The following announcement was posted to the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies’ Public Records Access Monitoring Committee’s mailing list and is republished here with permission:

A hearing has been scheduled for the bill, LD 601 An Act Regarding Indices of Vital Records, regarding indices to certificates and records of marriage, intentions to marry, domestic partnerships and death including fetal death from 1892 to the present to be open to the public without restrictions. Indices to certificates and records of birth are to be open at the municipal and state levels after 75 years from the date of birth.

The hearing is on Wednesday March 17, 2021 at 10:00 AM. On the current agenda it is the third bill to be heard. IAJGS is supporting the bill while inquiring why birth indices are not being treated the same as the other indices, that is open without any embargo period.

The bill may be read at: http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0240&item=1&snum=130

To read the previous postings about the Maine bill and vital records go to the archives of the IAJGS Records Access Alert at: http://lists.iajgs.org/mailman/private/records-access-alerts/. You must be registered to access the archives. To register go to: http://lists.iajgs.org/mailman/listinfo/records-access-alerts and follow the instructions to enter your email address, full name and which genealogical organization with whom you are affiliated You will receive an email response that you have to reply to or the subscription will not be finalized.

Jan Meisels Allen
Chairperson, IAJGS Public Records Access Monitoring Committee

The following announcement was written by FamilySearch:

This week on FamilySearch search 2M New York Land Records 1630–1975, Virginia County Marriages 1771–1943, Utah Tooele County (misc.) Records 1771–1956, and US Bureau of Land Management Tract Books 1800–c. 1955, along with expanded US collections for Arizona, California and Illinois. Explore additional records in New Zealand Electoral Rolls 1865–1957, England Cambridgeshire Bishop's Transcripts 1865–1083, and Uruguay Catholic Church Records 1726–2000, plus more for Brazil, Canada, England, Finland, France, Jamaica, Peru, Puerto Rico, and S. Africa.  

The full list of newly-added records is very long, too long to fit here. However, you may find the full list at: https://media.familysearch.org/new-free-historical-records-on-familysearch-week-of-1-march-2020/.

RootsTech Connect 2021 may be over but I expect there will be a number of articles over the next few weeks that are follow-up to events that happened during the virtual conference. Here's the latest announcement from FamilySearch:

A federal judge on Monday granted Ancestry.com LLC’s bid to dismiss a lawsuit alleging the company uses and profits from photographs and other personal details in its U.S. school yearbooks database without permission.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler ruled the plaintiffs failed to sufficiently allege standing to pursue their proposed class action, and in any case the company is immune from liability under the Communications Decency Act.

To read the full story on Westlaw Today, click here: bit.ly/38hBbd5

Past articles about this lawsuit may be found in past articles in this newsletter.

February 27 marked the close of RootsTech Connect 2021. This was the first year this conference with hundreds of thousands of attendees was held as a virtual conference. Overall, the conference was deemed a success even though there was no way to meaningfully compare it to the in-person conferences of previous years. However, more than a half-million people registered around the world, making this the biggest genealogy event ever.

No matter how you measure it, I'd say the virtual conference was a success as it appears that the conference met most of the objectives (or maybe ALL of the objectives) of Family Search, the conference organizers.

Rather than my writing about this conference, I'd like to offer a "virtual" report and let others write about it. Following is a list of just a few of the many online articles written about this year's virtual conference. If these articles do not tell you everything you want to know about last week's events, go to your favorite search engine and search for "RootsTech Connect 2021" to find hundreds more articles about it.

One thing about a virtual technical conference with more than a half-million people attendees: those attendees know how to document what happened with technology... ON-LINE!

RootsTech Connect 2021 (written before the conference was held but provides a good overall introduction to the plans): https://rootstech.net/

Welcome to the Family (written as RootsTech Connect 2021 was drawing to a close): https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/rtc2021/home

RootsTech Connect 2021 sessions: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/bc/content/RootsTech/2021/RootsTech-Connect-2021-Sessions-eng.pdf

Hundreds of thousands attend all-virtual RootsTech Connect 2021: https://www.idahostatejournal.com/community/hundreds-of-thousands-attend-all-virtual-rootstech-connect-2021/article_d1cb7fc2-0b46-50dc-a041-1fce0bc634ee.html

Dozens of YouTube videos about RootsTech Connect 2021 and I suspect more videos will, still be added in the next few days: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=RootsTech+Connect+2021

3 RootsTech keynotes explain why knowing your family history matters.
https://www.deseret.com/faith/2021/2/18/22286410/what-3-rootstech-keynote-speakers-learned-family-story-why-genealogy-matters-history-ancestry

‘How Does Your Name Sound’ and other new innovations to see at RootsTech Connect at https://www.deseret.com/faith/2021/2/25/22297651/rootstech-connect-genealogy-virtual-how-does-your-name-sound-other-new-innovations-technology

Vivid-Pix Brings Family History Home at RootsTech Connect 2021 with Free Education & Research: https://www.businessghana.com/site/news/general/233364/Vivid-Pix-Brings-Family-History-Home-at-RootsTech-Connect-2021-with-Free-Education-Research

And finally, 3-day RootsTech Connect was simply the ‘ribbon cutting’ for what’s to come (a peek at plans for future RootsTech plans): https://www.thechurchnews.com/global/2021-02-27/rootstech-connect-virtual-global-event-one-million-participants-205560

Most of the sessions from the virtual, global family event will be available to watch on-demand throughout 2021. Keep an eye on https://www.RootsTech.org.

The following is an announcement from the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG):

Paul Edward Sluby Sr. (1934–2019)
(Photograph used with the permission of Patricia Carter Sluby, PhD)

Applications for scholarships for African Americans to participate in national genealogical institutes are due 15 March 2021, the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) announced today. This scholarship, established in 2020, is named after the first board-certified African American genealogist, Paul Edward Sluby Sr. 
 
Scholarships will be awarded to up to three students who are African American, to cover up to $1,700 of the tuition, travel, and lodging expense of attending one of five premier national institutes. BCG will also waive its final application fee of $300 for scholarship recipients who submit portfolios of work to be considered for certification within three years of the announcement of an award.
 
The application form and supporting material is posted on BCG’s website at https://bcgcertification.org/learning/african-american-scholarship/. Applicants are required to submit an essay and a sample of their genealogical research. It is anticipated that scholarship recipients will be awarded in May 2021, so that recipients can take part in institutes scheduled for 2022. Those wishing to apply should fill out the required application form and submit with supporting materials to office@bcgcertification.org.
 
The five institutes eligible for scholarships for tuition, travel, and lodging expenses (where applicable) are:

• • Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed), held annually at the National Archives and other locations in Washington, DC, and College Park, Maryland. The 2022 session is scheduled for July 2022.
  • Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, provides two separate week-long sessions in June and July.
  • Institute of Genealogy & Historical Research (IGHR), held in Athens, Georgia, in July, under the auspices of the Georgia Genealogical Society.
  • Midwest African American Genealogical Institute (MAAGI), based at the Allen County Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana, currently offered for three days in early July.
  • Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), sponsored by the Utah Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City held in January each year.

Where a scholarship is announced after the close of registration for a particular institute, BCG will work with the institute to make available seats for scholarship recipients in the specific course of his or her choice. Applicants should exhibit intermediate or higher skills that have prepared them for an in-depth learning experience. There is no age limit or income requirement.

Last week I wrote about a fascinating new bit of technology called Deep Nostalgia™, a groundbreaking new photo feature on MyHeritage that allows you to animate the faces of your loved ones in still photos. This new addition to MyHeritage's suite of photo tools produces a realistic depiction of how a person from an old photo could have moved and looked if they were captured on video.

That article is still available at https://eogn.com/page-18080/10140564 and it points to a couple of links on MyHeritage.com that offer all the details. One part of the announcement was an offer to upload your DNA data (even if it was the results of tests performed by a different company.) In return, you will be given "free access to all DNA features on MyHeritage — forever!"

This was planned to be a limited time offer. However, yesterday the folks at MyHeritage extended the "limited time offer" even more:

"Due to the enthusiastic response to our week-long offer to waive the unlock fee on the advanced DNA features for uploaded DNA, we have decided to extend the offer another week!

"Now those of you who haven’t yet uploaded your DNA data to MyHeritage and enjoyed free access to all DNA features — including the brand-new Genetic Groups — will have another chance!"

The announcement also states:

"However, we are waiving that fee for an additional week, from March 1–7, 2021. Users who upload their DNA data this week will receive free access to all DNA features on MyHeritage — forever!"

Yes, you now have another chance to upload your DNA data (even if created by one other DNA testing service) and "receive free access to all DNA features on MyHeritage — forever!"

The latest announcement, along with the details, may be found at: https://blog.myheritage.com/2021/02/upload-your-dna-for-free-access-to-all-dna-features-offer-extended/.

Remember, this offer will only last through March 7, 2021.

Today is the first day of the month. That is still a good time to back up your genealogy files. Then test your backups!

Your backups aren't worth much unless you make a quick test by restoring a small file or two after the backup is completed.

Actually, you can make backups at any time. However, it is easier and safer if you have a specific schedule. The first day of the month is easy to remember, so I would suggest you back up your genealogy files at least on the first day of every month, if not more often. (My computers automatically make off-site backups of all new files every few minutes.)

Given the events of the past few months with genealogy websites laying off employees and cutting back on services, you now need backup copies of everything more than ever. What happens if the company that holds your online data either goes off line or simply deletes the service where your data is held? If you have copies of everything stored either in your own computer, what happens if you have a hard drive crash or other disaster? If you have one or more recent backup copies, such a loss would be inconvenient but not a disaster.

Of course, you might want to back up more than your genealogy files. Family photographs, your checkbook register, all sorts of word processing documents, email messages, and much more need to be backed up regularly. Why not do that on the first day of each month? or even more often?

The following is an announcement from the Genealogy Guys and Vivid-Pix:

The Genealogy Guys Podcast, co-hosted by George G. Morgan and Drew Smith, producers of the oldest continually produced genealogy podcast, and Vivid-Pix, makers of RESTORE photo and document restoration software, are pleased to announce the recipient of an Unsung Heroes Grant at the RootsTech Connect 2021 conference being held online.

The Unsung Heroes Grant program is designed to provide a scanner and software to facilitate genealogical societies, historical societies, and museums making images available to the genealogy community. The grant includes a high-quality scanner, software to save and back up images, and two copies of Vivid-Pix RESTORE software. The package is valued at $500.

The recipient selected for an Unsung Heroes Grant for February 2021 is:

Ontario Ancestors (the Ontario Genealogical Society of Ontario, Canada)

The Ontario Genealogical Society was founded in 1961 and has been operating under the name Ontario Ancestors since 2018.

Ontario Ancestors has access to unique microfilm collections, including content published as early as 1750 and as late as the 2000s. The materials include newspapers, wills, and local church records, among others. These record collections are relatively small and are currently held by local genealogy branches or by public libraries, none of which can afford the cost to commercially digitize their materials. Ontario Ancestors performs this service for free.

The project originated with their Societies Tech Team building their own Provincial Heritage Cloud system and purchasing a microfilm scanner. The system is loaned out to society branches and to libraries across the Province of Ontario to do the work, and the only cost to the Society is that the Society retains a copy and assists with making the digital material available online. Since 2019, over 300,000 images have been digitized.

Because these records have been previously housed in small, local collections, without exposure to the mainstream genealogical community, placing these records online will have a huge impact. The goal of the Society is “Free the Data.” The Society is careful to ensure compliance with all privacy and copyright laws.

In addition to the scanning equipment and software, the recipient society will receive a beautiful custom-made commemorative mug from Vivid-Pix with their choice of one of their own images, and an announcement on a future episode of The Genealogy Guys Podcast. Recognition will be published at the Vivid-Pix Unsung Heroes Blog at https://vivid-pix.com/blog as well.

The Genealogy Guys Podcast and Vivid-Pix salute these selfless volunteers whose efforts make invaluable genealogical and historical information available to researchers around the globe. “We Sing Your Praises!”

The following announcement was written by Findmypast:

• • Millions of new records added in partnership with the Family History Federation
  • Latest instalment of this major transcription project available to search exclusively at Findmypast
  • Index now contains over 16 million records from all corners of England & Wales, many of which can’t be found anywhere else online

Leading UK family history website Findmypast have today announced the addition of over 3.4 million new and exclusive records to the National Burial Index For England & Wales.

Published online for the first time in partnership with the Family History Federation, this latest update sees Findmypast provide users with access to the most comprehensive edition of this major transcription project to date.

The project of creating the National Burial Index began in 1994 with the aim of providing genealogists with improved access to pre-civil registration burials. Until then, researchers had been over-dependent on baptisms and marriages so the NBI sought to redress this by giving burial records the attention they deserve.

Version 1 was first published in 2001 containing 5.4 million records. This vast collection, derived from parish registers, bishop’s transcripts, earlier transcripts or printed registers by local family history society volunteers, continued to grow over time with versions 2 and 3 being published to include new additions.

Findmypast are proud to now provide access to version 4 of this vital resource. Containing over 16 million records from all corners of England & Wales, the majority of the index covers the period from 1813 - 1850 but does extend significantly in both directions from these dates.

Each transcript reveals a combination of the deceased’s name, birth year, death year, burial date, burial place, place of worship and denomination. For more information on the exact locations covered, see Findmypast’s parish list.

Vice-chairman of the Family History Federation, Ian Waller, said; “We are pleased to announce that 3.4 million additional burial records have been added to our National Burial Index at Findmypast. All the data was collated from the burial records of Anglican parishes, nonconformists, Roman Catholics, Quakers and other cemetery records within England and Wales. The results of this project, which is still incomplete, is made possible because of the stalwart work of family history societies who are members of the Family History Federation and through our long-standing partnership with Findmypast which also hosts millions of other records provided by our member societies.”

Findmypast will continue work with the Family History Federation and society volunteers across the UK to bring new and exclusive records online for the first time. Local societies play a vital role in enabling access to essential family history resources and, to date, these valuable partnerships have resulted in over 57 million records being published online at Findmypast.

OTHER RECORDS AVAILABLE TO SEARCH THIS FINDMYPAST FRIDAY

Lincolnshire Monumental Inscriptions

Are your relatives buried in England’s East Midlands? Find out with over 21,500 new records from over 60 Lincolnshire parishes. Check the parish list to see what's new.

Monumental inscriptions can reveal fascinating facts about your ancestors’ lives and deaths. On Findmypast, you’ll find an extensive collection from England, Scotland, Wales and Australia.

Caribbean, 1st Bn Royal Regiment Of Foot Deaths 1801-1811

These unique records reveal names, ranks and death details of British Army soldiers stationed in the West Indies in the early 19th century.

The 1st Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Foot was the predecessor of the Royal Scots and it appears that many of the men listed in the records hail from Scotland.

Newspapers

Findmypast have also released two new papers and updated 10 others with additional pages. New to our collection are:

• • St. Austell Star covering 1889-1895, 1898-1911 and 1913-1915
  • North Bucks Times and County Observer covering 1879-1895, 1898, 1900-1918

While more pages have been added to:

• • Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) from 1886
  • Coleshill Chronicle from 1901-1910, 1950 and 1952-1980
  • Manchester Evening News from 1951
  • South Eastern Gazette from 1866-1869, 1877 and 1889
  • Newry Telegraph from 1901
  • Reynolds’s Newspaper from 1930-1932
  • Leicester Chronicle from 1918, 1920 and 1922
  • Luton Times and Advertiser from 1885 and 1892-1893
  • Retford and Worksop Herald and North Notts Advertiser from 1891-1892 and 1903
  • Illustrated Police News from 1875 and 1891