In our last issue, managing editor Diane Haddad reported on the state of local genealogical societies, including what some groups are doing to combat declining membership. It's a problem organizations of all kinds - historical and otherwise - are facing. And given the discussion on the FamilyTreeMagazine.com Forum, it's also a topic genealogists are eager to talk about.

A common thread in both our expert sources' and forum members' comments: The biggest key to societies' success is giving members incentive to sign up - and then stick around. As one local group's president wrote, “Societies really need to give people good reasons to join.”