Are Libraries and Courthouses Passe'?
by Betty Jo Stockton
This week I had a shock. A young woman came into the Family History Center asking for help. She had traced her ancestors back to Flanders in the early 1600s, but was stuck there. I asked what she’d been able to find in the library. She answered, “Oh, I don’t use libraries – all my research has been on the Internet and telephone.” For us “old-timers”, this is almost sacrilege – that’s just not how it is done!
I remember my first research trip – to the Library of Congress. I’d heard the Stocktons were famous (Richard Stockton signed the Declaration of Independence, but, alas, he’s not in our direct line.) That was 30+ years ago – before computers, photocopy machines and open stacks. I look at my notebooks from that time and marvel at the patience I must have had. What a contrast!
Genealogical research methods have most definitely changed. Inexpensive long distance rates make phoning practical; a phone call can save weeks of anxious waiting. Phone directories on CDs and on-line make it easy to find long-lost cousins. The Internet offers a wealth of information – from all over the world. Contacts made on-line can often do your “walking” for you.
Wonderful as the new technology is, nothing will ever replace the use of original sources. Some sites are placing digital images of original documents on-line. The National Archives, Library of Congress and Bureau of Land Management each have data posted. That's great, if your records are there.
Other sites - such as the LDS Family Search site - have a wealth of information. The Ellis Island and Civil War Soldiers on-line databases are nearly complete. Many genealogical and historical societies have posted great information. The possibilities are mind-boggling.
But there is also a wealth of undocumented and misinformation on-line. Folks have rushed to get their data on the Web; few have listed sources. You seldom know what information is accurate or where it came from.
So let’s enjoy, encourage and utilize all this new technology but remember that the basic tenets of good research remain the same, no matter what the source. Thorough research and complete citations are still the rule – no matter how we locate the information.
And remember...that information doesn’t get on-line by itself. It will take the efforts of many folks to keep the information coming. We in the genealogical community need to continue to do our part to preserve those original records – in print, on-line and in whatever format the future brings.
[written by Betty Jo Stockton, Editor; Treasure Chest News, the monthly newsletter of the Central FL Genealogical Society, March 1999. Used with permission]
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