Although today was the last day of the 2009 conference, it still contained a full slate of events.
I skipped the first session so I could catch up on sleep. I did get an extra hour, but a small hotel kitchen fire about 8:30am did make things interesting. I got a free ride down 10 flights of stairs (which is really 20 if you've ever had to do that) and a small stint out in the Raleigh drizzle. Everything ended fine.
The first session I attended was on court records. The presentation really was a basic explanation of the legal system as it relates to proceedings.
Session 2 covered certain military records in the National Archives. I didn't take many notes. Basically, you can find these items if you make friends with the finding aids.
After lunch, I went to a session that talked about records in the Library of Congress. I haven't used this resource as much as I should. My favorite part of the presentation was the part that showcased some old panoramic city maps and building plans. I can't wait to play with these collections at the LoC web site. I'm not sure I would purchase this session CD from NGS, though, because the presentation was very visual. It might not translate well in only audio.
The final session I attended was called "What is a Reasonably Exhaustive Search?" based on the phrase in the Genealogical Proof Standard. This is one of those terms you have to know when pursuing certification, so I'm glad I went to the presentation.
So now I am done with my first NGS conference. If I had to do it again, I would probably get the 600-page print syllabus and not the CD version. I don't need to kill a tree, but it would have been good to have that honkin' book during sessions. However, I do have everything I need on the CD so I will deal.
Tonight is just dinner at the bar and not much else. I hope you enjoyed my conference re-caps. Hopefully others will do the same on their blogs when they attend regional genealogy events. That's how information gets shared and everyone wins.
Thanks for all your #NGS09 updates! I look forward to seeing you at #SCGS09!
ReplyDeleteAnd dinner at the bar? Well, we need to come up with a special cocktail for geneabloggers at #SCGS09 - whaddya think?
I found your posts through Randy, too, and am so glad I did! Thank you for taking time to review the conference. Your daily updates are a great resource of people and resources to check out.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to meeting you at #scgs09!