{"content":{"sharePage":{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"28247475","dateCreated":"1286752399","smartDate":"Oct 10, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"saraswatidasi","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/saraswatidasi","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1286751494\/saraswatidasi-lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/lis608.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/28247475"},"dateDigested":1532092810,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Chat with NYPL Genealogy Librarians","description":"I spoke with 2 librarians yesterday at NYPL's Genealogy Division for about an hour. This is what they said:
\n
\nWho are their researchers?
\nAll ethnicities.
\nMostly non-working retired people, but more recently in the last few years a lot more younger people (they think since schools are educating the children and brining awareness to genealogy - also TV shows are bringing awareness).
\nA lot of Jewish people since the library has many Jewish resources.
\nA lot of African-Americans.
\n
\nWhat do they search for?
\nCheck passenger lists of immigrants to verify naturalized citizens.
\nBirth, marriage, death.
\nCensus information.
\nCity directories to look up people.
\n
\nThere is an increase in multi-disciplinary research. Example: A historian might look at information of buildings to see the wealth of someone, or see if someone is a renter or owner. The census information is sometimes used for non-people related information, such as which homes had radios in them in a certain year.
\n
\nThanks,
\nSara","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"28247541","body":"Also - the librarians said genealogists like to share with each other A LOT and to check out their many online forums in which they share.","dateCreated":"1286752521","smartDate":"Oct 10, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"saraswatidasi","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/saraswatidasi","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1286751494\/saraswatidasi-lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]},{"id":"27928885","dateCreated":"1286167986","smartDate":"Oct 3, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"gszablya1","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/gszablya1","imageUrl":"https:\/\/ssl.wikicdn.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/lis608.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/27928885"},"dateDigested":1532092811,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Next week is Archives Week - National Archives Genealogy","description":"And there's a genealogy tour available - might be useful...
\n
\nNational Archives at New York City, Finding Family: Genealogy Open House - Tuesday, October 12,
\n10:oo a.m. - 4:oo p.m.
\nArchives staff and volunteers provide hands on assistance to help direct your genealogy research. Lectures
\nand tours will be offered throughout the day to highlight the variety of holdings of the National Archives
\nat New York City. This is a free program. Additional details will be posted on the National Archives at New
\nYork City website.Website: www.archives.gov\/northeast\/nyc
\nLocation: 201 Varick Street, 12th Floor, NYC, NY
\nRegistration recommended at newyork.archives@nara.gov<\/a>","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[],"more":0}]},{"id":"27913419","dateCreated":"1286142638","smartDate":"Oct 3, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"phonehome3","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/phonehome3","imageUrl":"https:\/\/ssl.wikicdn.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/lis608.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/27913419"},"dateDigested":1532092811,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"To Avoid Duplication of Effort...","description":"Hey, we're finding the same articles!
\n
\nHow about I review these two:
\n
\nThe Genealogist and the Library: An Interesting Parnership
\n
\nPreparing to Work with Genealogists: Educational and Service Opportunities for Genealogical Librarians
\n
\nI've also requested an ILL for "In the Grand Scheme of Things: An Exploration of the Meaning of Genealogical Research."
\n
\nSusan Hoover","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"27914015","body":"Cool!
\nwhy don't we put the citations we're reading on the main page with our names next to them? That way there's one place we can check to see who's doing what! :)
\nI put a couple of articles up at the top of the page that might be interesting but not sure I'll have the time to review so help yourselves!
\nHappy reading :)","dateCreated":"1286143642","smartDate":"Oct 3, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"gszablya1","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/gszablya1","imageUrl":"https:\/\/ssl.wikicdn.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"27914285","body":"It looks like we're all working at once! I actually just wrote an annotation for "Preparing to Work with Genealogists: Educational and Service Opportunities for Genealogical Librarians". Sorry Susan!","dateCreated":"1286144112","smartDate":"Oct 3, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"beckyhahn","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/beckyhahn","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1284925487\/beckyhahn-lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]},{"id":"27702531","dateCreated":"1285723684","smartDate":"Sep 28, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"jharnett","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/jharnett","imageUrl":"https:\/\/ssl.wikicdn.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/lis608.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/27702531"},"dateDigested":1532092811,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"More articles","description":"Hey everyone,
\n
\nHere are a couple articles I read recently that have to deal with how genealogists are viewed in the information setting. More to follow:
\n
\nMills, E. S. (2003). Genealogy in the \u201cinformation age\u201d: History\u2019s new frontier? National
\n National Genealogical Society Quarterly, 91(December 2003), 260-277.
\n
\n This article discusses the struggle that genealogists face to be taken seriously and not as an amateur information seeker. The article provides a history of American genealogy beginning in 1771, which could be helpful to include in the literature review to give some context as to where genealogy came from and how it has developed over the years. There is also mention of the attitudes that archivists and librarians have had toward genealogists and how this has started to soften recently. Since this article stresses that genealogy should be rigorous, the question I had while reading was do all genealogists agree or is it a more casual experience?
\n
\nMcKay, A. C. (2002). Genealogists and records: Preservation, advocacy, and politics.
\n Archival Issues, 27(1), 23-33. Retrieved from Library Literature.
\n
\n This article illustrates the nearly symbiotic relationship between archivists and genealogists. The author argues that this is a relationship that should be cultivated in order for both parties to benefit. If archivists forge bonds with genealogists and genealogical societies, then the genealogists would be more likely to support the archive both with politically and financially. In return, the archive can provide genealogists with better-preserved and cataloged material. This article can be helpful to include in the literature review since it points out why it would be important to study the interactions between genealogists and information professionals so that both can flourish.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[],"more":0}]},{"id":"27701377","dateCreated":"1285722725","smartDate":"Sep 28, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"phonehome3","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/phonehome3","imageUrl":"https:\/\/ssl.wikicdn.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/lis608.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/27701377"},"dateDigested":1532092811,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"\"Seeking Information, Seeking Connections\" Article","description":"Hello Group,
\n
\nThe article "Seeking Information, Seeking Connections, Seeking Meaning: Genealogists and Family Historians" gives some basic information about how genealogists\/family historians search and why. The author defines "genealogists" as people who seek birth, death and marriage dates to fill in a family tree and "family historians" as people who seek family stories (i.e. how a couple met) that may not be available in public records. The author writes that both of these searchers seek information from fellow searchers, more so than from libraries\/librarians. Sometimes they belong to international societies so that a member in another country can research nearby physical public records. The idea of members helping each other through "giving back" is highly valued and practiced in genealogical societies.
\n
\nHere are a couple examples of genealogists, rather than librarians, helping other genealogists.
\n
\nThis page has links for the most appropriate way to search the Ellis Island database given the search:
\n
\nhttp:\/\/www.stevemorse.org\/<\/a>
\n
\nLinks to articles on a genealogist's website:
\n
\nhttp:\/\/www.honoringourancestors.com\/library_immigration.html<\/a>
\n
\nSusan Hoover","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[],"more":0}]},{"id":"27601553","dateCreated":"1285602721","smartDate":"Sep 27, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"gszablya1","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/gszablya1","imageUrl":"https:\/\/ssl.wikicdn.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/lis608.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/27601553"},"dateDigested":1532092811,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"APGEN","description":"This could be handy for any user studies we do:
\n
\nAssociation for Professional Genealogists:
\nhttp:\/\/www.apgen.org\/index.html<\/a>","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[],"more":0}]},{"id":"27597331","dateCreated":"1285599307","smartDate":"Sep 27, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"gszablya1","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/gszablya1","imageUrl":"https:\/\/ssl.wikicdn.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/lis608.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/27597331"},"dateDigested":1532092811,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Some ideas...","description":"I've been thinking a bit on how we might want to focus this study, but wasn't sure if you guys had any ideas as well...
\nSo far, here are my thoughts: We could break-out to professional vs. amateur genealogist studies, or I was also thinking (and this is only a vague idea) we could look at online vs. offline searching for genealogical information (maybe good if we stay in one big group).
\n
\nAny thoughts\/ideas\/inspiration?","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"27642337","body":"I like those ideas! I was wondering as well how to break it down. I'm just wondering which will be the easiest to split\/ find research on. Maybe the online vs. offline searching would be best?","dateCreated":"1285643858","smartDate":"Sep 27, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"andreamullen","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/andreamullen","imageUrl":"https:\/\/ssl.wikicdn.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"27656913","body":"So the more I've been looking at the literature, the more it seems it might be easiest to split between professional and amateur... Becky was right - there's a lot more literature on the amateur genealogist, but I think we could make it work. (I'm also starting to lean towards investigating professional genealogists... I guess I like a challenge?).
\nI think we should still incorporate online vs. offline searching in our study (it seems they often do both, which might make it hard to split the group into those 2 categories). I wonder if it would make sense to conduct 2 similar surveys\/studies between professional and non-professional genealogists about their search strategies and then bring it all together?
\nTotally just throwing out ideas...","dateCreated":"1285683628","smartDate":"Sep 28, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"gszablya1","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/gszablya1","imageUrl":"https:\/\/ssl.wikicdn.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"27853743","body":"If we do divide it into professional\/non-professional, I would like to be in the non-professional team.
\n
\nHow about the rest of you?","dateCreated":"1285948263","smartDate":"Oct 1, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"beckyhahn","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/beckyhahn","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1284925487\/beckyhahn-lg.jpg"}},{"id":"28247045","body":"Non-professional.
\n
\nNYPL breaks down the different resource categories of genealogists:
\n
\nhttp:\/\/legacy.www.nypl.org\/research\/chss\/lhg\/genea.cfm<\/a>
\n
\nGetting Started | General Resources | Blogs | Cemeteries | Census | Historical Newspapers | Immigration & Ships Passenger Lists | International | Libraries and Archives | New York City | Obituaries | Societies and Organizations | Vital Records (Births, Deaths & Marriages)
\n
\nMaybe we could focus on one or more of these specific resources and how genealogists use them.
\n
\nSara","dateCreated":"1286751454","smartDate":"Oct 10, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"saraswatidasi","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/saraswatidasi","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1286751494\/saraswatidasi-lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]},{"id":"27468533","dateCreated":"1285278956","smartDate":"Sep 23, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"prattga","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/prattga","imageUrl":"https:\/\/ssl.wikicdn.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/lis608.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/27468533"},"dateDigested":1532092812,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Some Genealogy Libraries","description":"Genealogy libraries:
\nhttp:\/\/www.libraries.rutgers.edu\/rul\/libs\/scua\/genealogy\/genealogy.shtml<\/a>
\n -->emailed, got response, thanked
\nhttp:\/\/www.nypl.org\/locations\/schwarzman\/milstein-division-us-history-local-history-genealogy<\/a>
\nhttp:\/\/www.nypl.org\/blog\/division\/5218<\/a>","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"28228159","body":"National Archives in NYC
\nhttp:\/\/www.archives.gov\/northeast\/nyc\/public\/genealogy.html<\/a>","dateCreated":"1286671237","smartDate":"Oct 9, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"gszablya1","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/gszablya1","imageUrl":"https:\/\/ssl.wikicdn.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]},{"id":"27280503","dateCreated":"1284993194","smartDate":"Sep 20, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"prattga","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/prattga","imageUrl":"https:\/\/ssl.wikicdn.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/lis608.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/27280503"},"dateDigested":1532092812,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Information from Rutgers Librarian","description":"Thank you for your e-mail. Unfortunately, I am not aware of any recent projects or surveys to measure how patrons search for genealogical information. The one article that comes to mind isn't exactly recent: It's by Wendy M. and Catherine A. Johnson, and called "Where Is the List with All the Names? Information-Seeking Behavior of Genealogists." It appeared in vol. 66, no. 1 (Spring-Summer 2003) of "American Archivist," p. 79-95.
\n
\nThis study only dealt with 10 genealogists, and I think the fact that they were genealogists is a critical point: Most of the patrons I deal with aren't "genealogists" per se, but are just "regular" people looking research their family history. As you can imagine, a seasoned genealogists have a markedly different way of going about his or her research than someone with no experience in libraries and archives, and limited knowledge of what records might be available to them.
\n
\nAlso, it seems to me that while many institutions share similar resources (newspapers, city directories) many genealogical collections can be unique to a particular institution. When dealing with first-time patrons we usually direct them to our guide to the collections that we have here in Special Collections and University Archives as well as the Alexander Library (we're located in the Alexander building, but are a distinct library from it). The guide can be downloaded here:
\nhttp:\/\/www.libraries.rutgers.edu\/rul\/libs\/scua\/genealogy\/2002_genealogyguide.pdf<\/a> It's usually necessary to physically show the patrons where and how to use the collection, too, though, as it's quite a lot of information to digest.
\n
\nFrom a quick literature search, here are a few articles you may want to have a look at, although I don't know how helpful they'll be:
\n
\nHoverstock, Abby. "Archives Online: Tapping Untapped Resources in the Denver Public Library's Western History\/Genealogy Collections." Colorado Libraries 34.2 (2008): 28-30. Library Lit & Inf Full Text. Web. 17 Aug. 2010.
\n
\nKundanis, Barb. "Why I Love Ancestry.com." Library Journal (1976) 133.17 (2008): 98. Library Lit & Inf Full Text. Web. 17 Aug. 2010.
\n
\nSharp, Diane. "Genealogy Research in the Indiana State Library \u2013 A Brief Overview." Indiana Libraries 27.3 (2008): 76-8. Library Lit & Inf Full Text. Web. 17 Aug. 2010.
\n
\nSkinner, Julia. "Does Greater Specialization Imply Greater Satisfaction? Amateur Genealogists and Resource Use at the State Historical Society of Iowa Libraries." Libri 60.1 (2010): 27-37. Library Lit & Inf Full Text. Web. 17 Aug. 2010.
\n
\nI hope this information is helpful. If I can be of any other assistance, please let me know.
\n
\nBest regards,
\n
\n-- Dave
\n
\nDavid Kuzma
\nSpecial Collections and University Archives
\n169 College Avenue
\nNew Brunswick, NJ 08901-1163
\nPhone: (732) 932-7006
\nFax: (732) 932-7012","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[],"more":0}]},{"id":"27251119","dateCreated":"1284925166","smartDate":"Sep 19, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"beckyhahn","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/beckyhahn","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1284925487\/beckyhahn-lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/lis608.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/27251119"},"dateDigested":1532092812,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"some preliminary sources","description":"Yakel, E. (2004). \u201cSeeking information, seeking connections, seeking meaning: genealogists and family historians\u201d Information Research, 10(1) paper 205 [Available at http:\/\/InformationR.net\/ir\/10-1\/paper205.html<\/a>]
\n
\nGenealogy and family history are examples of everyday life information seeking and provide a unique example of intensive and extensive use of libraries and archives over time. In spite of the ongoing nature of this activity, genealogists and family historians have rarely been the subject of study in the information seeking literature and therefore the nature of their information problems have not been explored. This article discusses findings from a qualitative study based on twenty-nine in-depth, semi-structured interviews with genealogists and family historians and observations of their personal information management practices. Results indicated that the search for factual information often led to one for orienting information. Finding ancestors in the past was also a means of finding one's own identity in the present. Family history is also an activity without a clear end goal; after the ancestry chart is filled in the search continues for more information about the lives of one's forebears. Thus, family history should be viewed as an ongoing process of seeking meaning. The ultimate need is not a fact or date, but to create a larger narrative, connect with others in the past and in the present, and to find coherence in one's own life.
\n
\n
\nDuff, W. M., Johnson, C. A. (2003). \u201cWhere Is the List with All the Names? Information-Seeking Behavior of Genealogists\u201d The American Archivist, 66(1), 79-95. [Library Literature]
\n
\n
\nSkinner, J. (2010). \u201cDoes Greater Specialization Imply Greater Satisfaction? Amateur Genealogists and Resource Use at the State Historical Society of Iowa Libraries\u201d Libri 60(1), 27-37. [Library Literature]
\n
\n
\nBoyns, R. (1999). Archivists and Family Historians: local authority record repositories and the family history user group. Journal of the Society of Archivists, 20(1), 61-74. doi:10.1080\/003798199103730. [LISTA]","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[],"more":0}]}],"more":false},"comments":[]},"http":{"code":200,"status":"OK"},"redirectUrl":null,"javascript":null,"notices":{"warning":[],"error":[],"info":[],"success":[]}}