ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM LE COMITÉ DES ARCHIVES DE LA LOUISIANE: Le Comité's 2000 annual meeting will be held Sunday, September 24th, at the Louisiana State Archives in Baton Rouge. Speakers will be Dr. Florent Hardy, Lawrence Capuder, and Judy Riffel. Dr. Hardy, the new State Archives Director, will discuss his plans for the Archives. Mr. Capuder will give a presentation on genealogy software. And, Ms. Riffel will speak on "Using Hospital and Prison Records at the State Archives." A number of genealogical book publishers and authors will display and sell their books including the Diocese of Baton Rouge, the West Baton Rouge Genealogical Society, Barbara Strickland, Ann Stirling Weller, Little Paris Publishing, Lynette LeBlanc Kleinpeter, Morris Raphael, and LeRoy Willie. Le Comité will also offer a number of new and used books and periodicals for sale. Attendance at the meeting is free to members. Membership in Le Comite' is $18 and the mailing address is P.O. Box 44370, Baton Rouge, LA 70804. Memberships at $15 will be accepted at the door. Le Comite’ recently released its new book, Iberville Parish Records, Volume 3. This is a guide to 22 reels of microfilm of records that were rescued out of the attic of the old courthouse in Plaquemine. The microfilm is now available at the Louisiana State Archives. Copies of the book may be purchased from the society for $27.50 (members) and $32.50 (non-members) postpaid. Le Comite’ is seeking volunteers to assist the Archives staff in indexing five death registers for Shreveport (1874-1912), Baton Rouge (1874-1914), Alexandria (1903-1941), Jefferson (1850-1875), and Out of State (1942-1947), and two birth registers for Baton Rouge (1874-1914) and Shreveport (1875-1911). Anyone with a laptop computer who is willing to work at least one day a week for the next few months is asked to contact Judy Riffel at (225) 355-9906 or by e-mail at [email protected] OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS: The Founders of Natchitoches will hold its 20th Annual Conference beginning Friday, October 6th, with a dutch treat dinner at the Ryder Inn restaurant in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Registration for the program will begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday, October 7th. The theme of this year’s program is "Pre-Louisiana Purchase, 1800 Era." Speakers will be Marietta LeBreton and John Price, history professors at NSU. To register, send $10 for the conference and $10 for the noon buffet to: Founders of Natchitoches, c/o Betty G. Jones, 401 St. Maurice Lane, Natchitoches, LA 71457. The German-Acadian Coast Historical & Genealogical Society will hold its annual Oktoberfest Dinner on Tuesday, October 24th at 6 p.m. at the Belle Terre Country Club, 111 Fairway Dr., LaPlace, Louisiana. Judy Riffel will speak on German Coast Research at the Louisiana State Archives. For more information, contact Rose Marie Perilloux at [email protected] The Historic New Orleans Collection will hold its sixth annual Williams Research Center Symposium entitled "Bourbon Louisiana: Reflections of the Spanish Enlightenment," on Saturday, January 20, 2001, in the Grand Ballroom of the Omni Royal Orleans in New Orleans. Speakers and their topics will be: Dr. Ralph Lee Woodward, Jr., "Louisiana Under Bourbon Spain: Commercial and Economic Policy, 1763-1803"; Dr. Gilbert C. Din, "Canary Islanders in Louisiana"; Dr. Vicente Ribes, "The Valencian Background of Some Louisiana Families"; Dr. Sylvia Hilton, "‘This Vast and Restless Population’: Spanish View on Anglo-Americans int he Mississippi Valley, 1763-1803"; Dr. Alfred E. Lemmon, "Sources for Spanish Louisiana History at the Williams Research Center"; Dr. Leticia Ruiz, "Painting in Bourbon Spain, 1760-1800"; Judith H. Bonner, "Jose’ Francisco Xavier de Salazar: Spanish Colonial Painter in Louisiana"; and Dr. Javier Morales, "The Cultural Legacy of the Bourbon Enlightenment." Advanced registration (by January 5, 2001) is $25. On-site registration will be $30. For information, call 504-598-7171.</DIV>