>GREAT! #5 >--->Genealogy Research Easy Access Tip! >This information is excerpted from "How to Do Research on the Internet" >http://www.researchonline.net/res1.htm >Permission is explicitly granted to repost this message to other maling lists. > > >There are a number of things you can now access via the internet that you >will not find using the search engines. For this GREAT! tip, I am confining >the term "search engine" to the more commonly designated search engines, such >as Yahoo, Excite, et. al. and the 50 or so specialized search engines that >deal specifically with genealogy materials. > >When I began teaching this course back in 1996, Yahoo was the only available >search engine not accessible via TELNET, and it had an amazing 100,000 + >entries. It's simply amazing how things have changed in three years and how >many new researchers coming on line now have never used or even heard of >Telnet. > > You will access various kinds of materials in your research. These >materials include books, manuscripts, artifacts, maps and gazeteers. These >materials are classified as primary or secondary sources. Any item which is >original, an autobiography, journal, census or tax record, will, land tract, >etc. is considered a primary source and is generally more reliable than >secondary sources, histories, transcriptions of records, indexes, etc. > > Simply stated, local libraries throughout the country are the >protectors of our cultural heritage. Hidden jewels can be found in the >endangered primary source materials of their collections. For example, books >describing the historical development of an area are invaluable. These >materials can include the histories and genealogies of persons and families, >as well as histories of businesses. Likewise, directories of all >kinds--telephone, city, business, and church membership--are especially >helpful. > > Now the Internet introduces remote searching of online catalogs. >Additional reasons for checking other library catalogs and library home pages >are: to identify unique or specialized resources not readily available >elsewhere; to find items most likely to be in a local library servicing the >geographic area you're researching; to obtain these items or copies of >selected reference materials (which correspond to your research needs) >through interlibrary loan; and to identify key resources outside the remote >library that may assist you in your research. > > Several Web sites provide directory listings of the growing number of >library catalogs accessible via the Internet. Although the search format >varies among library catalogs, the remainder of this lesson concentrates on >making it easier to find the needed information. > > Use one of the following Web site directories to locate a library in >the geographic area of interest: > > http://library.usask.ca/hywebcat/ > http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/staff/morgan/alcuin/wwwed-catalogs.html > http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/siteindex.html > http://lcweb.loc.gov/z3950/gateway.html > http://www-personal.umich.edu/%7ekjostert/archives.html > > The above sites represent a sample of the many libraries worldwide >that are bringing their catalogs online. Instructions are provided at each >location to help you get into each library catalog. Follow the instructions >on the catalog screen to search, to get help, and to exit the catalog. >Accessing Via the Internet > > There are a variety of ways to access library catalogs via the >Internet using different protocols/software packages to act as a client to a >host server. These include standard Web Access (Z39.50), Telnet, Telnet 3270, >FTP, and dial-up access. This example focuses on TELNET access. >Telnet: > > Many online library catalogs use Telnet as their connection tool >because it is available on all hosts that have realtime connections to the >Internet. As a basic communication tool of the Internet, it allows users to >connect to hosts, usually at the base level and at the login prompt level. > >A large amount of the information online is still available via Telnet access >only. You'll want to become acquainted with this important tool. The first >thing you must do is configure your browser to use Telnet. > >For Windows 95/98 and Netscape > >In Netscape choose Options|General Preferences|Apps. Enter TELNET.EXE. > >Your system is now configured to use the built-in Telnet program to access >these sites. > >For Windows 95/98 and Internet Explorer > >Your system is already configured to use Telnet. No configuration is required. >Getting the Most Out of Online Catalogs > > Upon arrival at the library catalog or library home page, read the >introductory information. This narrative should give practical advice on >getting help, getting around (commands used to navigate within the catalog), >and conducting a search (example searches and special features). In addition, >see if the library has created special online indexes for portions of their >collections that are not included in their online catalog. If not, try to >determine what types of library holdings, such as older materials, are not >represented in the online catalog. > > There are four steps you should follow to maximize your use of these >online catalogs. > > Step 1: Summarize your search topic. > Step 2: Identify key concepts. > Step 3: Select terms. > Step 4: Combine terms (advanced searching/boolean operators). > >Step 1: Summarize Your Search Topic > > Summarize your search topic in one or two phrases or sentences. State >what you want to find information on. For example: > > I want to find information on early Aiken County, SC and surrounding >areas. > >Step 2: Identify Key Concepts > > Identify two or three main concepts. For example: > > I want to find information on: > > Aiken plantations > Hammond family > Edgefield district > Revolutionary War > Early plantation life > >Step 3: Select Terms > > List keywords that describe concepts you have identified. Subject >terms can be keywords, synonyms, or variant forms of a word. You can use >dictionaries and thesauruses to help you in selecting the appropriate terms. > > Carolina plantations > Aiken County history > Hammond > Butler > Edgefield County history > The American Revolution > > Note that the terms introduce three important concepts that are >critical to zeroing in on your area of research: > >1. Since we are researching before the Revolutionary War, all of the area >that is now North and South Carolina was referred to as Carolina. At the >beginning of the war, the split occurred with North Carolina initially siding >with the colonists and South Carolina with the British. > >2. Aiken County, where the current Hammond plantation is located, was known >as Edgefield District, and then Edgefield County prior to 1871. > >3. Although my particular interest is in the Hammond family, it is important >to know the other family names that intermarried as family groups and >religious/ethnic groups migrated together. > >Step 4: Combine Terms > >Connect terms using advanced search techniques (and/or adjacency). >Online Search Strategies > > The three online search strategies explained in this section are >keyword searching, subject heading searching, and call number searching. > >Forming a Keyword Search Strategy > > Before starting a library catalog or OPAC search, it is helpful to >clarify what information you are seeking. Be creative in constructing your >keyword searches to discover items that you might otherwise miss. A keyword >search provides flexibility in a number of ways: > > o It allows you to combine key concepts. > o It allows you to use everyday language or synonyms in lieu of >designated subject headings. > o It checks all fields of every record. >Where Do I Go from Here > > Once you have identified a book you need to physically access, >contact your local librarian with the details of the book: its title, author, >publisher, and call number. The library will then request the book via >interlibrary loan. Some books do not circulate via interlibrary loan. In that >case, you may request that the holding library copy pertinent pages for you. >Generally, there is a nominal copy charge for this service. > > >GREAT! #5 >--->Genealogy Research Easy Access Tip! >This information is excerpted from "How to Do Research on the Internet" >http://www.researchonline.net/res1.htm >Permission is explicitly granted to repost this message to other maling lists. >