I was delighted to see that the Substack support team were able to pluck this video from the abyss. I’m reposting it with the comments I circulated without the recording Sundaay afternoon.1
Greetings from my summer garden, cooled by an ocean breeze here in Berkeley, California.
Many thanks to those joining today from locations ranging from Aberdeen, Scotland, to central Australia and Wellington, New Zealand. So good to see you joining us, Ann Larkham, Linda Teather, Jennifer Jones, Lynda Heine,
, Lori Olson White, David Shaw, Ann Shettles, j.e. moyer, LPC, and so many more. 🥰 Special thanks to , , and for taking the time to give my video-free notes a little visibility with your restacks.
In today’s program, I highlighted a little about what’s ahead this week, including:
Emma Explores
On Thursday, Emma Cox, of the Journeys Into Genealogy podcast and her family publication, joins me for another episode of Emma Explores. These fun programs take us on thematic journeys through Emma’s family story. This week’s program explores the stories of two compelling family members, “Rosalinda” and “Gylby.” The stories include pedigree collapse, a home called Moat Mount, and the Royal Navy. Join us, won’t you?
New in July: Cynthia Nims’ “Potluck” Stories
Then, in July, I’m delighted to welcome Cynthia Nims of Long Live the Recipe Box and Seafood Savvy for a special program, “Using a Potluck to Spark Family Storytelling.”2 This special program will be part of our Project Recipe series showing you how you might stage a gathering as a way to inspire the sharing of family stories. I read her post, “Consider a Beloved-Recipes Potluck,” and was smitten. You’ll see why.
New in August: Lisa Maguire’s “Microhistory”
I’m very excited to introduce this next event in August with historian, Lisa Maguire of Ancestory, introducing us to the discipline of microhistory through her talk “Family History Asks Large Questions in Small Places.” Microhistory is not, as we’ll learn, the same as a case study or a one-place study. We’ll learn how to use this approach to untangle the threads we discover in our own research.
Professionals & Insights
Here at Projectkin, we love delving into professional toolboxes. They’ve given us new ways to explore facts, preserve artifacts, and become a de facto creative.3 🤭 Which brings me to my special guest today, Kathy Stone. Kathy, our “Corner Stone” here at Projectkin, stepped up to share a sneak preview of a post due out tomorrow from Deborah Carl for her Tips column for Mission: Genealogy.
Fair Use!
The general topic of Fair Use relates to the legal concept of Intellectual Property. The digital images we use in our Substack posts were likely the result of someone’s effort to photograph, illustrate, and/or scan. Who owns the product of that work, and what do they control? That makes the topic highly relevant to our everyday work. I am guilty of posting a piece last month that may raise questions on this point. It’s a fascinating topic full of twists, turns, and international distinctions.
In our conversation today, I mentioned the work of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (eff.org) on the topic of Fair Use. This pioneering advocacy team has made the fair use of Intellectual Property a central part for their work:
“When the system works, it can be an engine for creativity, innovation and consumer protection. When it doesn’t, IP rights have the opposite effect, giving IP owners a veto on innovation and free speech”
Critically, as Kathy pointed out, Fair Use is a legal construct, and the laws related to it vary, depending on jurisdiction. I can’t wait to read Deborah’s article, due out in less than 24 hours. Watch for it! Or save yourself the time and subscribe to our sister publication, Mission: Genealogy.
I’m still not sure what went wrong, but I'm grateful to have it. The Substack support system functioned as intended. I characterized the issue for the Support Widget on Sunday and was warned it could take up to 2 weeks before I’d be contacted. Instead, I was contacted on Monday by a support specialist who collected a little more information and then warned me that I may not get the recording at all. And yet, here it is. I’m thrilled. Note that I’ve updated the post date to Sunday, June 15.
The only thing I did differently this time was to add my guest after the call began. It’s a valid feature in the UI, but maybe the paint was still wet. I may not do that again anytime soon.
Our wonderful contributor, Jennifer Jones, set me straight on an important point: The term “Potluck” is regional. In some places, it’s called a “Share-a-Dish” or “Share-a-Plate” party. Boy, language differences never fail to astound. 😉
We’ll see if I get away with that one, you know, we’re benefitting from the experience of professional genealogists, food writers, historians, and photo managers. It’s pretty amazing, actually.
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