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Linda McMeniman October 2009 1
Genealogy Message Boards
Online "bulletin boards" -- You can read queries and post replies or questions about people (surname boards), places,(location boards) or type of resource (cemeteries, DAR, etc.)
Ancestry >
RootsWebv
< Genforum
How to find ANCESTRY Message Boards
< Ancestry Library Edition "All databases" page
Near the bottom of the database menu along the right side, find Message BoardsV
Go anytime to read archived messages
Linda McMeniman October 2009 2
Ancestry Message Boards
Ancestry took over the message boards started at RootsWeb.
Like USGenWeb & WorldGenWeb, RootsWeb is an umbrella site maintained by volunteers for the sharing of genealogical information.
Ancestry Message Boards are the same as RootsWeb Message Boards in content. BUT
In Ancestry Library Edition the message boards are read-only.Sometimes posters provide an email so you can write to them invidually--but you can not post as a Lib Ed user.
RootsWeb message boards: A different portal to the same message boards, one that offers you free, full use as a reader and poster.
How to find the RootsWeb version ofthe message boards:
# 1, Go to RootsWeb home pagehttp://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/
Click on Message BoardsOR, # 2,
Go directly to the RootsWeb message board page:
http://boards.rootsweb.com
Linda McMeniman October 2009 3
RootsWeb Message Board Page
Search:• Free, no registration
required• This box searches all posts
on entire site = possibility of hundreds of hits
• "John Smith" in quotes finds posts in which both words appear, not necessarily together!
INSTEAD!Find a Board:
Surname or Location
<--Type in a surname,or choose a letter to find surnames
A NOTE aboutMAILING LISTS
These are email "bulletin boards."Posts are sent automatically to subscribers and also are archived.
RootsWeb mailing lists contain all the posts put up on the Ancestry/RootsWeb Message Boards.BUT emails sent to the Mailing Lists are NOT put on the Message Boards.
Mailing list archives are the most complete record of conversations
Linda McMeniman October 2009 4
Search page, cont.At the bottom of the Rootsweb home page you can browse for boards:
U.S.--There is a board for every county in US + additional boards in a state for unique events, regions, etc.
Advantages of registering as RootsWeb user:Be allowed to post messages & Build a list of favorite boards
Easily find newest posts
Linda McMeniman October 2009 5
Surname Message Board
Recommendation
Search within one board and get more relevant hits.
Default is to "search allboards." Instead, click on button to search one board at a time unless your target has a very distinctive name.
Message Board Post Example To reply you must be registered (free)
Poster may keep identity & email address private.
To contact someone with a private email, you must be an Ancestry subscriber (even though this is the "RootsWeb"message board.)
• Responders may provide family details, may even be co-descendants
• Some board participants own resources such as family genealogies or records books for a locality and offer to do look-ups
Linda McMeniman October 2009 6
BUT: Rootsweb posts are searched by Google and other search engines
To find out if a person you are researching is mentioned in RW boards, do a Google search for the person using "first + last name" in quotes format
Advanced Search still doesn't let you link first and last names!
GenForum, another message board sitehttp://genforum.genealogy.com
Simliar to Rootswebmessage boards
• Free• Registration
option: Post, reply• Keep list of your
frequently visited boards "My GenForum”
Also owned by Ancestry!
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