Back in August of 2009, I started volunteering with FamilySearch Indexing. I signed up, watched the video, and downloaded what I needed to get started. I like to keep my hands busy while watching tv, so the rhythmic entry of census information into spreadsheets fit nicely into my football watching schedule. Well, you know how much football I watched last season and it shows in my indexing stats. I just logged my 10,000th indexing name!
There are all types of records you can index. I prefer "beginner" level and like census pages because I can go through each page quickly. Sometimes I enter death certificates, but I find I get too involved in the information on them. I did death certificates for British Columbia for a while, but the stories on the records just got to me. It was hard to see a child's death, or a violent one due to the logging industry, or the suicides. I always wondered about the people left behind.
So then I got back on the census horse. My 10,000th record came from the 1910 census in Minnesota.
I've learned a lot from this experience: migration patterns, foreign names, the vast differences in the ways enumerators entered the information. My handwriting reading skills have also greatly improved. I'm real careful about entering the information because I want to make sure I have it right for the future researchers who may need it down the road. It's how I give back.
What about you? How do you give back? I'm always interested in new projects. Tell me about yours.
wow wow very good----and thank you!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations and thank you for the work that you do!
ReplyDeleteI log 20 hours a month transcribing records for NEHGS. That's how all those lovely vital records and books get up on their website - volunteers. :)
Amy, What a nice thing you are doing. Thank you. I'm not really able to do that stuff any more, but did do transcribing, like Wendy, at NEHGS for a long time. My eyes are getting bad, and sure wouldn't want to type the wrong year on a record! So, my hat goes off to you.
ReplyDeleteWendy, thank you for your volunteer work and for sharing it here so others can learn about it.
ReplyDeleteBarbara, thank you, too. I appreciate your volunteer spirit. You've passed the torch to me and I'll continue on until my eyeballs go bad. Part of life, I guess.
My heartfelt thanks go out to you, Amy, as well as all who do such wonderful service.
ReplyDeleteWow! What a great thing to do! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteMy giving back pales in comparison. I'm on the PR committee of our local gen society and I'm creating a blog for the society. Thanks also goes to you for the list of 25 blogging ideas for genealogical societies!
Wow, way to go, Amy! Until you made it this week's 52 Weeks challenge, I wasn't consciously aware one could volunteer to help with the indexing. I will have to make some time to do a little of this, because I have certainly benefited from the results. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteAmy, Thank you for bringing attention to indexing. I index for both Ancestry and Family Search (although I am not as prolific as you are). Indexing is a great way to pay it forward the genealogy community. I do so much of my research online, and I would not have come so far in my research had it not been for the efforts of the those that have indexed before me.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful thing so many of you are doing! I would love to be able to give back this way and in the process, help someone else find their family. How/where does one start with indexing?
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I am glad you posted that. Maybe we will get more volunteers. Free information other countries is what got my attention. I can't wait until Germany has census to view. You go girl.
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