Family History & the Internet

Objectives

• To gain a basic understanding of family history research

• To be aware of the types of information available online for family history research

• To gain greater confidence in placing web resources in a relevant context of other information sources

• To be aware of State Library’s resources and services for family historians

Overview

Key features of the activities will be to explore:

• State Library as a starting point • The major sites researchers can use• The location & evaluation of information• The qualities of a good family history web

site• Exercises to compare experiences & share

expertise

Material on the Internet

• Guidance

• Extracts of data

• Information about libraries, archives, societies

• Worldwide communication• Complete, costly databases are usually not free on

the Internet• Reliable research usually requires print, microform

& other electronic resources

Information genealogists want

• Advice

• Sources of information

• Contact with fellow genealogists

• Specific information related to personal family history

• Useful records– Overseas, national, regional & local community– Shipping

How to trace your family tree

Family History defined:• Biographical research into one’s forebears

with the object of compiling a narrative history of the family

• Should place the members of the family in their historical, geographical, social & occupational contexts & describe their activities & the lives they lived

Fitzhugh, Terrick (1998) Dictionary of Genealogy (5th ed)London: A & C Black

Family tree: the first step

• Trace back from yourself

• Use a pedigree chart & family group sheet

• Use birth, death & marriage records

• Exhaust Australian sources before doing overseas research

• Maintain a record of all sources used, your purpose & result

Births, Deaths & Marriages

QLD: www.justice.qld.gov.au – Indexes not going online

NSW: www.bdm.nsw.gov.au – Free indexes online but incomplete & “clunky”– Original church registers to 1856 on film at SLQ

Tasmanian archives– Colonial Tasmanian Family Links a project with

genealogists– Some errors

Victoria & Scotland– Fee for index searching

Shipping & emigration

• Only indexes of official passenger lists are online

• State records of NSWwww.records.nsw.gov.au

• Passenger lists to Victoriahttp://proarchives.imagineering.com.au/index_search.asp?searchid=23

Other shipping material:

• Perth Dead Persons Societywww.perthdps.com/index.html - some errors

• Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guildwww.immigrantships.net – incomplete

• Australian National Maritime Museumwww.anmm.gov.au/lib/subject.htm - useful

guides & ship’s picture index

Shipping & emigration

• State Records of NSWwww.records.nsw.gov.au – a useful index to convicts but incomplete

• Dead Persons Society Perthwww.perthdps.com/index.html– Some good material on WA

Convicts

• Australian War Memorialwww.awm.gov.au– nominal roles, citations, photographs

• Commonwealth War Graveswww.cwgc.org– information on the Commonwealth dead from

WW1 & WW2

Military

• Rootswebwww.rootsweb.com – American but a significant Australian

presence

• First Familieswww.firstfamilies2001.net.au – Specifially Australian– Available to Dec 2004 only

Names

• LDS: www.familysearch.org– indexed, world-wide church records but

incomplete– web sites & members contributions

• GENUKI: www.genuki.org.uk– British, well organised

Significant Internet sites

• Cyndi’s List: www.cyndislist.com – huge, searchable, up-to-date

• Web Sites for Genealogists: www.coraweb.com.au – a good start for Australians

Significant Internet sites

• Use email

• Allow those with specific interests to share information

• Some sites are dedicated to collecting lists

• A list is often linked to a site of specific interests

Discussion lists

• Cyndi’s list – provides a number of reviews & comparisons

• Louis Kessler – extensive coverage & comparison charts

• Family records software guide – clear explanation of options

• Enhancements for family history program:Scanners Digital camera

Photoshop Colour printer

Software

• Copyright

• Appropriate citation

• Truthful, substantiated records

Ethical issues

• Connecting Queensland– Easy to use– Support from State Library– Listing in State Library’s database of sites– Extra services for your website

Web publishing

• The Internet is dynamic: expanding, changing, transient

• The challenge for library staff is to:– Maintain a discerning overview of a range of

information– Critically evaluate what is available– Assist clients with the best information

sources in all formats

Conclusion