When I first started doing genealogical research, I attended a seminar for new researchers. The most important thing I took away from it was the instruction always to send a thank you note. The reasons for this (beyond mere courtesy) were twofold. First, later you might need to go back and ask another question or favor and you certainly want the person to be favorably predisposed to respond to your request. Second, even if you never need to contact that person again, you should leave him or her favorably inclined to answer such requests from others. I started doing this back in the days when a thank you note required pen, paper, envelope, and postage. Today, when I respond to a question or a request, I almost never receive so much as an e-mailed "thank you." I think we may need to consider that we are going to cause most of our free sources to suffer burnout. Eventually, they will not respond without financial remuneration. Thank you notes are cheaper. Let's do it, folks. Kenneth Dearden [email protected] Karen Mitchell 2001 has been declared "The Year of "Love". Pass it on. [email protected] US GenWeb Project County Coordinator Huerfano County Coordinator http://www.rootsweb.com/~cohuerfa/index.htm Huerfano County List Owner [email protected] Taos County Coordinator http://www.rootsweb.com/~nmtaos/index.htm Taos County List Owner [email protected]