A Bold Move in a Virtual Direction

I have to tell you I am very excited about a new program.  The Southern California Genealogical Society, (SCGS) which hosts the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree each year, is going in a bold new direction.  They have decided to supplement the Jamboree with what they are calling the Jamboree Extension Series.

The Jamboree Extension Series is a new program that provides webinars for FREE to genealogists.  All you need to participate is access to the internet. The program will offer Jamboree-style seminars for up to 1000 attendees per session.  The only catch is that only SCGS members will be able to access the archives to view a repeat of the program at a later date.  So if you are not a member of SCGS you will have to be sure to catch the program live. The programs will be held the first Saturday and third Wednesday of each month and will run from March through December 2011.

Other organizations such as Ancestry.com and Legacy Family Tree have also offered genealogists free webinars.  But this is the first time such an extensive offering is being presented and scheduled at regular intervals.

Webinars - What To Expect

A webinar is a seminar that is held over the internet.  You log in through an email link onto the internet.  During the presentation you will view a live slide presentation on your monitor and hear the presenter's voice, also live (so you need to make sure you have speakers).  You will have the opportunity to send comments/questions via chat to the organizers/speaker.  Sometimes as the end you can even ask questions with your voice using the audio function.

Why This is So Great

I am a strong supporter of webinars and virtual presentations.  It is a great way to expand your genealogical knowledge without having to travel to a conference or seminar.  It doesn't really take the place of an in-person conference but for those who aren't able to attend meetings it is a great alternative.  I guess it sort of levels the genealogical education playing field a bit.

I am very happy to see the Southern California Genealogy Society provide this series and applaud them for being so forward thinking.

This also gives you the chance to hear my lovely Connecticut accent if you decide to tune in.  Not only am I interested attending online webinars but I am also keen to present at them as well.  Look for me on the schedule as a presenter on Saturday, April 2, 2011 at 10am PST / 1pm EST and Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 6pm PST / 9pm EST.

See you on the web!