NEXT MEETING: April 28, 2012, 1:00 p.m., Main Library 151 Library Dr. Houma, LA 70360

We had the installation of our new officers and board members. Gloria Gravois Hicks presented all with a beautiful certificate with a special quotation to fit each person's duty. We did have to make a few changes; Sheila Rodrigue our recording secretary has resigned from her position, since the election. The board decided to replace Sheila's position with Connie Gaines as recording secretary and since we had a run-off vote, due to the tie vote, for a fourth board member. Gloria Darcey has replaced Connie as board member.

GUEST SPEAKER
Marty Cortez from Raceland, Louisiana will be our guest speaker at this meeting. He has authored 13 books. Sorry, I was not able to get the topic of his discussion.

LOUISIANA BICENTENNIAL
Louisiana celebrates its 200th year of statehood this year. There will be many events scheduled around the state that will focus on our culture and history. For more information on the Statehood of Louisiana Bicentennial events check out the website at www.louisianabicentennial2012.com. You may also want to check out any events that may be scheduled in your local area, which may not be listed on this website.

NEW BOOKS
Pre-Publication of the 2011 Courier & Comet Birth, Marriages, & Engagements Book is on sale. Reserve your copy today; we will only print as many as reserved. Contact Jess.

1940 CENSUS
The 1940 census was released on April 2. NO INDEX IS AVAILABLE. If you are interested in volunteering to help index the census register with FamilySearch.org. No money, no credit card, it is free, open your account. You will be sent instructions. There will be a list of available records to index. If you choose the 1940 Louisiana census, you will be sent as many pages as you request, but each one is indexed separately, and then submitted. There are 40 lines per page.

SPOTLIGHT
The LOUISiana Digital Library (LDL) is an online library containing photographs, maps, manuscript materials, books, and oral histories documenting history and culture. Its purpose is "to make unique historical treasures from the Louisiana institutions' archives, libraries, museums, and other repositories in the state electronically accessible to Louisiana residents and to students, researchers, and the general public in other states and countries." Twenty-two libraries, archives, museums, and historical centers contribute digital items from their collections to the online library. Currently LDL contains more than 144,000 items. The participating institutions include: Amistad Research Center, Louisiana State Archives, Louisiana State Museum, Louisiana State University (LSU), Loyola University New Orleans, New Orleans City Archives, New Orleans Public Library, State Library of Louisiana, The Historic New Orleans Collection, Tulane University, and University of New Orleans. The collections can be browsed or searched by Topic, Institution, Media Format, Geographic Focus, Time Period, and Collection Name. By Valerie Beaudrault LOUISiana Digital Library (LDL). The Weekly Genealogist, Vol. 14, No. 45 Whole #556, November 9, 2011 Edited by Lynn Betlock, Jean Powers, and Valerie Beaudrault dailygenealogist@nehgs.org.

WEBSITE
Since the illness then death of our webmaster Tim Hebert the Terrebonne Genealogical Society's website will not be updated. We are in the process of possibly creating a new website. This is under construction at this time. Stay tuned and we will let you know when this has been built.

HELPFUL WEBSITEs
Here are a few map websites, if you are interested in map resources. A few are pay sites.
http://www.livgenmi.com/1895/

http://www.arphax.com/

http://www.davidrumsey.com/

http://www.civilwaralbum.com/index.html

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/

http://usgwarchives.net/maps/louisiana/

BOOK COMMITTEE
Want a book at the Terrebonne Parish Library but can't find it? Write down the title, author, and publisher and if you know where it can be purchased; get that information to Sondras SAUCIER and she will see that the library gets a copy of it. She can be reached at (985) 688-6792 or email svbs3@yahoo.com>. If you call leave a message of why you are calling her.

ADDRESS CORRECTION
If you move please contact Jess Bergeron and give him the correct address. It will cost you extra postage if your mail is returned and we have to re-mail to you. Contact Jess at (985)876-2348 or you can send him an e-mail to jessndot@bellsouth.net.