52 Weeks To Better Genealogy - Challenge #1

Amy Coffin of the fabulous We Tree blog has developed 52 Weeks To Better Genealogy: a series of weekly prompts that are geared towards those new to the field of genealogy and family history as well as those who want to brush up on some skills which might be a bit rusty.

I decided to attend this event through  the Genea-bloggers group on Facebook.

Week 1: Go to your local public library branch. Make a note of the genealogy books in the collection that may help you gain research knowledge. Don’t forget to check the shelves in both the non-fiction section and the reference section. If you do not already have a library card, take the time to get one. If you have a genealogy blog, write about what you find in your library’s genealogy collection.


Okay, here we go:

I loaded up my tote bag with my library card, a spiral notebook, pencil and pen. It was a lovely day here on the Central California Coast, and I decided to get a walk out of the deal.

Los Osos is a tiny little town, which is reflected in the size of its library.

The genealogy section contained six books, listed in order of age:

In Search of Your European Roots: A Complete Guide to Tracing Your Ancestors in Every Country in Europe by Angus Baxter (1985 edition)
On May 23, 2001, the Midwest Book Review of Oregon, Wisconsin had this to say:
"the premier guide for the novice genealogist seeking trace ancestors in any and every country throughout Europe. The location of each country's national and municipal archives is recorded, in addition to the location of church records, census returns, the system of civil registrations of births, marriages, and deaths, along with pertinent recommendations on finding and using such records as foundling books, orphans' lists, certificates of domicile, guild records, internal passports, confirmation records, and vaccination lists."
That might well be true, but England did not appear in the Table of Contents, so I left it on the shelf.

The Complete Beginner's Guide to Genealogy, the Internet, and Your Genealogy Computer Program by Karen Clifford (2001)
I didn't spend much time with this one, as the Internet of 2001 no longer exists.

The Genealogist's Question & Answer Book by Marcia Melnyk (2002)

Genealogy Online by Elizabeth Crowe (2003)
Five years ago on the Internet?

The Family Tree Problem Solver: Proven Methods for Scaling the Inevitable Brick Wall by Marsha Hoffman Rising (2005)
I checked this one out, immediately seeing topics of interest. "helps intermediate to advanced researchers break through these "brick walls" by breaking down each researcher's common problem into a chapter with straightforward solutions." I think I can learn a thing or two from this one.

Getting Started in Genealogy Online by William Dollarhide (2006)
This seems to be a list of websites for the beginning researcher, but it least the internet spoken of was recognizable.

Don't get me wrong, I love my library...they do a great job for this little town. And a while back, they told me about HeritageQuest Online, where you can search 26,000 books of local and family histories, search the Census and Persi. Your librarian can tell you how to access this invaluable resource.