Happy Easter!

Cousin Adelia, Zumbrota, Minnesota to Rena Lerfald, Mandan, North Dakota. Postcard, postmarked 20 Mar 1913. Lerfald-Westaby Postcard Collection, digitized and privately held by Miriam Robbins Midkiff, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Spokane, Washington. Original collection privately held by Troy W. Midkiff, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Vancouver, Washington. 2011.

No Scanfest in April

I apologize for the last-minute notice, but there will be no Scanfest in April.

Originally, I was going to bump it from the last Sunday in April (the 24th), which happens to be Easter Sunday, to the third Sunday, the 17th. However, I just discovered late last night that the summer camp reunion I planned to attend this weekend will be held on Sunday and not Saturday, as I previously thought.

I briefly considered having Scanfest on Saturday, the 16th, but realized I need a day to rest up and recover from a long week of work...the first week of school after Spring Break!

The next Scanfest will be held Sunday, May 22nd from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, PDT. This is one week earlier than normal, due to the Memorial Day weekend. See you then!

P.S. If you're just dying to talk with your chat buddies before May, check out Geneabloggers Radio Friday evenings and Dae Powell's chats.

Free Access to Some Subscription Websites' Databases

Two subscription websites are offering free access in one form or another for a limited time:

1. In honor of the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War, which began April 12th, 1861, Ancestry is offering free access to its 1850 and 1860 Federal Censuses and its Civil War Records Database through April 14th. You will need to register with an email address (no credit card required!).

2. In honor of National Library Week, Gale Cenage is offering free access to several (not all) databases through April 24th. Normally, individuals cannot subscribe to Gale; only libraries and institutions can, and then you can access it if your participating library, university, or other institution of which you are a member has subscribed. The six databases they are offering access to are: Global Issues in Context (GIC); Gale NewsVault; GREENR; PowerSpeak Languages; Science in Context; and Slavery and Anti-Slavery. Check them out here.

See all special offers here.