Blogs are an often overlooked source of information. They can be especially useful to you if they are written by people who are researching your areas of interest. Blogs are one of the most under utilized sources of general information after ILL. People just don’t know how or where to search for a blog. Thomas MacIntee, the person who created and maintains Geneabloggers, has been a great help to me on this topic. To give Geneabloggers a well deserved plug, it should be your first stop if you are searching for relevant blogs. (The same is true if you are thinking of starting your own blog.) Once you get to geneabloggers, you’ll want to check out both “Search Blogs” and “Genealogy Blog Roll.” In either of these choices you will find a search box. Type the name of the country or topic you are looking for. Note that you can search your family surnames here, as well. Two other sites recommended by Mr. MacIntee are http://blogfinder.genealogue.com (with gives you a list of topics to pick from) and http://blogsearch.google.com (with Google’s usual minimalist search interface.) If you want still more information, go to the category “Blogs for Genealogy” on Cyndi’s List.
One tip. If there is a website that you like and use a lot, such as FamilySearch or Cyndi’s List, always check to see if they have a blog. These can be extremely useful for learning tips and tricks that will help you use a site more effectively (so you don’t miss important information or waste time). It’s not the type of blog you would usually put on a research list, but it may very well end up in your bookmarks, favorites, or blog feed.
The only other Social Networking that I’ve had time to get into is Facebook and I use it carefully. I have two Facebook accounts, One I use to follow specific genealogy groups. The other is to keep up with certain family members and share information. I have exactly five people on it. If another family member want in, they have to ask to be included. This has never happened. Most of my family members are just not into Facebook.
One word of warning. Family Facebooking can be a sticky wicket if you are not careful. I learned this networking the old fashioned way — at a family reunion. A cousin tried to tell me a picture that I recognized as my father was my grandfather and vice versa. When I tried to fix the mistake, she would have none of it. There are some family members that you simply do not engage in argument. This is why I keep my family Facebook small. If you think opening your own would cause family problems, I would either skip it altogether or have several accounts.
Has anyone else had experience using other types of online social networking for genealogy that you would like to share? Leave a comment.
Newton, Mass
Library website: http://www.newtonfreelibrary.net
Genealogy blog: https://thecuriousgenealogist.wordpress.com
Genealogy LibGuide: http://guides.newtonfreelibrary.net/genealogy
Thanks so much for the shout out to GeneaBloggers!
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Any time. You’ve earned it.
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Don’t forget the Genealogy Blog Finder http://blogfinder.genealogue.com/ by Chris Dunham. He’s no longer blogging, but he maintains his old posts and this search engine for finding genealogy bloggers.
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