The committee for Conference 2014 has launched their Call For Speakers. If you would like to speak at this Conference, please follow the instructions below for making your application. The Niagara Peninsula Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society will host the Society’s annual conference, May 1-4, 2014 at Brock University. The conference theme is GENEALOGY WITHOUT BORDERS.

Although borders are an important aspect in defining a country, they also often delineate an area of genealogical study. In the past, genealogists often had to travel across borders to complete family histories in their genealogical area. Today’s genealogist can often cross these borders while sitting at a desk. We can trace the movement of settlers from European countries from the American states and other provinces to Ontario.

We invite seminar proposals with this theme in mind.

Our Saturday and Sunday, May 3rd and 4th seminar sessions are generally fifty minutes in length with ten minutes for discussion. We also have workshops on Friday, May 2nd, which are of three hours duration. We invite lecture and workshop submissions on a broad range of genealogical topics which will help to solve family history problems by any of the following methods:

1. Use of technology in genealogy (DNA, internet, software etc.)
2. Records at a distance (especially Eastern USA and European)
3. War records, 1812, W.W. 1
4. Land records, census, directories,
5. Early Ontario records, prior to 1869 and their repositories
6. Proposals are also solicited for the broader genealogical categories including the histories associated with the War of 1812, methodology, analysis and problem solving used in genealogy

Each proposal should include the following information:

1. Speaker’s full name, address, telephone and e-mail address
2. Title of the presentation, not to exceed fifteen words, and a brief but comprehensive outline
3. Lecture summary, not to exceed twenty-five words, to be used in the program registration brochure
4. Identification of the audience level; beginner, intermediate, advanced or all levels
5. Speaker biography, not to exceed twenty-five words
6. Resume of recent lectures by the speaker
7. Presenters may submit any number of proposals. Complete proposals should be emailed to conference2014@ogs.on.ca by May 15, 2013

If using a Power Point presentation, then the image should be easily read at a distance of 20 metres or 65 feet.

If your proposal is accepted, you will be notified in early summer and we will request that you provide a 4 page summary of your talk or workshop for our syllabus by Dec. 31st, 2013. This should include references and web addresses mentioned, sample screen images etc. It will be submitted electronically (in Word, RTF or PDF format).

Please include your approximate travel costs, economy class to St. Catharines, Ont. Canada. Besides remuneration, food and lodging will be based upon the number of lectures given and transportation expenses will depend upon the speaker’s home address. Workshop fees may be negotiated. Questions can be directed to conference2014@ogs.on.ca.

Please Note: We are looking for speakers who would be open to their presentation being broadcast live from the Conference to those individuals who cannot travel but still wish to join us. As well, we are looking for speakers who may be interested in speaking but cannot travel as we can stream you in to the conference.