The Genealogy Group of Schaumburg Township District Library

On Thursday evening, I ventured out from behind my computer. I met up with a fellow geneablogger at the Schaumburg Township District Library (STDL) for their Genealogy Program. I am not going to reiterate everything that Jen said, she did a great job writing about our visit at the Examiner. Yes, we received a folder full of goodies. Yes, Tony is a one man show and yes, he even brought treats for the evening (coffee, cookies and coffee cake).

It was great just to spend time in a room with like-minded people. Everyone comes from a different walk of life and with different research skills. Some have been researching their family for 20-30 years. While others have just started and openly admit that they have no clue what they are doing.

As I reflect on Tuesday’s program at STDL I have come to the conclusion that we all have something to offer our fellow genealogists. No matter what our skill set is! The one thing that seems to resonate with me is the social media piece. It helps many with their research on a daily basis. Some of the folks at Tuesday’s program admitted that they do have a facebook account. But, they use it to see the newest photo’s of their sweet grand babies. We need to take the time to share the other ways they can utilize these great tools for their research.

**As a side note, I was personally against any type of social media. That was until I started my first blog, then I found this wonderful community where I made some great friends, who not only encourage each other, but are also there to lift you up when things go wrong in your personal life. They start out as faces on your computer and become an important part of your day. I drove to Springfield, IL for FGS when I could not afford to attend the conference, I did this because I wanted to see my friends and have time to just hang out with them.

So, my piece of advice is to get out from behind your computer and find local meetings. Meet some new friends and volunteer your time, everyone has something to offer.