SAG Webinars
The SAG now offers a series of webinars as part of its Activities Calendar. These are a member-only service.
What is a webinar?
A webinar is an online presentation you watch over the internet from your own home computer.
How to Join In
To participate in a webinar, you register with us just as you would for any other event - through our online Event Registration system. Where fees apply, you can book a place and ring within 7 days with your payment if you prefer not to have your credit card details processed online.
You must register a valid email address, as this is how you will be sent the link you need to enter the webinar when it starts. You'll also receive a series of automated reminders - usually 1 week, 1 day and 1 hour before the webinar starts - to this email address.
You then click on this link about five minutes before the scheduled starting time to enter the 'waiting room' for the webinar.
A small program will be downloaded to your computer from Citrix - the providers of the GoToWebinar software. This is just like downloading Adobe Acrobat or Java to view some websites - it will allow you to see the webinar and participate in it.
How does it work?
You have to listen to the webinar at the scheduled time - you cannot download or record it. Sorry, but if you register for a webinar where a fee is charged and then forget to log in at the scheduled time, no refund will be given - just as would apply if you forget to turn up to a Saturday lecture you'd booked at Richmond Villa.
To participate in a webinar you must be in front of a computer or internet-enabled device and have speakers turned on. This will allow you to both see and hear the presentation. In some webinars the presenter will invite questions from the audience - if you'd like to participate in any Q&A you will need to have a headset with microphone plugged in. A headset that is connected via USB is better than one with audio plugs. A broadband connection is required as you are streaming live content (if you want to test if your system is suitable try going to You Tube and watching a video - if you can see and hear it then you should have no problem waching a webinar). Your download usage will be about 1 mb per minute of the broadcast.
During the webinar you'll see whatever the presenter has on their own computer screen - so this might be a Powerpoint slideshow, a live internet presentation, photographs or specific software program. They'll be presenting this to you live - just as they would if you were physically all together in our seminar room.
Why Webinars?
The great advantage of webinars is that we can offer them on any day of the week and in the evenings, and you don't have to travel into the Sydney CBD to participate. We're especially keen to see as many of our country and interstate members as possible participate as we know that geographical distance from our headquarters in Sydney means you've missed out on some great seminars in the past. 'Time poor' members will also benefit as these sessions will last about an hour and should help you fit at least some family history into a busy professional schedule, family commitments and all the other factors that get in the way of your genealogy!
At the beginning of each webinar we'll include a short introductory presentation on how it all works - this will give you the chance to check your speaker volume, learn how to 'put up your hand to ask a question' and get yourself settled - ready to sit back, relax, learn and enjoy.
We look forward to seeing you at one of our webinars soon!
Handouts
Handout for 2 May webinar on NSW Church Registers is available here