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Preserving Your Research | |
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AncestorNews: Preserving Your Research
I've heard horror stories about avid genealogists passing away and their families tossing their many years of research
in the trash. Say it ain't so!
Clearly, those of you who are reading this column are the family's appointed genealogists—you're the ones everyone
calls when they want to know something like "what was the maiden name of great-grandpa Joe's second wife?" You're the keeper
of the records, but what happens to those records after you're gone? A sobering thought, yes?
One way of preserving your research is to make multiple copies and get them into the hands of as many relatives as possible.
That way (hopefully) someone will get the genie bug and keep delving into the family's past. Another suggestion is to load your
GEDCOM file into online databases like RootsWeb's World Connect project or
contribute to the Pedigree Resource File at FamilySearch.
Also, if your pioneer family settled early into a county, contact the local historical about donating your files.
Some genealogy societies even have special forms to fill out regarding leaving your research to the society. Of course,
if you've written a family history book, getting it into the Family History Library is a guarantee your years of
dedication will never be forgotten.
To learn more about preserving your research for posterity:
• Preserving Your Research
• RootsWeb World Connect
• A Guide to Donating Your Personal or Family Papers to a Repository
• Donating to the Family History Library Nancy Hendrickson is a Family Tree Magazine contributing editor and the author of
Finding Your Roots Online.
You can read her AncestorNews column in every edition of the Family Tree Magazine E-mail Update (sign up at
www.familytreemagazine.com/newsletter.asp).
by Nancy Hendrickson
genealogy.com/67_donna.html
worldconnect.rootsweb.com
archivists.org/publications/donating-familyrecs.asp
www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asp?PAGE=library_donations.asp
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