Monday, March 21, 2011

Musings on a Munday Online Records will be the Death of Repositories

Absolutely Not!  No way, no how!

Online records have been my salvation and I know they are to many other researchers.  Performing fruitful research in your PJs...does it get any better?  Yes it does!

It gets better at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.  It gets better at the Midwest Genealogy Center in Independence, Missouri.  It gets better at the Missouri State Archives in Jefferson City, Missouri.  It gets better all these well-known research facilities as well as the local and county libraries, historical societies and courthouses.  You know why it gets better there?  Each of those brick and mortar facilities has something that online records don't...vibe!

What's the vibe at the Family History Library?  Quiet...Quiet...Quiet...SQUEALS of delight and the genealogy happy dance!  Can you get that at home in your PJs?  Sure you can, but it's much more fun to do it in a room full of people who know exactly what that squeal means.  The vibe at research repositories is one of collaboration, experience, understanding, sharing, excitement and most importantly participation.

I will continue to keep plugging away with my research online and making progress.  But the first chance I have to go and perform in-person research, I'm there!  There is a saying in football that offense wins games and defense wins championships.  The libraries, research repositories and courthouses are the defense in the genealogy game and they are not going anywhere.

5 comments:

  1. I LOVE a football reference in a genealogy post!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've been waiting for the chance to use that line Diana! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. After listening to you and Caroline on twitter on Football nights I know why you know the terminology. I know what you mean.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Whole heartedly agree...well done Emma!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ah. A girl after my own heart. Football AND genealogy in the same post. That's what I keep telling my kids. Your offense can have an off night, but you can still win with a strong defense. Every. Single. Time.

    ~C

    ReplyDelete