MEETING OPENED: 10:37 am – President Ed Patton presiding.

REPORTS:
A. Minutes of last meeting read and approved
B. Treasurer's Report:
C. Membership
Donna Shine reported that there have been very few queries submitted recently. Members are encouraged to utilize this method when facing a ‘dead end’ in their research. Anyone wishing to place a query in the next issue of the Times needs to submit the information prior Nov15th
- Individual genealogy reports continue to be wanted for inclusion in the binder located in the library. If you have already placed your information in the library, please consider if it is time to update it. Information may be submitted in any convenient format.
- All members are asked to notify John Blest or Donna Shine whenever they have a change of address and/or email address.
Reminder: Any donation to BIGS that you, your family or your company makes is tax deductible. Gift subscriptions may be purchased for the upcoming holidays.
D. Committee Reports Library Committee – The library has received a gift of 400 books from the estate of Michael McCadden, a Clarence High School history teacher. The collection contains works of fiction, literature, poetry and drama. Some of the books are in Irish. Commemorative book plates will be placed in the books. Research Committee – At the Irish Festival many people expressed an interest in their family histories. Several of them have come to the library to begin their research.

OLD BUSINESS:
A. Events - Gathering of the Clans for 2007 will take place on Saturday, January 20th. The theme will be the Counties of Ireland. The display space is to be divided into four areas, one for each province. In each section there will be a space for each county where members will display materials they have gathered about family members from that county. Additional information pertinent to each area will be on display. A brief oral presentation on the provinces will be given as well. Volunteers will be needed to assist with the preparation of the display. Work sessions will be scheduled at a later date. Ed Patton will prepare an article for the Times to promote the event.
- St. Patrick’s Day Parades: 2007 will be the tenth anniversary of BIGS. Joan Scahill is exploring the feasibility of constructing a float to commemorate the occasion. Please contact her with suggestions and/or offers of assistance.
B. Projects:
The new project proposed by Ed Patton - indexing two books containing many names of early Irish residents – is proceeding well. Both books have now been digitized. Their contents now need to be entered into a database. Volunteers are needed for this work.
C. Purchases: Several new books have been purchased for the library. No other types of materials were acquired during the past quarter.v D. Library hours: 1st and 2nd Saturday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm 3rd Tuesday from 6:00 to 9:00 pm

NEW BUSINESS:
Topics for member consideration ---
Should the we establish specific dates, separate from regular meetings, for the purpose of training in such areas as a basic genealogy course, utilization of the library resources, on-line research services, genealogical software, use of government services in Ireland, etc? Members are asked to recommend topics.
Should a display be established in the library where genealogies and other materials from past Gatherings of the Clans could be available for longer periods than they have been in the past. The items on display would rotate on a monthly basis to keep it fresh?
Should a permanent wall mounted display be established in a common area of the Irish Center where family history and related items can be used to draw attention to BIGS and its activities?
Response by those present was positive to each of these proposals.

BUSINESS MEETING ADJOURNED: 12:21 pm

FEATURED TOPIC: Seamus McMahon’s new book ‘The Odyssey of an Irish Immigrant’.
NOTICES: Member Jerry McNerney died recently, a card has been sent to his wife expressing the condolences of the BIGS membership.
BIGS member Mary ‘Petey’ Boesl has been involved in a serious auto accident. She is currently in Autumnview Health Care Facility on Southwestern Boulevard in Hamburg for rehabilitation. A get well card has been sent on behalf of the BIGS membership.

NEXT MEETING: Saturday, 20 January 2007 @ 6:00 pm M. E. O'Grady-Fabinsky