Not all
genealogy groups are the same, but the Southern California Genealogical Society
is thought of as one of the best. It has fabulous webinars, and runs the
Jamboree, a weekend filled with genealogical fun, in May. I have enjoyed their
webinars and was considering going to my first Jamboree in 20119, so I decided
to join a couple of years ago. They advertise that even people who do not live
there to attend a meeting are welcome to join and enjoy the benefits including
24/7 access to webinars. I assumed (probably not the best idea) that since the
group is catering to the webinar participants, that I would enjoy the group, connecting
through emails, etc.
Sadly, this was
not the case in my membership experience. When after two years, my membership
was up for renewal, I thought about what value I’d received from joining. Realizing
that as a member I had not received what I believed I would, I wrote the email below.
In it I asked for a response, and after nearly three months, I did not hear
anything, and I’m assuming I will not. (Again, lack of communication.)
Just in case
you are thinking of joining, I post my communication to SCGS to this blog. (It
was difficult to find an email to send it to, but I found that the SCGS president
is the head of a committee that did have an email address, which is the address
I sent it to.) Here’s my email to them:
12/1/2018
To the SCGS
Board:
I am a member
of SCGS and my renewal decision needs to be made this month. I wanted to
address the board about my concerns. Please realize these thoughts are not
criticisms, but a genuine desire to give the board pause about how distant
members may be viewing membership with this group. I am a member of several
genealogy groups, and each of the others looks up to SCGS as the highest
standard in societies. Yet as a member, I’ve been disappointed in the promises
not followed through.
As part of my
membership I think I am to receive:
Webinars access
24/7
The Searcher
Jamboree
participation
Speakers Bureau
Meeting other
genealogists even online.
Here is what
happened:
The Searcher–(I
originally received a few editions by mail, but then they stopped) while I
asked it to be emailed to me instead of slow-mailed, I’ve not received it in an
email. I must go on-line, sign in and see it under my membership. While this is
small potatoes, it’s annoying. I saved you the postage, but you don’t even
bother to email it to me.
Webinar access
24/7. This is the reason I signed up. I wanted to contribute my money to a
society to help you continue an important education experience for not only
myself but others. However, I’m not always available at the time your wonderful
webinars are presented. The archive is 6 months behind. I think members should
have access sooner than that! I really want to see the most recent, and they
are not available as is promised and highly advertised.
Jamboree
participation: It had been my plan to fly to CA for the Jamboree. 50 year
anniversary. I had hoped that one of my presentations would be accepted by the
committee. I’m pretty popular speaker in this area, but I certainly can handle
it if none of my presentations (I submitted several) is not chosen. (Although
in our area, member’s presentations get priority over non-members.) Anyway, how
did I find out? This is very disappointing, but I had to go online and see in
capital letters the words “DENIED” next to each one of my presentations listed in
my profile. There was no email stating that I had been considered, or that the
presentations would be considered for the webinar. A letter would have been
nice, an email just fine, but this shows a lack of consideration for the
presenter. In fact, I find this harsh, cold and uncaring.
YET! The very
same week, I did receive a letter to donate money to SCGS. Enough time and
stamps for a donation letter? Not for presentation replies. This is just not a
kind way to treat a fellow member.
Speakers Bureau
– I thought the Speakers Bureau, would list me and my presentations as a
speaker. It looks like it’s only to volunteer in the CA area. Maybe that’s my
fault for not looking further.
Meeting other genealogists
even online. I searched and searched for email addresses. Even those of the
members of the board. Not expecting your own personal email address, but a SCGS
link to the board members. I’ve only found this general one. Even for the
president. No way to reach. The societies I belong to have emails such as secretary@scgsgenealogy.com. So
you can REACH board members individually. These e-addresses are listed in
newsletters and on the website behind the membership wall.
SCGS has the
highest of reputations from the outside, but once a member you do not get the
expected high standards you advertise. I do hope that SCGS can improve their
connections to members, especially those that do not live in the CA area. I
would appreciate this being sent to all of the board members and ask for a
response. Thank you for your time.
Jacquie
Schattner
2/20/2019
It’s nearly
three months later, and I did not receive a reply. I did see that they were
only two months behind on webinars, instead of six. I’m hoping my email had
something to do with that. I realize this is a volunteer group, but it’s not a
very friendly, collaborative group from what I’ve experienced. Not
surprisingly, I did not rejoin and I decided to spend about the same amount of
money signing up for a webinar group instead.
