Organize Your Family History

Stay focused and happy while exploring your roots

How’s the July 30 x 30 challenge going?

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We had a record number of people say they were up for this month’s 30 x 30 challenge, in which we commit to doing 30 minutes of genealogy research (or organizing or digitizing or whatever project you choose) for 30 days in a row.

We’ve passed the half-way point of the challenge, so I wanted to ask: how’s it going?

I’ve managed to do at least 30 minutes of genealogy research each day. It’s been so enjoyable and I feel very connected to my ancestors. On almost all the days, I’ve researched in the morning, before I left the house. On the weekends, I’ve managed to put in more time. But on weekday mornings, I set a timer and stop after 30 minutes.

I’m using my Evernote research log consistently, so it’s very easy for me to pick up where I left off.

Your turn: Please report in the comments. How’s your challenge going?

500,000 page views. Thank you!

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On Wednesday, July 11, 2018, I reached a milestone on this blog that I’d been keeping an eye out for for the last couple of months. I hit a half million page views since I started the blog on June 14, 2012. That blows my mind. I was  hoping to catch the moment when the ticker reached 500,000 but I was with a client and just missed it. So the photo above shows you the moment I reached 500,009. (Two days later, as I type this, I’m at 500,688.)

I am so grateful for you, the people who read this blog. It’s been really gratifying getting to know you and I am honored and humbled that people read regularly. I’m also so happy that people comment. On my other blog comments are quite rare.

I try to blog here twice a week. If there are specific topics surrounding genealogy and organizing that you’d like me to try to cover, please don’t hesitate to tell me.

Thank you!!

Giving DNA another chance

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Confession time: I have the hardest time understanding genetic genealogy. I have spent hours in seminars at various conferences. I even had a one-on-one consultation about my DNA results with genetic genealogist and consultant Diahan Southard, Your DNA Guide.

For some reason, these concepts are hard for me to grasp and retain. As a result, I do very little with my DNA results. I occasionally check matches to my autosomal test (which I did through Ancestry DNA and transferred the results to Family Tree DNA) but that’s pretty much it. Every year I hope (but don’t plan) that this is going to be the year that I harvest the power of DNA in my genealogy research.

An opportunity to learn more was just handed to me on a silver platter. Diahan Southard is coming to St. Louis for a Summer Speaker Series event put on by the St. Louis Genealogical Society on July 28. I just registered. (If you’re in St. Louis and interested in going, today July 10, is the early-bird deadline. Tomorrow the price goes up by $10.)

I know what a great speaker Diahan is and it couldn’t be more convenient for me to go. So I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to hear her speak. (Plus Diahan holds a special place in my heart because she was one of the first people to consent to being interviewed for my How They Do It series.) I’ll be attending her talks on July 28 with an open and curious mind and I’m hoping that they will help me incorporate more genetic genealogy into my research.

If you’re in St. Louis and going, please let me so we can meet!

Are you taking advantage of your local library?

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I’m a huge fan of the St. Louis city and county public library systems (and, by extension, all public library systems). Even before I started doing serious genealogy research, I was a heavy library user. Before I got my first Kindle e-reader five years ago, they knew me by name at my local branch of the city library. (I still borrow books all the time but now they’re electronic, so I don’t get into my branch very often.)

St. Louis City and St. Louis County are separate government entities. (The city seceded from the county in 1876.) As a result there are two independent library systems, each with their collections. Residents of either entity, however, are welcome to use the other. So I’m fortunate to have access to two great library systems!

I’m so grateful for the genealogy resources the libraries. Both city and county headquarters here have genealogy collections. The St. Louis County library has two floors (Tiers 4 and 5) set aside for genealogy and history. Patrons can visit Tier 5 at any time the library is open and get the assistance of the very helpful employees. Tier 4 is closed to the public, though materials housed there can be requested. On the second weekend of each month (this month it’s July 14-15) Tier 4, is opened to the public. If you’re in St. Louis you might consider taking advantage of the opportunity to browse more than 130,000 family histories and other materials shelved in this area not usually open to the public.

I love using Tier 5 and try to get there at least once a quarter. One reason I go is that patrons of public libraries that are affiliated with the Family History Library (like the St. Louis County library) can access some of the documents online while at they’re library branch that they can’t access at home. It’s so much easier for me to travel fifteen minutes to the St. Louis County Library History & Genealogy Department than it is for me to travel to Salt Lake City!

In addition, my libraries offer free classes that help me build my genealogy skills. I bet yours does too.

My library card can help me do online research, without even having to go to the branch. The libraries I have access to allow me to search dozens of databases, simply by entering my card number and PIN. I have found information on newspaper databases and obituary indexes, for example, that I didn’t find elsewhere.

When I’m researching at my computer, I always start with Ancestry and Family Search. But sometimes need to remind myself to turn to the many digital library resources available to me!

The public library system throughout the country is such an amazing resource, for genealogy research and just general enrichment and education. If you don’t know already, I encourage you to reach out to your local library and see how it might help you in your family history research!