WISCONSIN GENEALOGY & LOCAL
HISTORY ROUNDTABLE OF THE
WISCONSIN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION “WIGLHR”
Stuffed Fish News
Vol. 15 #1
From the Chair’s Corner
Spring 2014
Don Litzer, Chair-Elect
From the Chair-Elect’s Corner:
Since Nyama Marsh has occupied WIGLHR’s Chair so long and well (insert well-deserved ovation here), I’ve
offered her relief from writing a column!
If this seems like déjà vu all over again, it kind of is. I served as WIGLHR Chair-Elect and Chair in 2000 and
2001, back in the early days. Since then, I left McMillan Memorial Library in Wisconsin Rapids—where Andy
Barnett and I did a lot of great local history work—in 2005 for a three-year stint at Allen County Public
Library’s Genealogy Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Working there (without a doubt, if Salt Lake City is the
genealogist’s Mecca, The Gen Center is his/her Medina) was a memorable experience in many ways, but
eventually I found myself yearning to return to Wisconsin to earnestly pursue my own genealogy and to help
others how to do so—which brought me back to lovely (and as I write this, quite icy) Merrill—less than an
hour’s drive from where I was born and raised.
But enough about me. The WIGLHR team—Nyama, Anne Kasuboski, Tony LaLuzerne, and I—believe we
have a very cool program lined up for WAPL 2014 (which may have legs even into WLA 2014, though that’s
TBD at press time), one certain to give you take-back-home ideas for your genealogy patrons! Genealogy
Roadshow: Who in the WAPL Do You Think You Are? will feature snap genealogies done on WLA personages!
Working from family tree skeletons (just like you might harvest from a patron coming in your door wondering
about this “genealogy thing”), we’ll present what we find out about their ancestry—constructed from tools you
can find in your library, like that thing called the Internet, and Ancestry Library Edition!
As we speak, facts are being discovered and leads revealed about a WLA HQ employee with a cool name…a
Wisconsin library system assistant director…and a Wisconsin library director (gee, should I be cuing up the
Gilligan’s Island theme song?). We hope you’ll enjoy discovering what inquiring librarians like you and I can
find out about each other at WIGLHR’s WAPL 2014 program! Be there—and if our efforts inspire you to offer
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Spring 2014
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your services to WIGLHR, it’s never too soon to let us know. In fact, if anyone out there could give us a hand
with Stuffed Fish News, Anne needs a well-deserved break and would be happy to pass it along to a new editor.
Thanks for your interest and support in us, and in the Wisconsin genealogy and local history community! See
you in Sheboygan!
Local History Resources and Updates
The Wisconsin Historical Society and Wisconsin Council for Local History have released the guidelines and
information for the 2014 mini-grant program. Affiliates of the Society can apply for grants up to $700 for
projects and activities that support collections care and management. Please note: your organization must be
current in filing a 2013 annual report with the Field Services office to be eligible to receive this grant funding.
See http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/localhistory/grants/ for application materials and more information,
including a webinar for affiliates on Tuesday, April 22nd from 1-2:30 p.m. Several of the Field Services
Program’s spring webinars may be of interest to both archivists and librarians. An up to date list of workshops
can be found at http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/localhistory/workshops/ and include topics such as webinars
on Introduction to PastPerfect 5 software on March 28th; Funding for Collections Surveys on April 3rd, Basic
Archival Supplies and Preservation Methods on April 10th, and Connecting with Area Educators on April 17th.
You can also join the Local History List Serve open to anyone interested in communicating with their local
history colleagues throughout the state (and beyond.) You can ask questions, seek advice, post events, and much
more. Join by sending an email to: localhistory@listserve.uwec.edu and type SUBSCRIBE in the body of the
email.
2013 Book Award of Merit Winner Announced
Taliesin Diary: A Year with Frank
Lloyd Wright by the late Priscilla J.
Henken has won the Society's Book
Award of Merit for 2013. The
National Building Museum and
W.W. Norton & Co. published
Taliesin Diary and National Building Museum Curator
Sarah Leavitt edited the volume.
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New at Recollection Wisconsin
Stuffed Fish News
A quarterly newsletter of the
Wisconsin Genealogy & Local
History Round Table, a unit of
the Wisconsin Library
Association.
The History of UW-Stout. A new digital collection from the University of
Wisconsin-Stout Archives looks at more than a century of vocational education
in northwest Wisconsin. In 1891, James Huff Stout, heir to the Knapp, Stout
and Company lumber fortune, established a school in his home city of
Menomonie. Inspired by the industrial arts education movement of its day, the
Stout Manual Training School emphasized practical skills for young men and
women, including woodworking, mechanical drawing, dressmaking, and
cooking.
Send submissions to the
interim editor:
Anne Kasuboski
Cofrin Library
UW Green Bay
2420 Nicolet Drive
Green Bay, WI 54311-7001
Telephone: (920) 465-2543
Fax: (920) 465-2136
E-mail: kasubosa@uwgb.edu
Deadline
Feb. 1
May 1
Aug. 1
Nov. 1
_ _ Issue
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Lumber Camp Life: Logging has been a vital part of Wisconsin’s history since
before statehood, and the life of the lumberjack remains a vivid element of Wisconsin folklore. The Collection
includes materials from several different libraries and Historical societies.
Kewaunee Ships of War, Kewaunee Public Library: During World War II, Wisconsinites contributed to the
war effort in many ways. Wisconsin’s shipbuilding industry flourished in communities along the shores of Lake
Michigan and Lake Superior, where manufacturers such as the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company and Globe
Shipbuilding of Superior built submarines, cargo ships, and other vessels for the United States military.
Badger Highways, Wisconsin Department of Transportation Library: Wisconsin’s highways are an
unremarkable part of everyday life for most of us in 2013, but in the 1920s, the expanding state and county
highway system was exciting news, enough to warrant a monthly magazine devoted to the subject. Badger
Highways, published by the Wisconsin Highway Commission from 1925-1929, included information about
state and federal laws impacting drivers, progress reports from division engineers managing road construction
projects throughout the state, and other features that offer a look at a transportation landscape very different
from what we know today.
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The Recollection Wisconsin program is sponsored by Wisconsin Library Services (WiLS) in partnership with the
Milwaukee Public Library, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Wisconsin Historical Society. Financial support
is provided by a grant from the Nicholas Family Foundation. Visit recollectionwisconsin.org. to view these and over
200 other collections.
For information on contributing a digital collection, contact:
Emily Pfotenhauer Recollection Wisconsin Project Manager Wisconsin Library Services (WILS)
1360 Regent St #121 Madison, WI 53715-1255
608-265-2138 or emily@wils.org
New Social Security Death Index Restrictions in the Works
contributed by Anne Kasuboski
In the new session of Congress, the U.S. House of Representatives has introduced the “Protect and Save Act of
2013”, H.R. 295. Section 7, “Restriction on Access to the Death Master File” would severely restrict who could
access the previous two calendar years and under what circumstances, requiring certification by the Secretary of
Commerce, and then only for legitimate fraud prevention interests. At this point there are no co-sponsors and
the Senate has not introduced any similar bills. Go to http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/housebill/295 to view the bill and its status. An excerpt of the pertinent part of section 7 is included below for your
convenience:
SEC. 7. RESTRICTION ON ACCESS TO THE DEATH MASTER FILE.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Commerce shall not disclose information contained on the Death Master File to any person with
respect to any individual who has died at any time during the previous two calendar years in which the request for disclosure is made
or the succeeding calendar year unless such person is certified under the program established under subsection (b).
(b) Certification Program.-(1) IN GENERAL.--The Secretary of Commerce shall establish a program to certify persons who are eligible to access the information
described in subsection (a) contained on the Death Master File.
(2) CERTIFICATION.--A person shall not be certified under the program established under paragraph (1) unless the Secretary
determines that such person has a legitimate fraud prevention interest in accessing the information described in subsection (a)….
(1) IN GENERAL.--The Social Security Administration shall not be compelled to disclose to any person who is not certified under
the program established under subsection (b) the information described in subsection (a).
Note: Strict penalties of $1,000 per violation such as disclosing any information to others are part of the bill.
The newly formed Coalition for Implementation and Reform of the Death Master File will be managed by the
American Continental Group(ACG) and will assist the U.S. Commerce Department in developing procedures
and implementing them. The Coalition will be comprised primarily of financial services companies.
Currently the SSDI entries are still visible on sites such as Ancestry.com, but with the social security
number and state of death removed.
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UPCOMING EVENTS IN 2014
The Wisconsin Historical Society is offering a series of webinars and workshops
on a variety of topics of interest to genealogists. Click on the link for each
webinar for more information and registration instructions. For more information
contact Lori Bessler at Lori.Bessler@wisconsinhistory.org or 608-264-651.
If you find that you cannot make the live broadcast of a webinar, you may still have access to the recording.
You will still need to register, and there is no change in the fees. Click on the link to view details and register.
Recording of Webinar: Getting the Most Out of
Your Genealogy, Organizing and Analyzing
March 12-April 12 ::
This webinar provides guidance on organizing your
research while working with digital images,
original copies and filing systems using computers
or file cabinets. It also shows how to analyze your
research so you do not re-create the wheel and
helps you to get more information for the family
stories left by your ancestors.
Genealogy Webinar: Brick Wall Genealogy
March 25th, 1-3 p.m.:: online webinar
Everyone hits a brick wall in their genealogical
research. It can be difficult and frustrating to get
past this wall. This webinar will provide
suggestions for collections that will help you break
down the brick wall and proceed with your
research.
Genealogy and Technology
April 19th, 9 a.m.-noon :: Memorial Library Rm
231
Technology is changing the way genealogical
research is done. There are so many new tools and
options for managing your genealogical research,
and so many websites that hold genealogical
collections and provide the option of holding your
research. This hands-on, three-hour computer lab
will provide detailed instruction on the various
gadgets and online options available to the
genealogist.
Stuffed Fish News
Genealogy: FamilySearch.org
Mar 29th 9a.m.-noon :: Online Webinar
FamilySearch.org is one of the top genealogical
websites. It offers many tools for sorting your
genealogical research as well as free access to
digital collections and a catalog that holds the
largest genealogical collection in the world. This
three-hour, hands-on computer workshop will
provide detailed instructions on how to use this
site and how its collections fit into the bigger
picture of family history research
Genealogy Webinar: Draper Manuscripts
Apr 15, 1-3 p.m. :: online webinar
The Draper Manuscripts are a collection of
interviews and original documents from TransAllegheny America from the 19th century. There
are few guides to this collection, and yet it holds
valuable genealogical and historical materials for
family history researchers. It may include details
that you would not find in traditional genealogical
records. This webinar will explain the history of the
collection as well as how to mine it for
genealogical materials.
Genealogy Webinar: Family History Projects
April 21st, 6-8 p.m. :: online webinar
How do you share your research with the family?
There are many types of projects that can help you
share the family stories and your research so it
gets even the attention of the least interested
member of the family. All your research doesn't
have to come down to a two-inch-thick book of
names, dates and places. This webinar will show
you how to make a story out of the dry facts and
put your information into manageable projects.
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Genealogy: Ancestry.com
May 20th, 9 a.m.-noon :: Memorial Library, Rm231
Ancestry.com is one of the top genealogical
websites and is advancing every week with new
bells and whistles. There are many collections and
tools that can be used on this site as well as many
types of subscription levels. This hands-on, threehour computer lab will provide details on this site
and how it fits into the bigger picture of family
history research.
Genealogy Webinar: Fold3.com
May 12th, 6-8 p.m. :: online webinar
Fold3.com is one of the top genealogical websites,
especially for military research, but is often
overlooked. There are many levels to use this site
and many ways you can use its collections to put
together memory pages that will honor your
veteran ancestors.
Strategies and Stories: African-American Genealogy Conference
Oct. 18th, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. :: Sheraton Hotel, 706 John Nolen Dr.
The Second Annual African-American Genealogy Conference will provide a lot of valuable information
on how to learn more about your family history. Our featured speaker this year is Janis Minor Forté. She
is an experienced genealogist, writer and lecturer who presents genealogical and family history-oriented
materials at national, state and local genealogical conferences. Her presentations will include "What the
Census Says: Verifying 19th-Century Birthing of Sallie (Campbell) Driver" and "Even Gangsters Had to
Register."
Guest lecturers include Carolyn Mattern, retired Wisconsin Historical Society archivist, and Lori Bessler,
Society reference librarian.
For information on other genealogy related events, see the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society listing at:
http://www.wsgs.org/events.php
Wisconsin State Genealogical Society Webinars
WSGS is well into its second year of offering free online webinars. Webinars are held on the third Tuesday of
the month at 7 p.m. and usually run for one to one and a half hours. Live webinars are free to anyone and are
recorded. Recorded webinars are archived on the WSGS website at http://wsgs.org/ in the members only
section. Live webinar attendance is capped at 100, so once you are registered, arrive early to ensure you get a
seat. For information on past and upcoming webinars for the entire year, visit the webinars page at
http://wsgs.org/cpage.php?pt=125 . Miss a webinar or find the time inconvenient? Consider becoming a
WSGS member for access anytime, anywhere.
Upcoming webinars include:
German-American Resources for Genealogists Presenter: Antje Petty Date: Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Genealogy Research in BadgerLink Presenter: Kara Ripley Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2014
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Applying for Your Irish Passport: An Introduction to Irish Research Presenter: Donna Moughty Date:
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
World War I Draft Cards Presenter: Tim Pinnick Date: Tuesday, July 15, 2014
The Hidden Web: Digging Deeper Presenter: Cyndi Howells Date: Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Norwegian Genealogy: A Ten Step Program to Get You Started and Addicted Presenter: Jerry Paulson
Date: Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Pre-1850 (Census) Tic Marks Presenter: Peggy Lauritzen Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Time Travel with Google Earth Presenter: Lisa Louise Cooke Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Lost in Your Cemetery Research? FindAGrave Can Help Unearth Your Answers Presenter: Vickie
Schnitzler Date: Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Policy Change—Family History Library Photocopy Requests
Requests for information copies from films, book pages, CDs, vital record certificates and wills or deeds will be
copied in digital format and e-mailed to patrons in a zipped PDF or JPG file. There is no charge if copies are
sent digitally. If a requester does not have a computer or e-mail address, materials can be sent to the closest
Family History Center. Please note that you must have a complete and exact citation and information; the staff
can not undertake any research on your behalf. For full details, see the blog posting at
https://familysearch.org/blog/en/policy-change-patrons-requesting-photocopies-family-history-library-salt-lakecity-utah/ . Stay up to date with this and related genealogy topics at the Family Search blog at
https://familysearch.org/blog/en/ . For how-to information for beginners and advanced researchers alike, the
Family Search Research Wiki at https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Main_Page contains over 77,000 guides
on various types of genealogy research.
2013 Genealogy/Family History Book Award Winner
Philip and Mary Kathleen Hasheider of Sauk City have been awarded the 2013 Genealogy/Family History Book
Award for their family history, The Michael and Caroline Bremel Family of Wisconsin: Their Ancestors and
Descendants, 1779-2012.
2013 Governor's Archives Awards Winners
American Girl LLC Archives
The first 2013 Award for Archival Achievement goes to American Girl LLC of Middleton for the company's
establishment of a corporate archives program widely used by management and employees of both American
Girl and Mattel Inc.
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American Girl has put the archives to work for special projects, employee training, research and development,
legal services, records management, marketing ventures and more.
Reference Archivist Harry Miller
The second 2013 Award for Archival Achievement goes to Harold "Harry" Miller of Madison for his career of
exemplary public service, including contributions to historical research through acquisition, detailed processing
and outstanding reference service to diverse audiences. He retired from the Wisconsin Historical Society in
January after 40 years of service.
Genealogy Roadshow: Who In the WAPL Do You Think You Are? at WAPL 2014
Genealogy programs at a library conference usually talk about helping others find their ancestors. How about
learning from finding our ancestors? Enjoy the next best thing—genealogical case studies taken from members
of the Wisconsin library community—people you’ve rubbed shoulders with and whose emails you’ve read—
including a library director, a library system assistant director, and a WLA HQ person with a cool first name!
Best of all, the family history information gleaned and leads generated about those folks will come from
resources you can use with your patrons back home!
Join Nyama Marsh of Whitefish Bay Public Library, Anne Kasuboski (in spirit and in Powerpoint) and Tony
LaLuzerne of Cofrin Library at UW-Green Bay, and Don Litzer of T.B. Scott Free Library in Merrill,
Wisconsin for a program that will be anything but canned!
If you make it to WAPL at the Blue Harbor in Sheboygan, WIGLHR’s Genealogy Roadshow will be unveiled
on Thursday, May 8th from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in Salon F. Come and support your favorite WLA roundtable!
Preservation Week
Reprinted from the April, 2014 issue of Recollection Wisconsin News, courtesy of Emily Pfotenhauer, Recollection Wisconsin
April 27-May 3 is Preservation Week, < http://www.ala.org/alcts/confevents/preswk > which promotes the role
of libraries and other institutions in preserving personal and public collections and treasures. It’s also a good
time to reflect on the preservation of digital collections. Here are a few things you can do.
Complete Digital Preservation Management < http://www.dpworkshop.org/dpm-eng/eng_index.html> tutorial
from Cornell University.
Start a Digital Collection Inventory. California Digital Library/UC Libraries' Digital Assets Submission
Inventory < http://www.cdlib.org/services/dsc/contribute/docs/submission.inventory.rtf> provides a helpful
template.
Subscribe to the Library of Congress' digital preservation blog The Signal
< http://blogs.loc.gov/digitalpreservation/> .
Protect your personal digital materials with resources on personal digital archiving
< http://digitalpreservation.gov/personalarchiving/> from the Library of Congress.
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Wisconsin Library Association
4610 South Biltmore Lane
Madison, WI 53718
WIGLHR Officers 2014
Chair 2014:
Nyama Y. Marsh
Library Director
Whitefish Bay Public Library
n.marsh@wfblibrary.org
414-755-6551
Chair Elect 2014:
Don Litzer
Assistant Director
T B Scott Free Library
Merrill, WI
dlitzer@gmail.com
715-536-7191
Secretary 2014:
Anthony LaLuzerne
Associate Academic Librarian
Cofrin Library
UW-Green Bay
Green Bay, WI
920-465-2785
laluzera@uwgb.edu
Immediate Past-Chair:
Newsletter Editor (interim):
Anne Kasuboski
Reference & Instructional Services
Cofrin Library
University of Wisconsin Green
Bay
2420 Nicolet Dr.
Green Bay, WI 54311-7001
(920) 465-2543/2303
kasubosa@uwgb.edu
Web Manager:
Nyama Y. Marsh
Library Director
Whitefish Bay Public Library
n.marsh@wfblibrary.org
414-755-6551
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