2. Scare you?!
Perplex you?
Overwhelm you?
These are not uncommon reactions……….
3. Each user type poses it’s own challenges
• Beginners
• Experienced/Specialized
• New to your collection
• Regulars
4. Two types of beginners
• To genealogy in general
This is the more typical situation
• To this kind of resource/particular type of record
5. Want a complete completed genealogy
• This is an unrealistic expectation; explain that these are rarely
available
Users want you to do their research
• Explain that librarians don’t do anyone’s research for
them, we only guide/assist your own search
6. Lack
the basic skills and/or information to
conduct the research
• Recommend how-to manuals
• Give them basic forms
• Refer them to other repositories with genealogical
collections
Will
need help understanding what they’ve
found
• Refer to other repositories
• Locate genealogy manuals and guides in catalog
• Cyndi’s List may be useful
7. May request specific records they believe
will be helpful
• Try to determine if the different resources listed
next have the records
• This is challenging, time-consuming, and may be
beyond your knowledge – different records may
have the same types of information, as well
8. They often don’t need much help
Questions may be directional (more on this
later)
Youmay know less about genealogy than
these users
• But you do know more about how libraries &
archives operate
9. Users who are new to your collection or
library may or may not be new to
genealogy
Often they’ve done their homework on
your website and come prepared to do
their research
Oftenthey have travelled quite some
distance to use your unique collections
10. Unlikely
to have at a library unless there is
a dedicated genealogy collection
May use your library for
• The library’s computers
• The library’s high-speed internet access
• The library’s access to Ancestry (not available
remotely)
11. Likeany reference Also like a standard
interview, a reference interview,
genealogical there are some
reference interview is “typical” questions to
done to ascertain the begin with
level of knowledge of
the patron
12. Are you just beginning your family history
search?
Have you contacted family members? Have
you located home sources?
What information do you already know? Do
you have it recorded on a family sheet or
pedigree chart? Do you have it with you?
Are you familiar with Ancestry or Heritage
Quest?
What kind of information are you looking for?
13. Directional
• Showing locations where items may be found
Knowledge-Based
• Requires some experience with genealogy and the
collection
• Requires experience with tools in collection
• Requires knowledge of library practices/tools
Methodology
• Where do I go next?
• Can come from any type of user
• Some are rote/some require more thought & creativity
• May be addressed with more formal classroom instruction
14. Databases
• Ancestry
• HeritageQuest
• WorldCat
Local Collections
• Some libraries/branches have special collections
Library Catalog
• Keyword and subject searching
Forms
• Ancestral chart & family group sheet – two most basic and useful forms
there are
• http://www.ancestry.com/charts/ancchart.aspx
Cyndi’s List
• http://www.cyndislist.com
West Michigan Genealogical Society
• Databases, copy services, instruction, research trips
15. Ancestry
• Individuals can actually buy Ancestry subscription
(but $$)
• Ancestry not available remotely
• Has all census records, all searchable
• How-to articles, forms
• More focus on primary resources (vital records,
passenger records, etc.)
• This is where most patrons will want to begin
16. HeritageQuest
• Available remotely
• Has all census records, but not all searchable
• More focused on secondary resources
Often books that patrons want to ILL are available in the
Publications section
17. Family History Library
of Michigan’s
Library’s Digital Seeking Michigan
Collections • http://seekingmichigan.
• https://www.familysearc org/
h.org/ • Digitized death records
• These are digitized from 1897 through
microform records 1920
• Can limit records to just • Civil War Service
Michigan Records for Michigan
• Most of Michigan’s soldiers
records seem to have
been digitized
18. Consist of record types such as:
• Local histories
• Yearbooks
• Family histories
• Newspapers
• Photographs
19. Keyword Searching
• Use only the VERY most important words
• Don’t search on “genealogy” or “[state]”
• Location searches can be effective
Remember other usages, i.e. Great Britain for England
• Try alternative terms for record descriptions
i.e. records, lists, indexes, registers
Subject Searching
• Location is usually identified at the county level
• Searching for a family name is not particularly effective
(unless searching for a family history)
• Look at subject headings that are useful and use those
for more resources
20. Grand Rapids Public Library – Downtown Main
• http://www.grpl.org/wiki/index.php/Genealogy
Family History Center – 96 & Leonard
• Phone: 616-949-3343; Hours: T-W 9am-9pm; Sat 9am-1pm
• http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHC/frameset_fhc.
asp
Library of Michigan – Lansing
• http://www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160-17449_18635---
,00.html
West Michigan Genealogical Society
• http://www.wmgs.org/
Local (city/township) Historical Societies
• http://www.commoncorners.com/
21. Work on your own family history!
Read books
• Croom, Emily Anne. The Genealogist's Companion
and Sourcebook. Cincinnati: Betterway Books, 2003.
• ____. Unpuzzling Your Past: The Best-Selling Basic
Guide to Genealogy. Cincinnati: Betterway Books,
2001.
22. Give them forms to fill out
• Anywhere they go, this will help
Tell them about circulating how-to books
May also locate local collections
• At your branch or elsewhere
23. Show them the digitized Michigan
collections
Show them Ancestry and HeritageQuest
• If they’ve never done their census research,
recommend they start there
Tell them about Cyndi’s List
Refer them to another repository
24. Show them the library’s access to
Ancestry, HeritageQuest, and WorldCat
• WorldCat can be used to see how many copies
exist of specific title they may be looking for –
helps determine odds of getting through
interlibrary loan
• Many don’t know about HQ’s publication section
Tell them about local collections
• This is why they may be at your branch or library
Refer them to another repository
25. Though genealogy patrons may scare you,
perplex you, or overwhelm you, there are
some ways you can try to help them
Oneof the best things you can do is try
doing of some of your family history
research!
26. All
images used in this presentation came
from Microsoft’s clip art collection and used
with Microsoft’s permission under the
terms of the End-User License