The tip of the Iceberg

Any research is only as good as the sources it uses. It is important to find reliable, credible sources. That is especially true for genealogical research. Over the last few decades interest in genealogy has grown exponentially driven largely by the easy access to records and information on the internet. The numerous recourses on the internet are great. Database based websites such as Ancestry.com and Family Search Labs make it possible for anyone to start their family history with a simple search. Genealogists now share information through forums and listservs. Individuals and groups have created websites that share family and local histories. But there are two issues to be aware of whenever using the internet for genealogical research. 1) How to spot accurate and inaccurate sources and 2) the internet is not the only research tool.

The internet is great because anyone can create a website or pot information to a forum. But that is also why the internet is bad. While there is accurate information being shared there can also be inaccurate information being shared. If a research makes a mistake and posts it, it is very hard to remove that information. Other researchers then see the wrong information, copy it without verifying its accuracy, and the false information is passed on. To make sure that the information you find on the internet is accurate be aware of who is posting it. Many genealogists are amateur hobbyists but others have been accredited by various professional organizations. Find out if the person posting the information did the research themselves or just copied someone else’s work. It is okay to copy the work of others as long as you cite your sources. This also helps other researchers determine if what you posted is accurate.

After researching on the internet for a while you will come to find that not every record is available. It takes a lot of work, time, and money to put records in a database. There are also restrictions on what records can be viewed by the public. For example, census records are only released 72 years after they were created. It is important for researchers to use other tools to conduct their research. Courthouses contain any records, including marriages, divorces, land deeds, and wills. These can often only be accessed by traveling tp the courthouse in the county you are researching and searching the records by hand. Libraries are a great resource for genealogists. Besides the many online subscriptions they offer patrons for free, libraries also collect family histories, indexes of records, and records on microfilm. Archives also actively collect important documents that may be discarded by government agencies, organizations, or individuals. Many archives are open to researchers. There is a popular poster in the genealogy world created by the California Genealogical Society and Library that visualizes the idea that there is much more information out there than what can be found on the internet. Simply put, the internet is just the tip of the iceberg.

What information or records have you found without using the internet?