Lots of times Jim and I talk about how we can improve the way people learn and do their family history. It is something we have done since we first started working in the library. We've had a lot of ideas. Some have been great...others fizzled.
This last go around I think we have a really good idea. So many obstacles beset us as we try to proceed in doing our family history. One of them is the major commitment time it requires. Another is the old standby...my work is all done. Those two things really slow the work.
We thought about how effective the call for 4-generations to be sent to Salt City Genealogy Library was back in the 80s. Why did that that work so well? Those submissions were the basis of the Ancestral File we use today. There was a deadline date set about 18 month prior and people wanted in on it...and it was a target that was easily visualized and seemed doable.
Of course things are very different now. Yet people still feel overwhelmed with the immensity of the project and often are convinced they have nothing left to be done. Aunt Millie has done all their family history work.
So we plan to challenge some people to start sourcing their first their four generations. Inviting them to systematically go through their tree starting at the beginning should be very good because there are so many record hints now. Once they start seeing the importance of those sources we think they will be more motivated. The more sources they attach the less likely people will be to challenge and/or change their entries.
Having a specific project to work on is also important and prevents the skipping all over the place when you have a plan to work on your Family History. It is something that we as staff members can assist them in doing should they be patrons here. It is also a good practice for us to do on our own family.
Happy Sourcing!
The goal has to be fairly simple and with benchmarks along the way. There should also be a time period involved. Open ended goals are rarely realized. Just something as simple as saying, "This week I'll add sources for my aunts and uncles on my mom's side of the family!" This give you a reasonable goal that can be attained.
This last go around I think we have a really good idea. So many obstacles beset us as we try to proceed in doing our family history. One of them is the major commitment time it requires. Another is the old standby...my work is all done. Those two things really slow the work.
We thought about how effective the call for 4-generations to be sent to Salt City Genealogy Library was back in the 80s. Why did that that work so well? Those submissions were the basis of the Ancestral File we use today. There was a deadline date set about 18 month prior and people wanted in on it...and it was a target that was easily visualized and seemed doable.
Of course things are very different now. Yet people still feel overwhelmed with the immensity of the project and often are convinced they have nothing left to be done. Aunt Millie has done all their family history work.
So we plan to challenge some people to start sourcing their first their four generations. Inviting them to systematically go through their tree starting at the beginning should be very good because there are so many record hints now. Once they start seeing the importance of those sources we think they will be more motivated. The more sources they attach the less likely people will be to challenge and/or change their entries.
Having a specific project to work on is also important and prevents the skipping all over the place when you have a plan to work on your Family History. It is something that we as staff members can assist them in doing should they be patrons here. It is also a good practice for us to do on our own family.
Happy Sourcing!
The goal has to be fairly simple and with benchmarks along the way. There should also be a time period involved. Open ended goals are rarely realized. Just something as simple as saying, "This week I'll add sources for my aunts and uncles on my mom's side of the family!" This give you a reasonable goal that can be attained.
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