Program: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – “Census Research Online,” Joel Weintraub

Program: 1:00 p.m – 5 p.m. - Assisted Research in the Family History Library

Eager to jump-start your genealogical research? Interested in making headway with your family tree and scaling some brick walls? Hoping to learn innovative strategies and techniques for more productive searching or are you a beginner in need of some one-on-one assistance? Does threading a microfilm machine confound you? Then join fellow JGSLA members and mentor-volunteers at our assisted research day to get the help you need. We will begin the day at 11:30 a.m. at the LDS Visitor’s Center Theater with Joel Weintraub’s main lecture on census-searching strategies and at 1:00 p.m. we will open the downstairs Family History Center for some serious genealogical sleuthing.

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. - Special Presentation by Joel Weintraub

“Census Research Online: Strategies and Success!” - LDS Visitor’s Center, Theatre One*

Since 2001 a number of geographical aids and other census tools have been added to the Steve Morse OneStep website. When a name cannot be found for an existing surname index for the 1910-1930 censuses, or searching for names on the 1905-1925 NY State Censuses for NYC, searching using an address is the only way of finding the record. Joel will discuss these One Step census tools, their uses and their limitations, along with highlighting how to navigate the New York State census “with fewer tears,” getting the most out of Ancestry.com’s online census databases and the Family History Center’s census microfilm collection.

Joel Weintraub, Ph.D. was born and raised in Manhattan.  He is presently an emeritus Biology Professor at California State University Fullerton and has won awards for his science teaching.  He became interested in genealogy about 10 years ago, and regularly volunteers at the National Archives and Records Administration in Laguna Niguel, California.  Joel started transcribing streets within census districts in 2001 to help researchers search the 1930 US Census (released in 2002).  David Kehs and Stephen Morse joined him in this venture in 2002 and together they have produced a large number of online census searching utilities for both the federal census and the New York State censuses on the Morse One Step Website. Joel has given workshops for NARA, lectures to genealogy societies, and most recently gave a computer workshop and lectured at the IAJGS annual conference in New York City.

1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. - Assisted Research Day and Afternoon Classes, Los Angeles Regional Family History Center

JGSLA members will assist you in the microfilm room and computer stations, showing you how to access records on Ancestry, JewishGen, JRI-Poland and the ItalianGen/NYC vital and naturalization records websites. Joel Weintraub will also be available to assist you in using the census-searching techniques discussed in his lecture and he will have Enumeration District maps of large cities from 1900 to 1940 (on hard drive) to provide an ED # for the target residence of researchers who have an address and know what part of a city they are looking for.

The following classes, taught by our knowledgeable members, will be offered in the classroom:

1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.: “Resources at the Family History Center,” Barbara Algaze , JGSLA Librarian
If you are unfamiliar with the FHC microfilm and book collections and computer databases, this introductory talk will demystify them, providing examples of the different types of birth, marriage, death, immigration, naturalization, and census records you can locate at the Center.

2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. : “Ordering Vital Records from Salt Lake City’s Family History Library/Accessing New York City Records,”Gerry Winerman , JGSLA Past President
Learn about the most inexpensive way to get copies of vital records, and how to simplify your research by using the notebook Gerry has created especially for the Family History Center patrons with roots in New York.

3:15 – 3:45: “Designing and Printing Your Family Tree,” Lois Ogilby-Rosen, JGSLA Member.
After experimenting with many ways to format, layout and print a large scroll of her family tree, Lois found an easy method to produce a beautiful and illustrative document. She will demonstrate her family evolving “masterpiece” and explain how she created it, where it was printed and how much it cost. Come prepared with questions and suggestions to share with others.

3:45 – 4:45:“ Opening April 1, 2012: the 1940 US Census,” Joel Weintraub
On April 1, 2012, the 1940 Census will become public. For those of you who can’t bear waiting six years for information, Joel will offer an overview of the census, the enumeration, the questions, and the current efforts for the One Step site to develop a utility to enable you to determine the enumeration district in advance of the release date. With this information you will be ready to access the census sheets and not have to wait for a name index.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS: The assisted research day is open only to JGSLA members, but you can join at the door. Consider bringing a friend, giving a membership as an early Hannukah present, and introducing them to the wonderful world of Jewish genealogy. Bring your brown-bag lunch to eat downstairs.

*PLEASE NOTE: Joel Weintraub’s 11:30 a.m. lecture will take place in the LDS Visitor’s Center. Enter through the upstairs entrance to the Visitor’s Center on the south side of the building. Those arriving at 1:00 p.m. for the regular Assisted Research Day (including afternoon classes) please enter as usual through the east side building entrance and go downstairs to the basement where the Family History Center Library is located.

DIRECTIONS: The Los Angeles Regional Family History Center (LARFHC) is located at 10741 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Los Angeles, between Selby Avenue and Manning Avenue. Access to the LARFHC, the Los Angeles Temple, Visitor's Center and other buildings is via Eastborne (east side of the Los Angeles Temple) off of Manning Avenue. Website: http:// www.larfhc.org/