The following is a press release written by the Pennsylvania Department of Education:

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) today announced new online resources are available through POWER Library, Pennsylvania’s electronic library. These additions, joining a collection of more than 25 online resources, include a genealogy database, a language learning platform, and much more.

“These outstanding resources will serve the educational, entertainment, and personal needs of Pennsylvanians of all ages,” said Deputy Secretary and State Librarian Susan Banks. “These are resources that residents, libraries, and schools have been asking for – and we are excited to announce they are now available.”

POWER Library is the online portal to all that Pennsylvania libraries offer. Administered by PDE’s Office of Commonwealth Libraries, it provides access to books, newspapers, historical archives, and more, including trustworthy information on career guidance and personal finances. It also provides a 24/7 live chat service with experienced librarians.

These resources are available to any Pennsylvania resident with a public library card or an eCard issued by POWER Library. Below are descriptions of each new resource:

MyHeritage Library Edition

This multilingual family history research database includes billions of historical documents from 48 countries, millions of historical photos, public records, indexes, and additional resources that span the past five centuries.

Transparent Language Online

Whether you’re a true language learning beginner, dusting off your old high school Spanish, or eager to tackle your tenth language, Transparent Language Online will help you get started and stick with it. With Transparent Language Online, you can learn 120+ languages, including American Sign Language, and English (ESL/ELL) learning content for speakers of over 30 languages.

Britannica School Elementary

Britannica School Elementary is a comprehensive source of information for learners in pre-K to grade 5. The Early Elementary (PreK–2) edition is the ideal launchpad for the youngest scholars.  This platform sets the tone for exploration with a vibrant environment filled with curriculum-aligned games, puzzles, and interactive activities, along with read-aloud options for beginning readers. The edition for elementary school learners from grades 3 to 5 is designed to build foundational knowledge and stimulate curiosity with a child-friendly platform that features simplified articles, engaging multimedia, and interactive games that make complex topics accessible and enjoyable while enhancing reading and comprehension abilities.

Cricket Media Collection

The Cricket Media Collection includes hundreds of e-books from renowned family publisher Cricket Media. It helps build strong literacy skills in students from pre-K to grade 8 by offering access to award-winning, short-form fiction and nonfiction titles. This unique e-book collection explores a wide range of subjects to help young readers explore and expand their worlds.

ProQuest SIRS Discoverer

SIRS Discoverer provides coverage in areas including history, health, language arts, math, science, social studies, and technology. All newspaper, magazine, and reference book content is 100% full text, editorially-selected and indexed from over 2,200 reliable, high-quality global sources, including 400 full-text nonfiction books and around 300 full-text book chapters from publishers such as Britannica, World Book, Rosen Publishing Group, Enslow, and ReferencePoint Press.

A state attorney general is questioning what really happened when a leading genetic testing company had a data breach last month.

As 23andMe continues to investigate a data breach within its customers' accounts, a state politician is pressing the genetic testing company about what exactly was exposed in the leak and what the hackers wanted out of it.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong issued an inquiry letter to 23andMe Tuesday expressing concern about the breach, which he says targeted more than 5 million users, specifically those of Ashkenazi Jewish and Chinese heritage.

Tong notes that the breach resulted in at least 1 million user data profiles of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage and hundreds of thousands of user profiles listing Chinese heritage being targeted and sold on the black market.

"The increased frequency of antisemitic and anti-Asian rhetoric and violence in recent years means that this may be a particularly dangerous time for such targeted genetic information to be released to the public," Tong said in a statement.

You can read more in an article by Alex Arger published in the Scripps News web site at: https://tinyurl.com/4b84urzr.

The following book review was written by Bobbi King:

Generation by Generation
A Modern Approach to the Basics of Genealogy
by Drew Smith. Published by Genealogical Publishing. 2023. 170 pages.

Years ago, (actually, it’s been decades ago, where has the time gone..) “computer genealogists” were relegated to the dark back corner of the genealogy conference exhibit hall, and researchers who published their genealogies citing computer records as their sources were roundly scorned, disdained, and fighting a battle for acceptance and approval within the authoritative community. Eventually, Cyndi with her personal charm and indispensable List, and Dick with his internet savvy and Newsletter popularity, and Family Tree Maker with software that made data input quick and easy, computers, technology, and the internet nudged genealogy into an emerging new world.

Generation to Generation is a how-to book for researching your family roots, books you don’t often see published nowadays. This book works by offering a look at resources via technology, that is, nearly all records that are online and in digital form. Records are discoverable as you’re just sitting at your desk, firing up a capable computer, connected to, most desirably, two full-sized monitors, with a number-pad keyboard at your fingertips and an ergonomic mouse that won’t maim your wrist.

The author begins with a chapter on Names, Places, and Dates. Overview descriptions and a plentitude of illustrations clarify the points. Every chapter is like that: an introduction describing the records, then information on where to find the relevant records via internet resources, then information on how to organize and present your genealogy via software.

Chapters that follow cover relationships, the genealogical research process, tools and methods for keeping organized, DNA testing, and how to look for previous research done on your family.

This is not to say that traditional methods of genealogy have been ignored. They have not. The author shares information about the time-honored process of finding repositories that hold your records, evaluating the records that you do find, and the many types of records to look for: newspapers, burial records, city directories; the gamut of records that are out there awaiting discovery.

This is an updated genealogy research how-to book, meeting technologically savvy researchers where they are today, and helping them move forward.

Generation by Generation may be purchased from Genealogical Publishing Company at: https://genealogical.com/store/generation-by-generation/ as well as from Amazon.

With only 53 shopping days until Christmas 2023, it’s the perfect time to think outside the box for your holiday gifts. Surprise your loved ones with something more than just a traditional present; give them a journey into their roots with our Early Holiday DNA Sale.

Why MyHeritage DNA Kits Are the Perfect Gift

1. Explore Ethnic Origins: Dive into your family’s ethnic mix and uncover hidden stories.
2. Find New Relatives: MyHeritage DNA can connect you with family members you might not even know exist.
3. A Gift of Discovery: Offer a unique experience that brings to life family histories and creates lasting memories.

Early Shopping = Wise Shopping

Start your holiday shopping now to beat the last-minute rush. Here’s why you should grab this opportunity:

• No Shipping Worries: Secure your gifts early and relax knowing they’ll arrive on time.
• Exclusive Sale Prices: Enjoy our Early Holiday Sale discounts and get more value for your money.
• A Truly Unique Gift: Stand out with a gift that offers insights, excitement, and heartfelt discoveries.

The Clock Is Ticking!

With every passing day, Christmas is drawing nearer. A MyHeritage DNA kit is not just a present; it’s an exploration into your loved ones’ ethnic backgrounds, helping to bridge connections and bring families closer. Don’t miss out! This exclusive sale is the perfect chance to get a thoughtful, engaging gift for your family and friends.

Kenneth H. Thomas Jr. has published an article that I might suggest should be required reading for everyone interested in learning about their ancestry: "Why join a genealogical society?"

You can find the article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution at: https://tinyurl.com/56md3j5x.

Like any historic site, Fort Ticonderoga has history going back through countless family trees. In October, the fort launched a new project to trace where the roots lead.

The fort launched its new Ticonderoga Soldiers project last month. The project is taking a look at the genealogy that traces back to those who were stationed at Fort Ticonderoga between 1755 and 1783. Staff at the fort museum are looking through military records, orders, court documents, and personal letters to trace the lives behind a significant part of New York State history.

You can read more in an article by Jay Petrequin published in the news10 web site at: https://www.news10.com/news/north-country/fort-ticonderoga-tracing-the-genealogy-of-local-history/. 

The following is from the Digital Library of Georgia:

Are you a custodian of cultural heritage materials? 

Have you made them available online? 

Have you thoughtfully considered long-term preservation as well as access to your materials?

One of the main mottos of digital preservation is “Digitization is NOT Digital Preservation.”

That is to say, the digitization and hosting of your items online are great for access, but this is still not preservation. 

We completely understand that most people don’t have the bandwidth to thoughtfully consider long-term preservation as well as access–but please remember there are people and resources that you can call upon to ensure your digital content is preserved.

World Digital Preservation Day is our opportunity to remind you that digital preservation professionals can teach you:

• • some of the easiest ways for people to get started with digital preservation at their institutions or with their personal materials.
  • what people should preserve first.
  • what happens when people don’t put together a plan to preserve their digital content.
  • Contact us if you have questions.

DIGITAL LIBRARY OF GEORGIA RESOURCES ON DIGITAL PRESERVATION

You can read more at: https://blog.dlg.galileo.usg.edu/?p=8636

More than 2000 unclaimed photos and negatives were found that covered the ‘40s through the early ‘60s. They provide a personal, ground-level view of Texas life - pre-disco, pre-cellphones, pre-cable TV.

Imagine an old family photo album you’ve never seen before. What would you learn? Who would you even recognize? Now imagine an entire town discovering an old family album.

Thousands of personal photos and negatives were discovered in 2019 in Corsicana. The photos had been shot, developed — and never claimed. They sat in boxes, unopened for more than half a century.

Chuck Miller manages the CTWP Copy Center, an office supply store in downtown Corsicana. Four years ago, Miller’s company bought the two-story brick building, and he went up to the second floor to clear it out.

The building opened in 1914, and the second floor is essentially an old, dark, wood-beamed, wood-floored warehouse — with shiplap walls and no elevator. Aside from all the stuff crammed into it, it had not changed much since World War I.

“It was basically filled to the rafters,” Miller said. “The two previous owners didn’t throw anything away. It was all old inventory. Old paper, old pens.”

Amid this disorganized stockpile, Miller uncovered two boxes with some 400 envelopes full of prints and negatives. These were old-school photos: You’d snap the pictures and then, to have them developed, you’d drop off the negatives at a drugstore. Or an office supply store.

“And as I’m flipping through this,” Miller said, “I’m going, ‘These are people’s lives. These are people’s memories. These are important.’”

The photos span 1948 to 1966. The first miracle is that they’d never been picked up and they’d never been thrown out. Miller said standard practice for film processing holds that after three weeks, unclaimed photos get tossed.

You can read more in an article published in the dallasnews web site at: https://tinyurl.com/4j4stdce.

Stefan Anikewich’s Instagram account holds a trove of historical images.

Anikewich, who splits his time between Provincetown and New Rochelle, N.Y., says he has been discovering the hidden history of the town since he was a child. “I’ve been a beachcomber since I was 12 years old,” he says.

Walking the shore from Race Point to Long Point, he says, he occupies himself “looking for fragments of our history: pieces of porcelain, shards of bottles that were discarded, items from the whaling industry, Indian artifacts — not taking it, just observing it.”

He started his Instagram account in the summer of 2021, posting a picture of a shard of porcelain he found on the beach. Within a few hours, he had 45 followers, and the photo had 30 likes. That’s when he realized: “Here’s my opportunity to share my passion about Provincetown.”

An image posted on Oct. 15, 2023 on @provincetownarcheology with the caption “The Great Provincetown Summer, 1916. Mudhead paintings on the wharf, Charles Hawthorne school of art. 

Anikewich’s posts appear the same way a beachcomber’s artifacts do — gems from nearly every corner and decade of the town’s history surface with a strangely pleasing refusal to submit to an orderly timeline. There’s an 1898 photo of Provincetown taken from the harbor, a 1970s photo of a woman with a soft sculpture of the Pilgrim Monument in her bike basket, 1957 footage of a stroll down Commercial Street, and a 1916 photo of students in Charles Hawthorne’s Cape Cod School of Art painting on the wharf.

You can read more in an article by Oliver Egger published in the provincetownindependent web site at: https://tinyurl.com/4nen86ff.