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Date Published: August 11, 2010

Click here to download the Show Notes pdf

MAILBOX:
Premium Member Russ Worthington.   Listen to the July episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast  You did it again…I already had a similar filing system, but your “Template” list of folders…I had not thought about putting that list as a sub folder to the Surname and HOW you did that. Great Idea and so easy.”  

Review Lisa’s Organize Your Hard Drive Video

GEM: How to Publish Your Family History with Print on Demand (POD) Part 1

WATCH THE VIDEO – PART 1
This video was created back in 2010. However the process for how book publishing at Lulu remain fairly consistent. 

Preserving a Legacy: Family Compiles a Book for Future Generations by Robyn Jackson appeared in the Hattiesburg American on June 28, 2010 (Update: webpage no longer available)

Excerpts:
“Instead of just putting together a family tree or a scrapbook, they each wrote a chapter about their life and created a unique illustrated memoir, “Three 40s From Whence We Came,” which they have just self-published.”

“We wanted to do this book for two main reasons. First of all, we felt the need to finish what our dad started. Secondly, we felt an overpowering sense of responsibility to provide the present generation of Alfords and the generations to come with knowledge of their roots.”

“He wrote on cardboard, napkins, junk mail and mostly anything he could find,” said Etawl Dilworth, 66, of Clinton. “We felt compelled to finish the work that he started. Each sibling had a wealth of pictures, memorabilia and childhood stories which we wanted to compile.”

“My prayer is that when the generations of Alfords, not only my children, read this book, they will adhere to the same sets of principles by which we were raised – revere God, work hard and strive to be law-abiding, productive citizens – as expressed in this book.”

In this Gem Lisa explains how Print on Demand publishing (POD) allows you to:
– Include photos at no additional cost
– Print 1 copy or 25 for the same price
– Revise your manuscript for instant updates
– Get your printed copy in about a week
– Do all you publishing online
– Publish a book that is a few pages, or hundreds of pages.
– Select from a variety of styles, bindings and papers
– Offer your published book at competitive prices
– Earn income or do fund raising with your book
– Sell your book online at no additional cost for the “store
– ”Order a single proof before releasing your book for purchase publicly
– Offer your book publicly or privately.

Go to Lulu now – Thanks for supporting the free Genealogy Gems Podcast!!

“Whenever I found out anything remarkable, I have thought it my duty to put down my discovery on paper, so that all ingenious people might be informed thereof.”
– Antonie van Leeuwenhoek quotes (Dutch Biologist, 1632-1723)

You will need a free Lulu.com account to get started.

Go to Lulu now – Thanks for supporting the free Genealogy Gems Podcast!!

How to get determine the cost of your family history book:
1) Go to Lulu
2) Click Sign up for a free account – now you have a MYLULU
3) Click PUBLISH
4) Click BOOKS
5) In the left hand column under Cost Calculator click Price Your Own Book
6) Select paper type
7) Select type of book
9) Select between black and white and color printing.
9) Select the size of your book

TIP: Go through your own book collection and pull books off the shelves.  Decide which size book appeals to you for your own book, and then measure it and selected the closest option on the list.

10) Select your binding
11) Type in the number of pages
12) Type in the number of books – Lisa suggests entering “1” to get the cost per book unless you know you want a certain bulk quantity
13) Select the Currency.
14) Click the CALCULATE button
15) Lulu will give you the Manufacturing Cost of the book for the quantity you entered.   

PROFILE AMERICA:  Social Security Administration Histor

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Date Published: August 31, 2010

Click here to download the Show Notes pdf

MAILBOX:

From:  Charles Gorgen, Fremont, CA
“Lisa: Love your podcast and really appreciate the work you have done to help people out in searching for their family roots.”

Charles wants to find his grandfather’s birth record and make the leap back another generation.

Lisa’s Tips:
This is the kind of research situation that really calls for the use of a research worksheet where you can track where you’ve looked, what you’ve found, and where you plan to look next.  Here are some ideas for filling in the blanks.

Do a search of the 1905 New York State Census.

List of State Census Records at Ancestry

New York State Census 1880 – 1895

Kings county NY linked from usgenweb

New Horizons Genealogy

Check the New York State Guide by Family Tree Magazine – search “State Guides”

Kings County New York page at Kindred Trails

New York State census Records

Also search for:
– Burial Record
– Obituary in the newspaper
– Reverse Genealogy search on his siblings, his aunts,etc.
– Social Security Application
iGoogle Gadgets Question from Suzanne Strickland:
“I just finished watching your video on Creating iGoogle Gadgets with Page2RSS…video was helpful however I have had some trouble creating a gadget with some websites. After I click the to RSS button, a red note pops up above the box and it says “Rate Limited” or it says “Unable to parse HTML”. What am I doing wrong?”

Lisa’s Suggestions:
1. Create a Bookmarks gadget and bookmark those sites that don’t allow Page2RSS so you can visit them regularly
2. Set up a Site Search if there are certain things you are looking for in that site (Video 12)
3. Save it as a Google Alert. (Video 6)

Suzanne Silk Strickland shared a link on your Wall. “Lisa you have inspired me! Thanks to your podcast about the website, Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness, I am now a volunteer. I wrote apost about it in my new blog (yet another thing inspired by you!).” Read her post at My Genealogy Girl

GEM: How to Publish Your Family History with Print on Demand (POD) Part 2

Go to Lulu now – Thanks for supporting the free Genealogy Gems Podcast!!  

Lisa’s Publishing Pointers:
– Decide who your audience is
– Browse the books on your shelves and pick the one that encompasses the binding, paper, color, etc. that you want for your project.
– Don’t bite off more than you can chew.  You don’t have to publish everything in one book.  Keep it simple, and tell a good story with your audience in mind.

The Book Publishing Process
1.  Go to Lulu
2.  Click the PUBLISH tab
3.  Click BOOKS
4.  Click START PUBLISHING button
5.  Choose Paperback or Hardcover
6.  Type the Working Title of your book
7.  Type your name
8.  Select Privacy – Private is recommended and can be changed later.
9.  Click SAVE & CONTINUE
10. Choose the Paper (Standard or Publisher Grade)
11. Choose the size, binding and color options
12. Click SAVE & CONTINUE
13. Click the CHOOSE FILE button and select your prepared PDF file from your computer
14. Click UPLOAD
15. Click MAKE PRINT-READY FILE button at bottom of page

How to prepare your manuscript in Word
1. Open file
2. From the menu select FILE – PAGE SETUP
3. Set your margins (.6 to 1” is typical)
4. Click the Mirror Margins box
5. Under APPLY TO select Whole Document
6. Enter the GUTTER measurement (ex. .6”)
7. Click OK

TIP: Re-proof and edit after formatting

How to Convert to PDF
Download a free PDF Converter Program.  Here are some options:
PrimoPDF
doPDF

In Word:
1. From the Menu Select FILE  – PRINT
2. Select the PDF Converter program from the Printer NAME selection box
3. Click OK
4. PDF Converter dialogue box will appear
5. Select EBook
6. Click OK
7. Your PDF file will Open in Acrobat Reader
8. From the menu select FILE – SAVE A COPY
9. Name and save the PDF file to your hard drive.

PROFILE AMERICA:  The First Telephone Operators

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