The Power of We: An Introduction to FamilySearch Research Courses, Wiki, and Forums
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The document discusses a watershed event in genealogy - the digitization of many historical records, which has led to lots of records being available online. This creates new needs for genealogists around determining which records to search, and where to find them. FamilySearch addresses these needs through three tools - Research Courses which provide how-to videos, a Research Wiki with over 59,000 articles about records and research guidance, and Forums for asking and answering questions. The document encourages participants to leverage the collective knowledge of the genealogy community and contribute back through these resources.
The Power of We: An Introduction to FamilySearch Research Courses, Wiki, and Forums
- 1. Leveraging the Power of WeA Watershed Event in Discovering Where to Find Your Ancestors
- 2. What we’ll do todayNote the watershed genealogical event of this era & another event it is sparkingIntroduce three tools:Research CoursesResearch WikiForumsLearn about ways to give back and leave a legacy
- 3. Note today’s watershed event…and the new watershed event it is sparking
- 4. Today’s Watershed Event: Digitization (Lots of Records Online)CensusReligiousNewspapersDeathBirthSchoolTaxObituaryEmigrationLocal HistoriesCemeteryCourtMarriageInsuranceImmigrationOccupationalFuneral HomeLandBiographiesDiariesMilitaryFamily BiblesFamily Histories
- 5. Today’s Watershed Event: Digitization (Lots of Records Online)Challenge: Which records should I search first?CensusReligiousNewspapersDeathBirthSchoolTaxObituaryEmigrationLocal HistoriesCemeteryCourtMarriageInsuranceImmigrationOccupationalFuneral HomeLandBiographiesDiariesMilitaryFamily BiblesFamily Histories
- 6. Mass Digitization =Lots of Places to LookAmerican AncestorsFamilySearchRootsWebGoogleNational ArchivesAncestryLibrariesVitalRecChronicling AmericaCyndi’s ListGenealogyBankBLMAccessible ArchivesFootnoteAmerican Battle Monuments ComissionProQuestDARInterment.netINSFindAGraveOneGreatFamilyGenWeb
- 7. Mass Digitization =Lots of Places to LookChallenge: Where do I look for the records I need?American AncestorsFamilySearchRootsWebGoogleNational ArchivesAncestryLibrariesVitalRecChronicling AmericaCyndi’s ListGenealogyBankBLMAccessible ArchivesFootnoteAmerican Battle Monuments ComissionProQuestDARInterment.netINSFindAGraveOneGreatFamilyGenWeb
- 8. SiftingNow it can be so easy to gather lots of names that the real challenge lies in sifting the names into cohesive family groups. [Image: lots of coins being sorted and rolled. Then another image of one of those automatic banks that sorts coins for you.
- 9. Watershed Events Yield New NeedsEventNeeds: Find out…Lots of records availableLots of record providersWhich records to searchWhere those records areHow to sift the data into family groups
- 10. Needs Spark New SolutionsNeedsKnow which records to searchKnow where those records areSolutionsFind people who know(Everybody knows something that can help someone else)Compile everyone’s knowledgePut it in a place everybody can find
- 11. The Power of WeWe used to have to rely on Web and book publishers for most research guidance. Now we can band together to leverage our collective knowledge.
- 12. Solutions from FamilySearchThree “We” solutionsResearch Courses: Cool how-to videos on many topics.Wiki: 59,000 articles on how to find, use, and analyze records in your ancestor’s area.Forums: A place to ask/answer questions.All are free and community-builtAll leverage the Power of We: collective knowledge & rapid growth
- 14. Research CoursesOver 160 lessons
- 15. Research CoursesOver 160 lessonsMost by regional experts
- 16. Research CoursesOver 160 lessonsMost by regional expertsTopic range: Beginner to expert
- 17. Research CoursesOver 160 lessonsMost by regional expertsTopic range: Beginner to expert5-60 mins.
- 25. finding research Courseson FamilySearch.org
- 28. The Research Wikian introduction
- 29. What’s a Wiki?Wiki: Hawaiian for “quick”A place to collect community knowledgeAnyone can contributeWriting: Easy as MS WordWrite an idea now; add more later
- 30. FamilySearch WikiResearch guidanceWhere to find records Record contentsHow to use various records How to sort findings into family groups59,000 articles. Growing by 50/day.100+ countries.Not about specific ancestors.
- 32. New York Census
- 46. Finding the wikiat FamilySearch.org
- 51. FamilySearch ForumsAsking questions & getting answers
- 52. FamilySearch ForumsPurpose: Ask questions & share expertiseScope: worldwideTen languages comingMost questions get multiple answersMostly advice, but sometimes lookupsTopics: Research, software, contributing to the wiki
- 56. What do you need to know?Learn from the research coursesSearch the wikiAsk in the forumsLeverage the Power of We
- 57. Give BackLeave a LegacyContribute a research courseContribute to the wikiAnswer questions in the forumsBuild the Power of We
- 58. What we did todayNoted the watershed genealogical event of this era & another event it is sparkingIntroduced three tools:Research CoursesResearch WikiForumsLearn about ways you can give back and leave a legacy
- 59. Come join us!Michael Ritchey: ritcheymt@familysearch.org