providing genealogy research on a limited budget by jama watts reference & genealogy librarian...
TRANSCRIPT
Providing Genealogy Research on a Limited Budget
By
Jama Watts
Reference & Genealogy Librarian
Marion County Public Library
I Seek Dead People
What is Genealogy?
• a record or account of the ancestry and descent of a person, family, group, etc.
• the study of family ancestries and histories.• descent from an original form or progenitor; linea
ge;ancestry.
• Biology . a group of individuals or species having a common ancestry: i.e. The various species of Darwin's finches form a closely knit genealogy.
What is Genealogy?
The fastest growing hobby in the
United States1.1 Foley-Mendelssohn, D. (2010, March 1). Why are Americans mad about genealogy? The New Yorker.
What is Genealogy?
What is Genealogy?Jama’s definition:
Dealing with a lot of dead people that don’t want to be found on behalf of the REALLY IMPATIENT
living.
Utilize online resourceskdl.kyvl.org - Kentuckiana Digital Librarykdla.ky.gov – KDLA (of course!)www.archives.gov – National Archiveswww.familysearch.org – Family Searchwww.findagrave.com – Find a Gravewww.usgenweb.org – US Genealogy Webwww.kygenweb.net – KY Genealogy Webwww.filsonhistorical.org – Filson Clubwww.cyndislist.com – Cyndi’s List
Don’t have room? No problem!
Kentuckiana Digital Libary
Offers over 70
historic Kentucky
newspapers, fully
searchable text.
Shows full scans
of newspaper
pages with
results
highlighted.
ALSO has
Sanborn maps,
books, images
and more.
KDLA
Links for
professional
researchers,
available
microfilm for
purchase, county
formation chart,
courthouse
disasters AND
electronic records
archives,
including
Confederate
Pension records
and Governor’s
Office website
archives.
National Archives
Offers OPA, the
Online Public Access
resource - the online
public portal to the
Archives’ records
and information
about the records.
Currently provides
access to nearly one
million electronic
records currently in
the Electronic
Records Archives
(ERA), which are not
available elsewhere
online. More
electronic records
from ERA will be
included in OPA in
the future.
Family Search
Run by The
Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-
Day Saints.
Fantastic
resource for free
records. Includes
much of the
information found
in their Salt Lake
City library.
Find-A-Grave
With content
submitted by
other
researchers, the
website contains
transcriptions of
headstones from
cemeteries
around the world.
Some entries
also contain
photographs of
headstones.
US Genealogy Web
Group of
volunteers
providing
genealogy
information for
free. Contains
links to each
state’s GenWeb
project. Also links
to Special Projects,
including a
Tombstone
Transcription
Project, Church
Records Project,
Lineage Project,
Kidz Project and
African American
Griots Project.
KY GenealogyWeb
The local version
of the US
GenWeb project,
divided by county.
There are orphan
counties, though -
Bell, Boyle,
Magoffin,
Martin, McLean
and Owsley
Counties are
available for
adoption.
Filson Club Historical Society
Full text articles
from the Filson
Club Quarterly
available for
printing. Also
includes the
Filson Blog,
updated weekly
with snippets
from the
collection.
Cyndi’s List
A fantastic
resource for
other genealogy
sites. Categories
are cross-
referenced and
alphabetized
(Cyndi likens it to
a card catalog for
the internet’s
genealogy
websites!). Cyndi
also maintains a
blog and mailing
list.
What popular website have I left off the list?
POP QUIZ!
Ancestry.com
Next Question:
How many of your libraries have an Ancestry.com account?
Ancestry.com
Next Question:
How many of your libraries have an Ancestry.com account?
NOT the Library Edition, JUST Ancestry.com
Ancestry.com
Next Question:
How many of your libraries have an Ancestry.com account?
NOT the Library Edition, JUST Ancestry.com
Did you know that you’re not supposed to do that?
Ancestry.com
I didn’t!
Fork over the money for the
Ancestry Library Edition.
It’s not cheap, but the search
is still similar to the personal
version, with an additional
3,000+ databases to search.
AND:
You can search using the
default settings shows, or
use:
Restrict to exact matches
and:
• Soundex matches
• Phonetic matches
• Names with similar meanings or spellings
But, if you can afford one thing:
Common search problems:
Depending on Soundex.
Common search problems:
Depending on Soundex. Spelling variants.
Common search problems:
Depending on Soundex. Spelling variants. Original spelling.
Common search problems:
Depending on Soundex. Spelling variants. Original spelling.Not knowing alternate surnames.
Common search problems:
Depending on Soundex. Spelling variants. Original spelling.Not knowing alternate surnames.Nicknames and middle names.
Common search problems:
Depending on Soundex. Spelling variants. Original spelling.Not knowing alternate surnames.Nicknames and middle names.Not narrowing the search enough.
Common search problems:
Depending on Soundex. Spelling variants. Original spelling.Not knowing alternate surnames.Nicknames and middle names.Not narrowing the search enough.Narrowing the search too much.
Common search problems:
Depending on Soundex. Spelling variants. Original spelling.Not knowing alternate surnames.Nicknames and middle names.Not narrowing the search enough.Narrowing the search too much.Focusing on one relative for too long.
Common search problems:
Depending on Soundex. Spelling variants. Original spelling.Not knowing alternate surnames.Nicknames and middle names.Not narrowing the search enough.Narrowing the search too much.Focusing on one relative for too long.Relying on your relatives’ stories.
Common search problems:
If You DO Have Room:
Might I suggest the following:
Have folks donate family trees.
Might I suggest the following:
Have folks donate family trees. Have folks donate manuscripts.
Might I suggest the following:
Have folks donate family trees. Have folks donate manuscripts.Acquire information on local history.
Might I suggest the following:
Have folks donate family trees. Have folks donate manuscripts.Acquire information on local history.Obtain yearbooks.
Might I suggest the following:
Have folks donate family trees. Have folks donate manuscripts.Acquire information on local history.Obtain yearbooks.Search online for (cheap) books!
Might I suggest the following:
Have folks donate family trees. Have folks donate manuscripts.Acquire information on local history.Obtain yearbooks.Search online for (cheap) books!Beg your way into the budget.
Might I suggest the following:
Have folks donate family trees. Have folks donate manuscripts.Acquire information on local history.Obtain yearbooks.Search online for (cheap) books!Beg your way into the budget.Partner with your local historical society.
Might I suggest the following:
Have folks donate family trees. Have folks donate manuscripts.Acquire information on local history.Obtain yearbooks.Search online for (cheap) books!Beg your way into the budget.Partner with your local historical society.Find the people who know.
Might I suggest the following:
Have folks donate family trees. Have folks donate manuscripts.Acquire information on local history.Obtain yearbooks.Search online for (cheap) books!Beg your way into the budget.Partner with your local historical society.Find the people who know.Consider microfilm.
Might I suggest the following:
Remember:
ASK QUESTIONS
Remember:
ASK QUESTIONSDon’t be afraid to say no
Remember:
ASK QUESTIONSDon’t be afraid to say noKeep it simple (stupid)
Remember:
ASK QUESTIONSDon’t be afraid to say noKeep it simple (stupid)Document EVERYTHING
Remember:
ASK QUESTIONSDon’t be afraid to say noKeep it simple (stupid)Document EVERYTHINGKentucky had MANY courthouse disasters
Remember:
ASK QUESTIONSDon’t be afraid to say noKeep it simple (stupid)Document EVERYTHINGKentucky had MANY courthouse disastersThere’s a reason they have professionals for
this
Remember:
ASK QUESTIONSDon’t be afraid to say noKeep it simple (stupid)Document EVERYTHINGKentucky had MANY courthouse disastersThere’s a reason they have professionals for
thisThere are moments that make it worth it
Remember:
ASK QUESTIONSDon’t be afraid to say noKeep it simple (stupid)Document EVERYTHINGKentucky had MANY courthouse disastersThere’s a reason they have professionals for
thisThere are moments that make it worth itThey’re dead – they’ll be there tomorrow.
Remember:
