Dec 11, 2012

The news includes:

• FamilySearch.org has contributed $250,000 to the Federation of Genealogical Societies' War of 1812 Pensions Digitization Project.
• RootsMagic has just released Version 6 of its family tree software program. A new video is available at their site, and the software is on sale through December 20, 2012.
• MyHeritage.com has announced its purchase of Geni.com.
• Origins.net announced 169,100 burial indexes (1560-1909) and 140,000 baptism indexes (1538-1882) covering Middlesex and London.
• Ancestry.com has announced the launch of its new newspaper site, Newspapers.com.
• The University of Indianapolis is teaming up with Ancestry.com to encourage students to explore and reflect on their family history.
• Ancestry.com has announced the launch of two new collections at their website: U.S. Headstone Applications, 1825-1963 and U.S. Burial Registers, Military Posts and National Cemeteries, 1862-1960.
• Ancestry.com has announced a new Community Support site at its website.
• WikiTree announces "Cousin Bait" Toolkits.
• FamilySearch.org continues its digitization and indexing projects. Learn more on the podcast.
• The Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) has announced their election results.
• The New England Historic Genealogical Society has announced that their organization has won the 2012 Society for the Study of American Women Writers (SSAWW) "Edition Award" for its book Reminiscences and Traditions of Boston by Helen Mather Crocker, edited by Eileen Hunt Botting and Sarah L. Houser.

George reviews three new publications:

• Family History Library Research (At a Glance sheet) by Carolyn L. Barkley
• Birth, Marriage & Death Records: A Guide for Family Historians by David Annal and Audrey Collins
• Marriage Law for Genealogists: The Definitive Guide by Rebecca Probert

Drew mentions his upcoming appearance at the FGS-sponsored lunch at RootsTech 2013, and discusses a new Google+ facility called Communities.

Listener email includes:

• Jonelle responds concerning her poor experiences with obtaining records assistance from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
• David updates us on the passage of legislation in Northern Ireland to bring access to its BMD registers in line with the practice in Scotland.