Assisting genealogists in the Library

Christine Sharbrough, MSLIS, CGSM

Welcome!Librarian? Teacher? Genealogist? Other?Understanding the genealogist & geni-speakUnderstanding resources sought and ownedSifting through the story to get the questionTools, terminology, techniquesKeeping up

Novice or true beginnerUnwitting inheritorIntermediateName collectorScholarly researcherHistorian

Help (I don’t know what to do)How do I make sense of this?Where do I go next?Names – preferably royalty and heroesConfirmation/VerificationHistory/ContextFree information

Every family is differentEvery researcher is at a different point of

discoveryResearchers come at problems differentlyResearch focus differs from person to personMost librarians are not trained as genealogistsMany librarians/library staff have no idea

what is in that local history room.Most people fear the unknownIf one person asks, ten more want to know

Most difficult to discernThink about where the patron is in terms of

“type”What are they hoping to find?What do they need to do first?When in doubt – ask for clarificationThe Reference Interview is your friend

(Most of) Our relatives would rather…Watch paint dryWatch grass growHave fingernails pulled out with pliers; orHave bamboo shoved under them…soWe have conferences…and we go to the libraryIf you work in a library…you must like books, ergo…you

must like research… and hearing about mine…right?Getting to the heart of the matter without being

heartless“What question would you like to try and answer today?”

“Go from what you know to what you don’t”Not fun, but necessaryCannot accurately research without

documenting each link of the chainNo one wants to hear thisSuccess of this route depends on who’s

standing in front of youUnderstanding what they want to know and

knowing where records/resources are that will answer the question

Do not be distracted by facts or storiesPeople are excited Research is very personalThe first question asked is not usually the one

they want answered…for example…“I want the book on my family”“My 4th great grandfather, Edward Spaulding,

was one of the founding families of Chelmsford. He is buried here according to a genealogy I read. He died in 1701. What cemeteries are in town?”

Vital Records (time period is key)Census Records (federal and state)Land/Property mapsLocal newspapersCemetery recordsMilitary recordsHow do I do…Where do I find…

You have access to more than you may realizePhysical and virtual materialsPhysical:

Genealogical reference materialsLocal history collection“Regular” history collectionMagazines (Family Tree, American

Ancestors, ?)DVDs (WDYTYA, Gates)

Virtual:Databases, online sites

• Vital records • MAVR to 1850, MAVR 1850-1915; Copley

books (NH), NH State Papers; Barbour Collection (CT)

• Local, county histories• Local property maps and Sanborn Fire Maps• Local and regional newspapers• Genealogy Bank/Newsbank

• Genealogical reference books• Cemetery records• Local transcriptions, Findagrave.com

The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy – Val Greenwood (3rd ed.)

Ancestry’s Red Book (3rd ed.)Map Guide to the 1790-1920 Censuses –

Thorndale and DollarhideThe SourceReading Early American Handwriting – Kip

SperryEvidence Explained – Elizabeth Shown Mills

Create a finding aid/research grid What/Time Period/Information containedWhat do you have in the building?What do you subscribe to online?What dates do these records cover?What do area libraries have?What major repositories are in the area?Local/regional genealogy groups?Archives?List of local researchers?

Basic understanding of the roles of:Public librariesHistorical societiesArchives (National, State, Local, Corporate,

Museum)What type of information sought?Person, place or entity?Specialty library

Live and die by circs and/or usage of collectionsCome in and have a great experience

Tell their friends…at large conferencesArchivists – researchers know the collection better

than the staff do sometimes because they have the time to look at things in detail

Great help creating finding aids and vetting them.• NB: Pathway to NF and fiction

– Dan Waddell– Rhett McPherson– 970s (history), 364.1 (true crime), 780s (true life

adventure)DO NOT BE AFRAID! WE WON’T HURT YOU…

REALLY

Create genealogy page on websiteInclude finding aidsFAQRefer people to itHotlink resources (catalog, etc.)

You don’t need to know it all, just where to find it…

Inventory your local history collectionCompiled Genealogies “History of Adams Family”“Researching your British Ancestors”“Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850”

Shelf listActually open the books/login to databases/PLAYNote what they contain – names? Descriptions?

Transcriptions?Annotated bibliography/finding aidTrain staff how to field questionsAppoint someone to be point person

• Basic Forms• Brochure – short version of annotated

bibliography/finding aid• Bibliography/finding aid/research grid• List of online resources – subscription and

free • Basic understanding of limitations of

resources• Basic information about genealogy software

programs

Forms PacketPedigree chart (direct line ancestors)Family group sheet (all information on one family)Correspondence Log (tracking what was

done/who was contacted)FREE: www.familytreemagazine.com &

www.ancestry.comInformation Sheet

Websites (access at home and at the library)Other “where to go” resources – locally,

regionallyNEHGS, National Archives, ACGS (Manchester, NH)

List of local researchers

Ancestry.comFold3.com (formerly Footnote.com)Genealogybank.comAmericanAncestors.orgHeritageQuestOnline.comLegacy.comFamilySearch.orgFindagrave.comMidwest Genealogy Library (mymcpl.org)Google Books

Library edition does not offer online family trees like personal subscription doesNo access to personal family trees

Patrons can subscribe monthly or bi-annually to have access to a personal site

Download a GEDCOM

Most basic programs are freeLegacy Family Tree

(www.legacyfamilytree.com)RootsMagic (www.rootsmagic.com)Family Tree Maker (Ancestry – personal

subscription only)FamilySearch = New Family Tree

(www.familysearch.org) Various levels of collaboration and source

citation

Staffing/timeGetting startedGetting organizedKeeping upHow much are you willing/able to do?

“We’re able to get you started” versus “We will do the research for you.”

Guidelines provide consistencyLeave the desk with something to

do/somewhere to go

Who’s who in genealogy?Blogs/eNewsletters/Websites/Hangouts

Dick EastmanDear Myrtle Thomas MacEntee – GeneabloggersElizabeth Shown Mills - Evidence Explained

Family History Library Affiliation FamilySearch.org Wiki/Learn – online classesFamily Tree MagazineLook at major conferences: NGS, FGS, NERGC

Do your own genealogical researchBecome really great friends with someone

who doescsharbrough@mvlc.orgGenearchibrarian.wordpress.com