Created to show librarians how they can help genealogy patrons.

1. October 2011
Stacy Anderson
ander4sa@cmich.edu

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