Books! (c) 2012 Gena Philibert-Ortega |
Why Every Genealogist
Needs a Librarian
I’m often surprised when genealogists tell me that they
don’t know what interlibrary loan is or they rarely visit their local library. I
think that unfortunately as family historians we too often think that everything we need can be found online. But that thinking
could not be further from the truth. Libraries and librarians can provide new
ideas, search techniques, and help us break down brick walls in ways that we
would have never guessed. Librarians are essential to family history research.
Interlibrary Loan
Interlibrary loan is such an important tool for the genealogist.
Through interlibrary loan a whole world of resources opens up to you that you
would otherwise not have access to. Simply put, interlibrary loan allows you to
borrow a book from a library that is either some distance from your home or one
where you do not have borrower’s privileges. You request the item/s from your
local library’s reference librarian and pay a small fee. Your reference
librarian sends off for the item and within a short amount of time it is sent
to your library. At that point you will be able to check out the item or use it
at your library. Interlibrary loan is
not just for books, you can also in some cases borrow microfilmed records and
journal articles.
Whenever you start a new research project I recommend that you search through your local library’s catalog, the library that serves the area where your ancestor lived and local university/college
libraries. Find links for libraries by using Libraries in the United States. You can also search a large number of libraries by using WorldCat.
WorldCat is a union catalog with over 1.5 billion items held
by the world’s libraries. For new users, I would suggest that you check out the
“What is WorldCat” page .
Midwest Genealogy Center (c) 2010 Gena Philibert-Ortega |
They Can Find
Anything
I would say that I am pretty good at research. I would
venture to say that I am a really good researcher. However, librarians are
taught different ways to search for items and they are aware of collections,
databases, and websites that can enhance your research.
When we search for our ancestors we tend to just search
genealogy related websites that we are aware of, commercial sites, free
genealogy sites, etc. But there may be
other types of materials and websites that can be useful in our search. Sometimes
because we are so accustomed to looking at the same sites over and over again
we may miss out on those that can help us. A good case in point is some social
history research I am doing on the food our ancestors ate. I was able to find
some books and website that I thought looked promising, but my friend, who is
studying to become a librarian, was able to find for me social networks,
dissertations, and academic sources that frankly would have not been part of my
search results. It was interesting as we both worked on this search, she on her
computer and I on mine, that we were both able to find completely unique
sources but they were all very important. We are often more effective when we
collaborate than when we just tackle something completely on our own.
Haven’t stepped foot in a library for a while? Ask the reference librarian for a tour. Ask
what resources would be of use to you in your research. Inquire about the
service and benefits of being a library card holder. One of the great new
features of libraries today versus 10-20 years ago is that for many libraries
having a library cards allows you to access a variety of online sources,
normally paid sites, for free. These sites can include Ancestry Library
Edition, Heritage Quest, and others.
Librarians know their collection as well as other library
collections so they are the ones to ask when you are stuck or need to know what
resources exist. They know about resources that the general public is not
knowledgeable about. That’s what they went to school for, to learn how to find
information.
Midwest Genealogy Center. (c) 2010 Gena Philibert-Ortega |
You Can Ask
Librarians Questions
One of my favorite features on many library websites is an
interactive feature typically labeled Ask A Librarian. This feature allows you
various ways to contact a librarian including through a chat room and texting. I
have used this to ask questions, research advice and even about a
specific resource. Don’t forget that you can ask librarians from public
libraries and university libraries questions via the library website, even if
you just email them. This can help you in your research and is often a fast way
to get a question answered.
Obviously, the librarian isn’t going to do your research for
you but quick requests and questions are what they are there for.
And There’s More…
These are just a few of the ideas about why you need a
librarian when you research your family tree. Start today by contacting your
local library and finding out how they can assist you in breaking down your
ancestral brick walls.
**Article excerpted, originally ran from a GenWeekly article by Gena Philibert-Ortega. Published in GenWeekly, www.genweekly.com, 1 June 2010.
1 comment:
Oh, I love libraries also! The librarians are eager to help you find anything from the newest databases to microfiche to their reference books. And Interlibrary Loan has saved me so many times. They are able to "conjure" books and articles from all over the country.'
I hear some libraries have subscriptions to costly genealogical resources, such as (I believe) Heritage Quest. We have a university library nearby, and those people really know their stuff!
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