If you were a member of the Houston Geological Society in September, 2003, you should have received our September Newsletter. It explained how members log on to the new HGS website. You might want to review that Newsletter. This page expands on that information.

That same information happens to apply to past members of the HGS as well as to current and past members of the Geophysical Society of Houston (GSH) with whom the HGS shares office space. The only constraint is that the HGS database must contain your current e-mail address; that's how we know where to send your password. So if you are new here and were pre-registered, and you think we know your e-mail address, go to the "Forgotten Password" page and ask us to send your username and password to you.

A note about computer-generated passwords is in order. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish the letter oh from the number zero or the letter el from the number one. When you get your password in an e-mail, it's best if you "cut and paste" it into the HGS Website log-on screen.

You won't be successful asking for your "forgotten" password if you can't match the password we have on file or if you have a spam blocker of the AOL variety. In that case, contact the HGS Webmaster with your current e-mail and explain your difficulty. Please identify yourself with enough certainty that we know it's really you. Your member number is enough, but if that's not convenient, something else will do - like your old email address. The webmaster will change your e-mail address in the online database, notify the HGS office of the change, and let you know the results, probably by sending your password to you or changing your password to an agreed upon value..

When you log on with your pre-registered username and password, one of the options is "remember my password." We recommend you put a check mark in that box but only if you are using your own computer. It will save you a lot of time in the future by setting a cookie on your PC at home or at work.

Next, you will probably want to change your username and password. That's easy. Logging in puts you on the tic-tac-toe page. Well, we call it that because it has nine squares on it, arranged three by three. Click on "Edit Record" in the upper left square, Clicking on "Edit" at the top of the page will also work.

You can change any field that the system allows you to change. Put your nickname or your first name in "Display Name." It will be used on name tags, etc. Be sure to click "Submit Changes" near the bottom of the page when you want the changes recorded.

While you are on this page, look for your member number. It should be to the right of the username and password blocks. If there is no member number in that space, you are not currently a member of the HGS. Please contact the HGS office by phone (it's in the banner at the top of this page) or e-mail to find out how to become current in your dues. Or, if you never were an active member, you can apply for membership. Just click on "Join HGS" in the Navigation bar on the upper left side of this page.

If you are not eligible to join the HGS, or choose not to join at this time, you can still register here and enjoy most of the features of the website. For example, you will be able to make reservations for HGS events (at the non-member price) and look up your friends in the active member database here. To register as a non-member, go to the self-registration page.

Enjoy your stay. If you have any more questions about the website or have a problem logging on, contact Lilly Hargrave by e-mail lilly@hgs.org  or phone her at (713) 463-9476