opening:
Thurs 20th February 09.30 -17.30
Friday 21st February 09.30 - 17.30
Saturday 22nd February 09.30- 17.30
To whet your appetite, this is their latest video promoting the show:
http://youtu.be/sUeWyTrdM-0
The 'UK Archive Service Accreditation Committee' has announced the first fully accredited archive services:
Cumbria Archive Service
Exeter Cathedral Library and Archives
Media Archive of Central England
Network Rail Corporate Archive
Tyne and Wear Archives
Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service
Archive Service Acreditation is the new quality standard for archives services across the UK, developed in partnership with the archives sector and its stakeholders. It defines those organisations that maintain good practice and standards, including encouraging and supporting development.
According to The National Archives, "it is aimed at organisations that hold archive collections, whatever their constitution, and covers both private and public sector archives. It enables archive services to review and develop their policies, plans and procedures against a UK wide standard which has been developed by the archives sector, identifying strengths of the archive service and providing a framework to improve areas of weakness."
There's more available from The National Archives website.
TheGenealogist has added the unique Great War record sets of The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, one of the four London based Inns of Court for the law profession.
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple is one of the four London based Inns of Court for the law profession and has been a separate legal society since 1388. Offering accommodation to practitioners of the law and their students with facilities for education and dining, the organisation proudly produced commemorative records of their members between 1914 to 1918. The information includes their regiment, rank and if they were injured, killed or missing in action.The Inner Temple list includes the record of future prime minister, Clement Attlee who was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple in 1906. He served as a Lieutenant in the South Lancashire Regiment and was the penultimate man to be evacuated from Gallipoli. He was later seriously wounded in Mesopotamia before serving in France. His war service helped shape him into a distinguished prime minister who presided over a radical, reforming government.Available to view in the ‘Roll of Honour’ section of the Military Records on TheGenealogist, the records are taken from the ‘Roll of Enlistment’ publication produced by The Honourable Society of The Inner Temple.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is consulting on the census and the future provision of population statistics in England and Wales.
It is considering options for how and when information is gathered on the population in future, which may possibly involve an end to the Census, which has been around since 1801, such an important document for family historians in their research.
The consultation is open for just a few more days, until 13 December 2013. Individuals and organisations are encouraged to take part. The Federation of Family History Societies (FFHS) has got involved and submitted its comments in the online questionnaire. The comments they make and the links to the Consultation Paper and Survey Form can all be found on the Federation website. The direct link to the Office of National Statistics consultation page can be found here.
The Society of Genealogists have now announced their programme of events for next year. It promises to be a busy year with a number of lectures, talks and other events planned. The events cover a wide range of subjects of interest to most family historians. There is also a strong military theme to coincide with the anniversary of the start of the First World War happening next year.
If you'd like to improve your family history knowledge or keep up to date with latest developments, there's full details on The Society of Genealogists website.