SLIG Store Highlights

Many have been asking when the SLIG Store would open. After all, the shopping season is beyond "upon us." 

2020 hasn't made it any easier. Since Covid-19 has affected everything from holiday parties to company incentive plans, suppliers have been inundated with increased orders for months. Naturally, the crunch continued right into December, when we normally take inventory and order new items! Whoops!

Our local supplier/warehouse/store management team is doing the best they can. Lesson learned: open the store in March next year :) Or at least in August when registration opens, whether Covid is under control or not!

Status?

The store is open: SLIG.axomo.com

Is it perfect? I've given up on waiting for that moment. There are still a few more inventory corrections and a missing photo. But . . . we are open anyway.

What's new?

How about a portable Green Screen that straps onto your office chair when needed and stores in a SLIG2021 bag when not? Or perhaps new ways to charge your phones, an apron to wear or cutting board to use to prepare those home goodies to eat during class, great new mugs, and all kinds of apparel options in a variety of colors! To find these items, browse the "On-Demand Items" and "Featured Items" sections. 

What's on Sale?

There are a few items on "Close-out." We've reduced the price on a handful of "vintage" items like the credit card size USB with a former SLIG logo. Also in this section are those items of which we literally only have one (1) remaining in stock. (So, if you don't find your size, check the on-demand section.)

When will I receive my order?

Items in "In-Stock, Ready to Ship," and "Featured Items" are SLIG-owned and already branded. They will be pulled from inventory when you order and shipped out immediately. Sizes are limited. Since we aren't meeting in person in January, we have not restocked on favorites since they can be purchased one at a time in the on-demand section if needed.  

Items in "On-Demand," are currently taking about 7-10 days to prepare: order or pull from warehouse inventory, add the logo, and package for shipping. Shipping options include everything from ground to expedited. Due to the increased demand this year, we can't promise a specific delivery timeline, but we suggest the following if using a two-day shipping option, sooner if ground:

• To receive by SLIG Week 1: Order no later than Dec. 28
• To receive by SLIG Week 2: Order no later than Jan. 11
• To receive by the Academy: Order no later than Jan. 25

Green Screens: These haven't yet arrived at the warehouse. The expected ship from supplier to the warehouse date is Dec. 28th so getting one to you in time for SLIG Week 1 may be a bit tight, but we believe it is still possible since once received, they just need to be prepared for shipping. 

Workshop Highlight: Using Google MyMaps

Using Google's MyMaps as a Research and Analysis Tool

Cari A. Taplin, CG

Learn to use Google's "My Maps" as a research and analysis tool including how to create custom maps, tips for genealogical applications, and real-life examples. This workshop includes interactive in-class exercises to walk students through the creation of custom maps, drawing shapes, dropping and labeling pins, measurement tools, adding photos, and more.

Pre-requisites: Please create a Google account and/or know your login information prior to class. We will not have time to go over how to set up an account in class. This is the page to sign up for a new account: https://accounts.google.com.  The process is simple; you can read more about it here: https://support.google.com/mail/answer/56256?hl=en.

Days/times: Two sessions will be available from which to choose on Tuesday, January 19, 2021; from 8:30 to 12:00 noon and from 1:30 to 5:00 pm, Mountain Standard Time.

Registration is open to anyone currently registered for SLIG 2021 or the SLIG Academy for Professionals 2021. See additional details about SLIG Extended events at slig.ugagenealogy.org. 

Cari A. Taplin, CG

Cari is related to Roy Rogers. Or at least that's what her family told her. As a result, finding her true heritage has been her focus since the year 2000. She is a native of Wood County, Ohio but now lives in Longmont, Colorado. Cari holds the Certified Genealogist credential and has served in a wide variety of volunteer and leadership positions for state, local, and national societies. 

She currently serves as the Secretary for the Association for Professional Genealogists (APG) and as the President of the Lone Star Chapter of APG. As the owner of GenealogyPANTS, she provides speaking services. Cari's personal research focuses on midwestern and Great Lakes states. When she's not working on her genealogy, she is a wife and mother of two teenagers. 

Workshop Highlight: Tools for Analyzing and Visualizing

Tools for Analyzing & Visualizing Family History and DNA Networks

Kimberly Powell

Network analysis and visualization–commonly used in areas such as social media analysis, biology/medicine, and business data analytics–offers exciting possibilities for exploring ancestral connections and making sense of DNA matches. Join us as we explore the basics of network analysis, including the ways that software can be utilized to explore and better visualize relationships, connections, and clusters (networks, FAN clubs) in our family history and DNA data. 

Through short demos followed by implementation periods, we'll practice using the free open-source Gephi software to create a cluster network from your own documentary or DNA data.

If you don't want to actually try the software yourself and prefer to watch and follow along you are also welcome! We're also going to discuss how to create and organize a spreadsheet to collect data for future network analysis which will also serve as an alternative activity to use for the implementation periods.

Pre-requisites: Students should have Gephi (free; available for Mac OS, Windows, or Linux) installed and working on their computer prior to the workshop. Instructions will be sent after registration Gephi can be fairly computer resource-intensive, as is Zoom, so while you should be able to run both simultaneously on the same computer, having a second computer or tablet available for Zoom is ideal. 

Days/times: Two sessions are available from which to choose – Tuesday, January 19, 2021, from 1:30 to 5:00 pm and Thursday, January 21, 2021, from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm, Mountain Standard Time.

Registration is open to anyone currently registered for SLIG 2021 or the SLIG Academy for Professionals 2021. See additional details about SLIG Extended events at slig.ugagenealogy.org. 

Kimberly T. Powell

Kimberly is a professional genealogist, author, educator, and volunteer. She is a past president of the Association of Professional Genealogists, serving seven years as a Director and on APG's Professional Development Committee. She is on the faculty of the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research, the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, and Boston University's Genealogical Research Certificate Program

Workshop Highlight: Organize and Write with Scrivener

Organize Your Research and Your Writing with Scrivener

Kimberly Powell

This hands-on workshop will teach you how to utilize Scrivener to help plan, organize, write, and publish your family research. We're going to walk through setting up your first Scrivener project through demonstrations interspersed with implementation periods and the chance to ask questions. Make 2021 the year you finally get your research organized with everything cross-referenced and available at your fingertips. We'll also get you started on the path of writing as you go!

Pre-requisites: Students should have Scrivener (either Mac OS or Windows) installed and working on their computer prior to the workshop. A free 30-day trial of Scrivener (30 days of actual use) is available; download instructions will be sent after registration.

Days/times: Two sessions are available from which to choose – Tuesday, January 19, 2021, from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm and Thursday, January 21, 2021, from 1:30 to 5:30 pm, Mountain Standard Time.

Registration is open to anyone currently registered for SLIG 2021 or the SLIG Academy for Professionals 2021. See additional details about SLIG Extended events at slig.ugagenealogy.org. 

Kimberly T. Powell

Kimberly is a professional genealogist, author, educator, and volunteer. She is a past president of the Association of Professional Genealogists, serving seven years as a Director and on APG's Professional Development Committee. She is on the faculty of the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research, the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, and Boston University's Genealogical Research Certificate Program

Workshop Highlight: Resume Building - on paper AND LinkedIn

Resume Building and Digital Presence

Janell Esplin

This workshop will dive into two aspects of building your professional resume – the one on paper AND your presence on LinkedIn.

In the first part of the workshop, we will discuss your professional genealogical resume. We will cover what counts as professional work and what doesn't. Our main focus is making you look good on paper. We will discuss how to present what you have done in genealogical research to show your research skills. At the end of the session, you should be well on your way to having a presentable resume to submit to a company.

The second part of the workshop will discuss your digital presence, focusing on LinkedIn. We will discuss why you should have a LinkedIn profile and how that can help you in your professional genealogical research career. 

Pre-requisites: Please come to this workshop with an up to date resume and with a LinkedIn profile created. (You might have to reset your password. Please do that before you attend.)

Days/times: This workshop is offered on Thursday, January 21, 2021. Two sessions are available from which to choose: 8:30 am to 12:00 noon, and 1:30 to 5:00 pm Mountain Standard Time.

Registration is open to anyone currently registered for SLIG 2021 or the SLIG Academy for Professionals 2021. See additional details about SLIG Extended events at slig.ugagenealogy.org. 

Janell Esplin

Janell is Talent Acquisition Manager at Ancestry. She leads a team of recruiters who actively support Ancestry’s Content, Emerging Business, DNA Operations and Member Services. She has been in the Talent Acquisition space for 5 years. She has brought over 50 genealogists to the Ancestry family and over 160 other openings across the organization. She has a passion for supporting her team and business partners to ensure that candidates have a great experience when working with Ancestry. 

Janell loves to help candidates find the right role at an amazing company, Ancestry. Prior to joining the Ancestry family, Janell was a Recreation Director in the human services field. Janell has a bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences: Psychology from Utah Valley University. Janell currently serves on the Human Rights Community for a local residential facility, where she services as Chairman. She is an avid soccer fan and in her spare time loves to read and spend time with her family.

Workshop Highlight: Organizational Tools

Get Your Life Back: Organizational Tools for the Professional Genealogist

Jessica M. Taylor

This workshop will dive into tools to help you balance your work life AND succeed as a professional genealogist. We'll discuss scheduling and life balance tools, communication tools, project management, to-do lists, and more.

Our focus will be less on the organization of genealogy documents and more on the management of everything else related to your genealogy career.

Peg adds: it seems this workshop and the tools Jessica plans to cover would help any of us, whether doing client research or trying to manage our own research projects around an otherwise busy schedule!

Pre-requisites: none

Days/times: This workshop is offered on Thursday, January 21, 2021. Two sessions are available from which to choose: 8:30 am to 12:00 noon, and 1:30 to 5:00 pm Mountain Standard Time.

Registration is open to anyone currently registered for SLIG 2021 or the SLIG Academy for Professionals 2021. See additional details about SLIG Extended events at slig.ugagenealogy.org. 

Jessica M. Taylor

Jessica M. Taylor, President of Legacy Tree Genealogists since 2004, has helped thousands of clients across the globe discover more about their heritage through professional genealogy research. With a bachelor's degree in Family History – Genealogy, Spanish and Portuguese language proficiency, years of residence in China and Brazil, and a love of history and mystery, Jessica brings an upbeat global view to the genealogy business industry. Jessica currently serves as Vice president of the Genealogy Business Alliance, Treasurer of the Association of Genealogy Educators and Schools, is on the board of directors for the Archival Researchers Association and volunteers as a SCORE small business mentor.

Workshop Highlight: Land your Dream Job

Land Your Dream Job: Preparing to Apply for Professional Genealogy Positions

Elly Catmull and Christy Fillerup

Real-life advice on how to be hired by and succeed at a professional genealogy firm. We'll help you assess the skills you have and identify which areas to strengthen. We'll go over education and training options–what is the best path to a genealogy career? We'll deep dive into what makes a great cover letter and resume using your real-life examples. We'll help you choose the best sample reports to showcase your skills. You'll have an opportunity to take a sample research test and even practice interviewing. By the end of the workshop, you'll know what to expect from the interview process and we hope you'll feel confident and ready to pursue your genealogy career!

Pre-requisites: Please come prepared with a working draft copy of your cover letter and resume. Please also have one or two sample reports handy, if you have them. We'll send attendees a short research test to take before the workshop.

Days/times: This workshop is offered on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. Two sessions are available from which to choose: 8:30 am to 12:00 noon, and 1:30 to 5:00 pm Mountain Standard Time.

Registration is open to anyone currently registered for SLIG 2021 or the SLIG Academy for Professionals 2021. See additional details about SLIG Extended events at slig.ugagenealogy.org. 

Elly Catmull

Currently the Director of Client Services at Legacy Tree Genealogists, Elly has been involved in hiring project managers, researchers, and editors over the nine years she’s been with the company. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Family History and Genealogy from BYU and providing job opportunities to genealogists has become one of the greatest joys of her life.

Christy Fillerup

As the Lead Research Team Manager, Christy oversees hiring professional genealogy researchers. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Public Relations with a minor in History. Her genealogy background also includes 15 years of professional research, seven years editing genealogy publications, and four years as SLIG Director. She is passionate about supporting fellow genealogists in their career goals.

SLIG Extended 2021: Workshops

We are pleased to announce the technical and professional workshops to be offered during SLIG 2021 Extended. We have selected a handful of our most popular topics over the past few years, along with some new ones, and are offering multiple sessions to hopefully accommodate demand.

Each workshop will be taught with periods of instruction followed by time to practice the skills and ask questions. Workshops last 3.5 hours and will include a short break. They will be delivered via Zoom on Tuesday, January 19, and Thursday, January 21, 2021.

Registration is open to anyone attending SLIG or the SLIG Academy for Professionals in 2021 and opens Saturday, December 12, 2020 at 12:00 noon Mountain Time at sligregistration.ugagenealogy.org.

Please review the schedule published below or on the website prior to registration.

Note: Sponsored events will be announced separately and will not require registration to attend.

Organize Your Research and Writing with Scrivener

Kimberly Powell

This hands-on workshop will teach you how to utilize Scrivener to help plan, organize, write, and publish your family research. We’re going to walk through setting up your first Scrivener project through demonstrations interspersed with implementation periods and the chance to ask questions. Make 2021 the year you finally get your research organized with everything cross-referenced and available at your fingertips. We’ll also get you started on the path of writing as you go! 

Pre-requisites: Students should have Scrivener (either Mac OS or Windows) installed and working on their computer prior to the workshop. A free 30-day trial of Scrivener (30 days of actual use) is available; download instructions will be sent after registration. 

Tools for Analyzing & Visualizing Family History and DNA Networks

Kimberly Powell

Network analysis and visualization—commonly used in areas such as social media analysis, biology/medicine, and business data analytics—offers exciting possibilities for exploring ancestral connections and making sense of DNA matches. Join us as we explore the basics of network analysis, including the ways that software can be utilized to explore and better visualize relationships, connections, and clusters (networks, FAN clubs) in our family history and DNA data. Through short demos followed by implementation periods, we’ll practice using the free, open-source Gephi software to create a cluster network from your own documentary or DNA data. 

Pre-requisites: Students should have Gephi (free; available for Mac OS, Windows, or Linux) installed and working on their computer prior to the workshop. Instructions will be sent after registration. Gephi can be fairly computer resource-intensive, as is Zoom, so while you should be able to run both simultaneously on the same computer, having a second computer or tablet available for Zoom is ideal. If you don’t want to actually try the software yourself and prefer to watch and follow along, you’re also welcome! We’re also going to discuss how to create and organize a spreadsheet to collect data for future network analysis which will also serve as an alternative activity to use for the implementation periods.

Using Google's MyMaps as a Research and Analysis Tool

Cari A. Taplin, CG

Learn to use Google's MyMaps as a research and analysis tool including how to create custom maps, tips for genealogical applications, and real-life examples. This workshop includes interactive in-class exercises to walk students through the creation of custom maps, drawing shapes, dropping and labeling pins, measurement tools, adding photos, and more.

Pre-requisites: Please create a Google account and/or know your login information prior to class. We will not have time to go over how to set up an account in class. This is the page to sign up for a new account: https://accounts.google.com. The process is simple. You can read about it here: https://support.google.com/mail/answer/56256?hl=en.

Resume Building and Digital Presence

Janell Esplin

In this session, we will discuss your professional genealogical resume. We will cover what counts as professional work and what doesn't. Our main focus is making you look good on paper. We will discuss how to present what you have done in genealogical research to show your research skills. At the end of this session, you should be well on your way to having a presentable resume, to submit to a company. In the second part of this session, we will discuss your digital presence, focusing on LinkedIn. We will discuss why you should have a LinkedIn profile and how that can help you in your professional genealogical research career.

Pre-requisites: Please come to this session with an up-to-date resume and with a LinkedIn profile created. (You might have to reset your password. Please do that before you come to this session with that already done.)

Get Your Life Back: Organizational Tools for the Professional Genealogist

Jessica M. Taylor

This workshop will dive into tools to help you balance your work life AND succeed as a professional genealogist. We’ll discuss scheduling and life balance tools, communication tools, project management, to-do lists, and more. Our focus will be less on the organization of genealogy documents and more on the management of everything else related to your genealogy career. 

Land Your Dream Job: Preparing to Apply for Professional Genealogy Positions

Elly Catmull and Christy Fillerup

Real-life advice on how to be hired by and succeed at a professional genealogy firm. We'll help you assess the skills you have and identify which areas to strengthen. We'll go over education and training options–what is the best path to a genealogy career? We'll deep dive into what makes a great cover letter and resume using your real-life examples. We'll help you choose the best sample reports to showcase your skills. You'll have an opportunity to take a sample research test and even practice interviewing. By the end of the workshop, you'll know what to expect from the interview process and we hope you'll feel confident and ready to pursue your genealogy career!

Pre-requisites: Please come prepared with a working draft copy of your cover letter and resume. Please also have one or two sample reports handy, if you have them. We'll send attendees a short research test to take before the workshop.

SCHEDULE:

SLIG Extended Technical and Professional Workshops
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
8:30 - 12:00 pm	Organize Your Research and Writing with Scrivener (Kimberly Powell)	Using Google My Maps as a Research and Analysis Tool (Cari Taplin)	Land Your Dream Job: Preparing to Apply for Professional Genealogy Positions  (Elly Catmull and Christy Fillerup)
1:30 - 5:00 pm	Tools for Analyzing & Visualizing Family History and DNA Networks  (Kimberly Powell)	Using Google My Maps as a Research and Analysis Tool (Cari Taplin)	Land Your Dream Job: Preparing to Apply for Professional Genealogy Positions  (Elly Catmull and Christy Fillerup)
Thursday, January 21, 2021
8:30 - 12:00 pm	Resume Building and Digital Presence  (Janell Esplin)	Get Your Life Back: Organizational Tools for the Professional Genealogist (Jessica Taylor)	Tools for Analyzing & Visualizing Family History and DNA Networks  (Kimberly Powell)
1:30 - 5:00 pm	Resume Building and Digital Presence  (Janell Esplin)	Get Your Life Back: Organizational Tools for the Professional Genealogist (Jessica Taylor)	Organize Your Research and Writing with Scrivener (Kimberly Powell)

SLIG Theme 2021: Commitment to Excellence

Understatement: this past year has been a difficult one for most. We have faced a combination of challenges that many of us never thought we would see in our lifetime – from fires and earthquakes to civil unrest, financial upheaval, political turmoil, the pandemic, and more.*

And yet, I have seen some really amazing things during that time. Organizations have worked hard to ensure that we, as genealogists, continued to have quality education available. Instructors have pushed through personal challenges, from deaths in the family to long-hauler Covid-19 symptoms, to ensure students can continue to benefit from their expertise. Opportunities to attend conferences and institutes have become available to those normally unable to attend due to the cost of travel or other responsibilities. 

The transition to virtual isn’t an easy or smooth road for any organization. There are contractual obligations to navigate, numerous changes and decisions to make, and in our case, a few technical glitches and missed deadlines to sigh about. Thankfully, our amazing faculty graciously granted us the flexibility needed to manage the process. 

Beyond that, they went the extra mile to make 2021 something special.  Coordinators worked to revamp courses to better fit the technology, utilized the opportunity to bring in experts previously not available, and modified workshops and added instructors to ensure adequate virtual assistance. Coordinators and instructors have tackled the virtual change with eyes toward opportunity, not challenge, and responded with creativity to both technology changes and expansion requests. 

This consistent demonstration of their commitment to excellence—to providing the best possible education to each and every one of their students—is what makes SLIG a success and will likely make SLIG 2021 more memorable than most. To each of them, “Excellence is not an act, but a habit.”

And so, in spite of challenging times all around us, we come to SLIG to improve our skills, gain inspiration, and become more exceptional at what we do. In so doing, we benefit from the example of the experts who teach and mentor us, and their daily commitment to excellence. 

I hope we may be inspired to increase our commitment to excellence in our studies, research, community service, and professional work in a way that will strengthen us in spite of challenges that may lie ahead.

Peg Ivanyo, Director

*Disclaimer: these are the personal thoughts of an oft-behind and reflective director. Please do not take offense if I’ve missed an important event that affected your life, or could have used better wording to describe the very sad events of the year.

 

Committee Highlight: Virtual Technical Coordination

Many of you have already "met" Cinda Baxter in her role as SLIG's Virtual Technical Coordinator. Others are likely familiar with her as a genealogist, fan of all things creative and tech, and frequent SLIG (and other institutes) attendee.

It is thanks to Cinda that we have a very firm foot on the ground as we move toward the intensity of holding SLIG and Academy programs in a virtual environment for 2021. She hit the ground running when she joined the committee in July, surveying faculty about their virtual program experiences and preferences, reviewing and recommending support options, and even creating a poll to name the 2021 Tech Hosts to keep SLIG "uniquely SLIG." 

Naturally, Cinda adds polish and pizazz to everything she does, so we can expect the best virtual experience possible at SLIG and the Academy this year!

You can read more about Cinda here.

Changing of the Guard: Registration

It is with sadness that we wish Mary Jane Saylor farewell as the SLIG Registrar. 

Mary Jane has served SLIG well over the course of several years. First as assistant registrar, then as marketing coordinator, and after a brief hiatus, registrar. 

I particularly appreciate the fact that Mary Jane joined the committee to help me as a friend rather than out of any particular need to serve. And her loyalty over the years has been greatly appreciated. If I needed something she was there to help, whether she lived in Utah, China, Oregon, or Indiana!

We all wish her well as she now sails into the sunset of post-SLIG service toward more grandchildren, research, quilting, and I suspect a variety of other fun projects!

Thank you Mary Jane!

Welcome Mr. Zachary Hamilton, our new registrar.  

Zachary has worn several hats over the past few years, so for those who have attended SLIG, he will not be an unfamiliar face. Before he was an official member of the committee, Mary Jane recruited him to assist with registration preparations on-site. 

He has since not only continued in that role, but helped with exhibit marketing, door prizes, is currently providing technical backup support for fall courses, and been a great "Guy Friday" during this year of transition, willing to provide support wherever needed. Zachary also serves on the UGA Board of Directors, which gives him . . . yes, more hats! 

So "hats off" to Zachary for accepting the challenge of taking over this role mid-program-season. He is already busy reviewing orders to become familiar with each one in order to serve you well.

Welcome Zachary. Here's to wearing one hat for awhile :)

SLIG Announces Intermediate Foundations Scholarship Winner for Fall 2020

Congratulations to Paula Hansen who has been chosen as the recipient of the Intermediate Foundations Virtual Course Scholarship held fall 2020.



                                         
Paula Hansen of Sandy, Utah
Paula has been doing genealogy research for about eight years. Self-taught through resources available online, local classes, and RootsTech, she has been helping others get started with their own family history for the past three years as a volunteer at a local family history center.  Sensing gaps in her knowledge, and wanting to become more proficient at her research, she expressed her concerns to her daughter, who suggested she attend SLIG. She writes: "I have been searching for a class that will give me the solid methodology and tools I lack to further my success in my efforts to connect my family, while at the same time helping me be more thorough in my research. I am confident this course will provide that as well as deepen my understanding of how to properly research my family lines and help others to do so as well.”

Thanks to all who applied for this scholarship.
Enjoy, Paula!

SLIG 2021 First-Time Attendee Scholarship Winner Announced

Jamie Wasilchenko of Newaygo, Michigan has been selected by the scholarship committee as the winner of the SLIG First Time Attendee for 2021. She will be attending the Russian course. 

Jamie Wasilchenko has been doing genealogy since she was in elementary school when a teacher unintentionally gave Jamie her first research question: “Where is your last name from?” Jamie works as a museum professional and history writer, and she is in the process of starting her own genealogy business. She is a member of the Western Michigan Genealogical Society and a volunteer with the Newaygo County Museum & Heritage Center. When she is not researching, she is an avid traveler and enjoys spending time outside exploring the Great Lakes. She will be attending the course “Mother Russia: Research in the Countries of the Former Russian Empire and USSR,” where she hopes to gain new skills to research the Ukrainian ancestors who gave her that question-provoking surname.

Congratulations Jamie!

SLIG Registration Series: Academy 2021 Step by Step

As promised, here is the step-by-step guide to Academy registration for 2021.

You won't have time to read it as you go if you want to get a seat. Better to review it now, then be ready to go before the countdown clock turns green at 10:00 am on August 15th (Mountain Time). The rest should be intuitive.

1. Go to sligregistration.ugagenealogy.org and log in with your username and password. Arrive early and watch the countdown clock. 

2. No need to refresh; it changes to the green "register now" button automatically. But fair warning, if you have been on the page a long time, your browser might feel the need to kick you out; in that case, you might want to refresh about 5 minutes before we open.

3. Click on the green "Register Now" button. No image needed, right?

Note the navigation menu on the left-hand side. If you are not sure where you are, the menu colors change as you progress.

4. Select the course(s) you desire to take. Limit two at the time of registration. If your course of interest is full, you may select "waitlist only" to get to page 2.

Important: Don't waste your time trying to select more than 2 courses on page one. You will get this message and waste valuable time returning to change your selections!

5. Waitlist any course(s) desired. Note only those that are full will be accessible. 

6. Miscellaneous items:

• Optional: Select a printed/mailed syllabus IF you want one.
• Optional: Contribute to the SLIG scholarship fund if desired.
• Optional: Add yourself to the master participant list or invitations list.
• Required: you must agree with the policies or you can get off this page!

7. Review your selections - but do it quickly. Your order is still not saved!

You must click on "next" to save your selections to the database.

At any point in time before you click on "next" the course of choice could be filling from other requests. I know this sounds odd, but just know that once the course is full, one can't select it. That last seat, however, could be getting attention from many until that time. So, review quickly, and click "Next"!!!!

8. You have arrived at the Finish Line! Congratulations.

This "Payment" page is final. No surprises. What you see is what you will get.

Waitlisted items: Notice the course I waitlisted on page 2 is listed at the top. If you haven't waitlisted anything, that section will be empty.

The order: This should include discounts per course and for multiple courses, and all other items requested. Please review for accuracy. Take your time here. This is set in stone until you request otherwise. 

Please email the registrar if you need changes, or if accurate, click on the PayPal button or exit and send a check.

Note: At any time you can obtain this same information on your registration dashboard:

• Invoices will give you the full outline with payment information.
• Waitlist Summary will give you everything for which you are waitlisted - in all programs.

9. The notice you don't want to see, but might: "Sorry, some of your selections . . . "

If a course you selected was full by the time you clicked on that "next" button on the summary page, then you will be automatically waitlisted in that course, and it will be added to the list at the top - which includes any you selected on page 2.

Any course still available will be outlined below as usual. So, in this example:

• One course was waitlisted on page 2 because it was already full.
• One course was waitlisted because I selected it and it became full between then and now.
• One course was available and the appropriate discount is applied.

We look forward to "seeing" you in the registration queue!

Academy for Professionals 2021 Registration - Key Points

Repairs complete.  Waitlist auto-placement upon lost course working. Enhanced communication upon exiting. More specificity about discounts and syllabus purchases. What more could anyone want? 

How about a step by step "How do I register for the Academy" quickly and accurately? Or in other words, "Where not to dawdle and why!"

What you absolutely must know! 

• Two-course limit: Seating is extremely limited. Registration is limited to two courses on registration day through Tuesday.
• May I take more? Yes, if seats are available on Wednesday following registration. 
• How? You may waitlist additional courses of interest if they are full on the form or via the add/drop function on your dashboard. You may also email the registrar that you want a third or fourth course if they are not yet full. We will date/time-stamp everything and take requests in the order received. 
• Discounts: UGA membership discounts applyper course. The multi-course discount applies only once.
• Syllabus: Syllabus purchases are allowed only for the course for which you are registered. This seems obvious, but just in case, you won't be able to select others. In the event you are waitlisted instead of placed in a course, the syllabus might not be removed from the order. In that event, please exit without paying and let us know to remove it.
• Don't Dawdle. Click "Next" on Page 4 (Summary): Your course requests are not saved in the database until you click "Next" on the "Summary" page.  
• Be decisive: While using "previous" and "next" to go back and review and think is nice, you are losing valuable seconds or even minutes if you are in the early race at 10:00 am. Best advice? Just get the course(s) you want and run! You can always email the registrar to update something, like add a syllabus or a scholarship donation.
• Payment Page: This is the extra communication promised. The answers on this page are firm, saved, in stone, no surprises pending. Your courses are saved, and/or waitlisted if you didn't grab it fast enough. If this page is accurate, just click on PayPal or exit and send a check. If not, please email the registrar for assistance with modifications.
• Still Not Quick Enough? If a course fills between the time you select it on page one of the form and you reach the Payment page, you will be automatically waitlisted at the exact time (to the second) that you clicked "Next" on the Summary page. Remember, that is the magical button. It saves your order to the database. It also saves your waitlist time! And we know on waitlists, seconds can be crucial.
• Yes,  you will be invited to attend some of the SLIG events, and register for SLIG Extended. That information won't be coming until September.

If you need more, there is a step by step guide coming next. But don't waste time reading it as you register. Read it first, then register quickly. It is fairly intuitive. Really!

We hope to "see" you in the Academy.

SLIG 2021 Registration Experience

Has anyone been on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride at Disneyland? Does it even still exist? If so, I'm sure it has changed since I last experienced it! 

Still, the title alone helps one envision Mr. Toad's vehicle dashing this way and that, doing a sharp U-turn, swerving to the right or left, and going the wrong direction in spite of the "Do Not Enter" signs. I think it ended in a train wreck before launching you back out into the pleasant light of day. It was supposed to be a kiddy ride, but it was a scary one! Nothing like the calm cool ride in the photo below!

The opening of SLIG 2021 registration was intended to be a smooth ride . . . select courses for both weeks on the same form, get a dual-course discount, waitlist as needed, select a print syllabus - or not, and coast home. After all, we are in our third year with this system, and each year the ride has just gotten better.

But no. This year's SLIG registration was a little more like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, with surprises every minute - from the early sell-out of most courses to the "train wreck" closure for repairs. 

So, what were the issues, the curious may ask?

It wasn't system overload. The programmer tells me we only used about 8.9% of its set load capacity to manage the 363 seats sold in the first three minutes and record the 29 people who tried to claim the last seat in course 2 between 10:01:01 and 10:01:59, among others. We could have handled several thousand - heaven forbid! Nope. Not load. 

Sadly, that part of the system that manages automatic waitlisting when a course fills mid-registration wasn't working well in our new "take up to two courses" environment. It was capturing the data, but not placing folks directly into the waitlist, or notifying them of the change that occurred between selection on page one and saved order after page four. The resulting confusion, which was exacerbated by the high demand, and our inability to quickly repair it, is what led to the shut-down of the system and postponement of the Academy registration. After all, we can live with an occasional non-applied discount; those are fixable by hand. But waitlists are sacred turf!

Completely my fault. I own it. That part of the system has worked so smoothly in the past that I apparently failed to prioritize it properly in the testing queue. 

Well, we all paid for that, didn't we? Sorry to say!

Fortunately, just like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, after the train wreck, SLIG is emerging safely into the light of day. The system recorded every action – every person who got "kicked out" of a course – by the customer and course ID. Audits were conducted, hundreds of emails and phone calls reviewed, the two cross-referenced, more seats added to most courses, and we are now on day three of making people happy again.

It has been a busy week, to say the least. We are very sorry if you had a bad experience as a result of the situation. And we apologize right up front if you are one of those who aren't high enough on the waitlists to obtain a seat in your course of choice!

We appreciate your patience and understanding!

And now, to open the Academy 2021 registration . . . another post to come.

Peg Ivanyo, director

Chinese Genealogy Research with Kelly Summers, MS, AG-Don't Miss Out!

Some classes only come to SLIG every few years or so. This is the case with Chinese Genealogy Research. Don't miss the opportunity to learn virtually this fall from Kelly Summers, MS, AG who will help you to:

• Identify records that may contain genealogical information of a Chinese ancestor
• Conduct an Oral History Interview to obtain historical and genealogical information
• Locate and use appropriate collections to identify the correct Chinese surname character and ancestral village location
• Understand the history and organization of the Chinese genealogy (Jiapu)
• Recognize and extract key genealogical information found in the Chinese genealogy
• Document and Organize genealogical information using technology
• Understand the considerations for planning a trip to the Chinese ancestral village

For more information on the class please see the class page.

This course was offered at SLIG in 2020 and received rave reviews!

 “You don’t have to know a lot about Chinese genealogy to take this courseI was surprised by the range of skills in our class of 10. We had the gamut from professionals in genealogy to absolute newbies. We had fluent Chinese speakers and non-Chinese speakers. Credit goes to Kelly Summers, whose course design clearly took nothing for granted.We had an amazing group in Course 8 – we may have met as strangers but we left as friends.” -Linda Y.

“More Chinese genealogy toolsThe Chinese Ancestry tools I learned in this course were unbelievable. I so wish I could have taken this course about 10 years ago, but the next best time is now. For someone who doesn’t read or speak Chinese, we learned:How to read Chinese grave markersHow to interpret Chinese calendarsHow to read a jiapu (Chinese family tree), and how to distinguish the various styles of jiapuHow to plan a trip to your ancestral villageHow to locate a Chinese genealogy onlineThe key words to interpreting a Chinese family treeWhat records are available for Chinese Ancestry and where they are in the USA, Canada, Australia and the former Kingdom of HawaiiThe best apps to hurdle the Chinese language barrierHow to build a resources listand about 100 more things besides.There are pivotal times in life when you learn something that will change the way you think about things ever after. This course was challenging, brain-busting, and fatiguing and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ll be talking a lot about what I learned in the coming months. Probably years.”-Linda Y.

“A HUGE SHOUT OUT to Kelly Renee Summers, her team of fabulous instructors, and my fellow students of Chinese Ancestry: Research Methods and Sources. What a wonderful group of people. It was a true honour to get to know all of you this week.⛩⛩⛩

This course exceeded all my expectations and then... kept on going. My head hurt at the end of every day, yet we were all raring for more the next morning. ⛩⛩⛩

Congratulations to everyone for putting this course together, and again congratulations for making the leap to Virtual! 🍾🍾🍾”-Linda Y.

“This is the best course I have taken in genealogy-ever! Thank you for pulling this amazing group together to teach us.”  – Melissa F.

“Loved every minute. Thank you!” – Linda L.
“Thank you for the excellent class! – Kim R.

So what are you waiting for?
Head on over and register before it's too late!