The MGS Awards Committee invites nominations for MGS service and genealogy achievement awards that will be presented at the North Star Awards Banquet on the evening of Friday, October 25th.

Using the form at https://mngs.org/Recognition , simply write a few sentences telling the Committee why your nominee should be honored with one of the awards below. If you have trouble with the form, just send an email to the Awards Committee (awards@mngs.org).

Anyone – both MGS members and non-members – may submit nominations. Nominations are due October 1, 2024.

Service Awards for MGS members

• The Pat and Dorothy Chandler Award for exceptional and prolonged service to MGS.
• The Unsung Hero Award for behind-the-scenes work that contributes to the efficient management and operation of MGS.
• The Founders Award for visionary organizational leadership that sustains MGS and advances its mission.

Achievement Awards open to anyone in the broader Minnesota genealogy community – including MGS, it’s branches and partners – are eligible for three awards for genealogical achievement.

• The Minnesota North Star Award for outstanding contributions to genealogical writing, research, or education.
• The Minnesota Genealogy Pioneer Award for contributions to the development of Minnesota resources for genealogy and family history research.
• The Minnesota Genealogy Ambassador Award for representing Minnesota on the national genealogy scene and bringing honor to Minnesota genealogy.

Tickets for the North Star Genealogy Conference are now available online for purchase. If you would like information about speakers and events you can go to our North Star home page here. To purchase tickets you can go directly to the Conference registration page here.

Confused about getting started with family research? Are you stuck on a problem? Want to know more about how MGS and the Hoffman Research Library can help you?

Join us for Second Saturdays - a new benefit for members! Whether you area fledgling genealogist or an old hand, these free sessions may give you a starting point or a fresh start.

We'll get together on the second Saturday of each month starting in June, from1 to 4 PM in the Mississippi Room at the Minnesota Genealogy Center. Library Manager Jeanne Bielke-Rodenbiker will give a presentation on the library and its many unique resources. Then Jeanne will be joined by MGS President Shirleen Hoffman for Ask a Librarian and Ask a Genealogist
open sessions.. They will help set beginners on the right path and strategize solutions to difficult problems for more experienced attendees. We will also have guest genealogists at some of the sessions.

Mark your calendars for Saturdays June 10, July 8, August 12, September 9, November 11, and December 9.

The Minnesota Genealogical Society announces an additional day of open hours for the Hoffman Research Library at the Minnesota Genealogy Center. It is located in Mendota Heights, convenient to both St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Beginning Monday, May 1st, the Hoffman Research Library will add Monday to the days it is open for researchers. The hours will be from 10 AM to 4 PM.

The HRL will now be open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays from 10AM to 4 PM. On Thursdays, it is open from 10 AM until 8 PM. Go to
https://mngs.org/Hoffman-Research-Library to learn more about the HRL.

Volunteers make this possible. New volunteers are paired with an experienced volunteer to learn the ropes, so no experience is necessary. Volunteering is fun, adds to your own knowledge, and you’ll meet new friends. Your occasional gift of time will assure that the library is kept open during all those hours.

The MGS Education Committee is looking for experienced genealogists to share their expertise in an in-person classroom environment. Do you have experience with a specific type of genealogical research or records? We are particularly interested in the following topics:

• Minnesota (Midwest) African American Research
• Minnesota (Midwest) Native American Research
• Vital records and vital records substitutes
• Church Records
• Scandanavian Research
• DNA

Please contact us at education@mngs.org if you are interested in this opportunity.

Donations of books and materials to the Hoffman Research Library collection are again being accepted after a long  pause. Much of our backlog has been processed during the pandemic  hiatus , so we welcome your no longer used books for possible addition to our shelves. Our Collection Development Policy outlines what types of materials we can use. Donations may be brought to the welcome desk during library hours.

Thank you for your generosity. Gifts from our members enhance the collection and provide new resources for all our researchers to discover their roots.