Family Tree Embroidery on OakTree (Photo credit: TinyApartmentCrafts)
In the coming weeks and months, I will flesh out the results of five years of online genealogical research. I started to get interested in my family tree when I left Canada thirteen years ago, at the time researching your family tree on the web was (by far) a tedious occupation as there was thousand of personal websites devoted to unique family lineages. Sifting through these required patience and time.
Times haven’t changed, genealogical research from abroad (and online) can be a time-consuming process, fortunately there have been dozens of new tools made available on the web in the last few years reducing these constraints. The specific skills I acquired in librarian school helped me refine my research strategies and also reflect on the future of genealogical research online. Social networks and media tools have definitely changed the game making it possible (and easier) for everybody to start their family tree online and share/collect information on their family history.
I will alternate between recommanded tools and software, tidbits of my family history and advances made by libraries, archives and museums to preserve, digitize and contribute to genealogical research. For the record, I don’t define myself as a professional genealogist, there are individuals out there like french-canadian genealogist Denis Beauregard who make this pastime of mine seem ridiculous compared to the work he achieved since 1980. But I have always been fascinated by history, so my european ancestors and their unique histories is what prompted me to start this research.
Related articles
- Online Researchers Spur Growth of Genealogy Industry, According to a New Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. (prweb.com)
- Should I visit a FamilySearch Center for my genealogy research? (ask.metafilter.com)
- A Few Surprises (maryjlohr.wordpress.com)
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