There’s no doubt it is!
- I posted the other day about Internet Genealogy Magazine going all digital.
- The following tweet appeared on Friday.
THE Genealogy Show
Unfortunately, after careful consideration,
we have made the difficult decision to
forego the hosting of any shows in the |
year 2023. We understand that this news
may be disappointing, and we thank
everyone who has supported us by
speaking, attending and sponsoring our
shows.
Please know that we remain committed |
to providing exceptional experiences in
the future.
If you wish to help us with the possibility of
future shows, we would be extremely
grateful for any support you are able to
provide.
- I’m hearing that attendance at in-person conferences is way down from pre-pandemic times.
- Societies are finding attendance at hybrid events strongly favours online participation.
- Online presentations, many free, are providing all the “educational” opportunities many people want.
- For OGS, membership fee income increased in 2022 over 2021 by about six percent. Expenditures increased by seven percent. Without a large bequest, roughly equivalent to one year’s expenditures, the society would have shown a small annual operating deficit.
- BIFHSGO expenses in 2022 were similar to 2021, while a substantial conference surplus that year helped maintain total assets several times annual expenditures. A multi-year decline in membership continued.
- The Quebec Family History Society has gone mostly quiet. Aside from a two part Zoom session, How Do I Find My Ancestors in England and Wales? with Gary Schroder on 7 and 14 June, there have been no meetings and none scheduled.
and late-breaking from the US
- The (US) National Genealogical Society is merging with Genealogy ConferenceKeeper.org, Inc., and has acquired the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP).
Ahh, John. It is the way so many societies are heading, including the OGS I fear. Fewer members, fewer in person presentations equals less financing for any FHS, genealogy or historical society.
The British Columbia Genealogical Society used to hold its monthly meetings about a kilometer from where I lived, I never made it to any meetings. We then moved to a different suburb, about 25 klicks from the meeting place, and I started going to the occasional meeting. Since COVID, the monthly meetings have been all online. Attendance is as good, if not better, as before. Plus more members outside metro Vancouver can attend, making it truly the “BC” genealogical society. I’ve been able to attend so many more meetings because they’re online, plus I have just as much opportunity to mingle with other members as I did in person. Even better, our tween-aged son – who is also a member – can attend the meetings because they’re online. Before, the travel time from the venue to home interfered with bedtime. 😉
One might also think in terms of the expense of belonging to multiple genealogy groups etc. I know in my case that I will have to be somewhat more selective as memberships keep going up yet my income suddenly reduced by 40%! Organizations have been pricing themselves out of reach to those their organization was useful during the research of that area, but becomes redundant when moving on to another location of research. Normally one might continue the membership but if the cost goes up, the subscriber drops them.