Slides from my presentation to Library Staff around Southern Ontario on behalf of SOLS last year

1. Helping Genealogists Climb Family Trees:
How to get them to your library and keep them there!
Presentation by:
Elise C. Cole, BAH, MLIS
Local History Librarian
Oakville Public Library
ecole@oakville.ca
http://canadianlibgenie.blogspot.com

2. Helping Genealogists Climb Family Trees:
How to get them to your library and keep them there!
• This half-day workshop will cover:
– Put it in writing - The Genealogy and/or Local History
Service Commitment
– Genealogy Basics: Research guidance and the basic rules for
both the novice and experienced researcher
– The Resources: There are plenty of free websites and online
tools. Current awareness tips and tricks
– Community/Programming Partnerships: They are out there!

3. Helping Genealogists Climb Family Trees:
How to get them to your library and keep them there!
• Why are we doing all of this?
– Ipsos-Reid study commissioned by Ancestry.ca
(2006)
• 8 out of 10 Canadians want to know about their
family history
– How do we know that genealogy is so popular?
• Popularity of television shows, like: Ancestors In
the Attic, Who Do You Think You Are?

4. Helping Genealogists Climb Family Trees:
How to get them to your library and keep them
there!
– Proliferation of Genealogy Magazines
• Discovering Family History, Internet Genealogy,
Your Family Tree, Family Chronicle, Le Chaînon,
Families, Family Tree Magazine, Heritage Quest,
The Genealogist, Mennonite Family History
Magazine, Journal of Online Genealogy, Medal
Tracker, Ancestry Magazine, Everton’s
Genealogical Helper, Ancestors, Practical Family
History, Reunions Magazine, OGS Newsleaf,
And Many, Many More!!!

5. Helping Genealogists Climb Family Trees:
How to get them to your library and keep them there!
• What are we at X Public Library going to offer?
– Ontario Public Library Guidelines, 4th Edition: see Checklist,
Section 3.3.8 and 4.9
• 3.3.8 Links to World Wide Web-based information sources - The
library provides access to selected, evaluated and organized links to
reliable and current information sources available on the Web (e.g. to
other community organizations, online directories, employment
resources, genealogy resources, government information, Internet
guides, search engines, health resources, etc.)
• 4.9 Local history Every community has a responsibility to collect and
preserve materials which have a special relevance to its unique
history. The public library may have an important role to play in
making this information available to the community.

6. Helping Genealogists Climb Family Trees:
How to get them to your library and keep them there!
– Oakville Public Library Oakville Collection Profile:
– Other Libraries: What do they have online? Not just
links, but look for online pathfinders (try a ~ tilde
search in Google)
– Librarians Serving Genealogists Mailing List:
GENEALIB:
http://www.cas.usf.edu/lis/genealib/list.html
– What other organizations are in the area?
• Local branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society
http://www.ogs.on.ca/branches/branchlocator.php
• Local Historical Society or Archive (Municipality)
– Geographically-based genealogy mailing list:
• http://www.cyndislist.com/mailing.htm#John

19. Helping Genealogists Climb Family Trees:
How to get them to your library and keep them there!
– ALA Reference and User Services Association –
Genealogy and Local History
• http://tinyurl.com/5wtp3z
– See the Guidelines for Genealogy Collections
• http://tinyurl.com/6gtheu

21. Helping Genealogists Climb Family Trees:
How to get them to your library and keep them there!
– International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
(IFLA): Genealogy and Local History Section
(http://www.ifla.org/VII/s37/index.htm)
• This Section of IFLA stands for the advancement of genealogy and
local history librarianship.
• It provides an international forum for the free exchange of
information about resources and services.
• It works with national and regional associations and societies to
encourage and support the activities of genealogy and local history
librarians.
• It promotes the education and professional development of subject
librarians.
• It encourages the formulation and implementation of guidelines for
genealogy and local history patron services in libraries.
• It supports the efforts of libraries, archives, and museums to collect,
preserve, and improve access to oral and documentary sources
through traditional media and via new technologies.
http://www.ifla.org/VII/s37/GENLOC-leaflet-en.pdf

22. Helping Genealogists Climb Family Trees:
How to get them to your library and keep them there!
• An Activity!!!

23. Helping Genealogists Climb Family Trees:
How to get them to your library and keep them there!
• Basic rules for genealogy/family history research:
– Start with yourself and work backwards
– Many brick walls can be broken through by going back
over your research over time as more information
becomes available
– All researchers need to keep notes of the materials
they’ve used, in what format it was, where (place) and
when (date) accessed
• About Genealogical Standards of Evidence: A Guide for
Genealogists by Brenda Merriman
• Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to
Cyberspace by Elizabeth Shown Mills

24. Helping Genealogists Climb Family Trees:
How to get them to your library and keep them there!
• Free Charts and Charting Software:
• Family Chart and Pedigree Chart at Canadian Genealogy
Centre (CGC)
– http://genealogy.about.com/od/free_charts/ig/genealogy
_charts/family_tree.htm
• Personal Ancestral File (LDS)
– http://www.familysearch.org/
• Legacy (Standard Edition)
– http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/

25. Helping Genealogists Climb Family Trees:
How to get them to your library and keep them there!
• Resources: Free vs Fee
• Local: What’s already out there that’s available to your
researchers?
– Try AVITUS at http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogy/022-501-
e.html
• Provincial: Ontario Research
– Archives of Ontario: http://www.archives.gov.on.ca
– Archives Association of Ontario: http://aao.fis.utoronto.ca/,
particularly their Genealogy and the Family virtual exhibit

29. Helping Genealogists Climb Family Trees:
How to get them to your library and keep them there!
• Canadian:
– Canadian Genealogy Centre (LAC):
http://www.genealogy.gc.ca
• Others:
– GENUKI: http://www.genuki.com
– Cyndi’s List: http://www.cyndislist.com/

33. Helping Genealogists Climb Family Trees:
How to get them to your library and keep them
there!
• Staying On Top of Resources
– E-Newsletters like Global Gazette from Global Genealogy
• http://www.globalgenealogy.com
– Blogs & Other Sites
• Eastman’s Online Genealogical Newsletter:
http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/
• Librarians Helping Canadian Genealogists Climb Family
Trees: http://canadianlibgenie.blogspot.com/
– RSS feeds & Bloglines
– Google News Alerts: http://news.google.ca/
– Social Bookmarking

39. Helping Genealogists Climb Family Trees:
How to get them to your library and keep them there!
• Social Bookmarking: Take your
Favourites/Bookmarks on the Road
• Share with your colleagues across distances,
or even from branch to branch
• Sitejot: http://www.sitejot.com
– To see sites from today’s session, visit:
http://public.sitejot.com/genealogy.html

43. Helping Genealogists Climb Family Trees:
How to get them to your library and keep them there!
You’ve heard of
WEB 2.0
You’ve even heard of
LIBRARY 2.0
But what about…

44. Helping Genealogists Climb Family Trees:
How to get them to your library and keep them there!
GENEALOGY 2.0?????

45. Helping Genealogists Climb Family Trees:
How to get them to your library and keep them there!
• Genealogy 2.0
– Facebook: We’re Related & Family Builder

47. Helping Genealogists Climb Family Trees:
How to get them to your library and keep them there!
• Non-Facebook:
– Famillion: http://www.famillion.com
– Geni.com: http://www.geni.com/

50. Helping Genealogists Climb Family Trees:
How to get them to your library and keep them there!
• Community and Programming Partnerships
– Partner with Local Groups: Offer meeting space for free. How
about Collection Space?
– Ontario Curriculum and Local History and Genealogy & Scouts
Canada Badge = Class Visits
• Charts from Library and Archives Canada
– Offer a list of Local Researchers: OGS Branch and/or Professional
Genealogists (APG)
– Those Professional Genealogists are likely trying to build their
business: Speaker Events like Oakville’s Own Lady Diana
– Staff member doing unique genealogical research? Have them
give a workshop!

51. Helping Genealogists Climb Family Trees:
How to get them to your library and keep them there!
• Learning Opportunities:
– SOLS Workshops
– OLA Education Institute: Genealogy Webinars – invite a local
organization to participate and share the costs!
– CLA Annual Conference
– OGS Annual Seminar
– IFLA Conference and Satellite Sessions
– ALA/PLA
– Podcasts: http://genealogyguys.com/, Dick Eastman, etc
– Others to share?

52. Helping Genealogists Climb Family Trees:
How to get them to your library and keep them there!
Any Questions?
Thank you for listening today! Feel free to email me with
any questions, comments, suggestions, etc
Elise C. Cole, BAH, MLIS
Local History Librarian
Oakville Public Library
ecole@oakville.ca
http://canadianlibgenie.blogspot.com