Genealogy can be a lonely business. I knew this from the start when I would sit on the edge of my seat waiting for an invitation for my dad or brothers to ask me about my family research-and it often didn\u2019t come. Or when my husband\u2019s eyes would cloud when I couldn\u2019t stop talking about a family line or an exciting new find.<\/p>\n
One of the first resources to help me with genealogy research was the local genealogy society. And there I did not feel alone anymore. I found a place of people with a common goal.<\/p>\n
Top 4 reasons to join your local genealogical society:<\/p>\n
You won<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong>t feel alone anymore.<\/strong> Surrounding yourself with other people who have the same passion for genealogy is motivating. These are the relationships I enjoy the most. I\u2019m always surprised and thrilled when a genealogy friend emails me with a connection or a source they have found for me. One of the area society\u2019s researchers helped me through a brick wall, which led me to my Mayflower certification. How fantastic is that! Someone else agrees: http:\/\/www.genealogy.com\/articles\/research\/74_kathy.html<\/a><\/p>\n Assistance with your research. <\/strong>Whether it is access to the society\u2019s library, an article in a past journal or newsletter,\u00a0 advice given by one of the local experts or a meeting speaker, or something you find on the society\u2019s website, local societies offer free or low cost assistance that positively impacts my research and will yours too.<\/p>\n Learn appreciation for past volunteers. <\/strong>The records available at the local genealogy libraries are there due to the tedious and dedicated work completed through hours and hours of volunteerism. I have more appreciation now that I know how these individuals have worked on each project: reading cemeteries, indexing obituaries, and transcribing records. The work they have done is the backbone of our research today.<\/p>\n Participate in creating new research<\/strong> items for the society\u2019s collection. I know you may be thinking: \u201cNo Way! I have too much to do!\u201d. Yes! and don\u2019t we all. But just like our ancestors who traveled to new, unknown and often unsettled places, we need to do our part to add to research history. You might be the person who donates money for a month of newspapers to be made available online. You may be willing to transcribe records at your own computer. These efforts by you and me may just provide a fact necessary for one our children or grandchildren to solve a brick wall in the future. We can\u2019t settle for the past, but we need to participate for the future.<\/p>\nTHE PAST<\/strong><\/h4>\n
THE FUTURE<\/strong><\/h4>\n