The quantity of sharing that occurs in genealogy is one of the most wonderful things about the hobby. There is a whole long list of people out there who have done marvelous things for me. I am kept busy just trying to give back to the community of genealogists. Usually I can't give back to the person who helps me but if I can pass it on, I feel like that works. I am sometimes concerned by the people who are asking for assistance. It seems to me that often they are relatively new to the subject and don't have the proper "manners". I can't think of a better word. So I would like to make these suggestions. The one thing that is probably the most important is politeness. Say thank you and please and be very gracious. Remember you asking a favor. And it takes so little time to reply and say Thanks. But it makes a lot of difference to the volunteer. When you are asking for assistance, be sure to offer to pay for copies and postage. I am willing to give my time, but I shouldn't have to pay money out of my pocket and truthfully, many genealogists can't afford to do so. I think it is really important to stress this. When people ask for things, they need to be realistic. I am on an Obituary Lookup list for the county where I live. Recently I received a request for an obit with just a month and year which they had gotten from the SSDI. Now, I pointed out that we don't have an index and I need a full death date. Otherwise I have to spend 2 or 3 hours pawing through several microfilms. I did however, say that I occasionally go to Orlando where there is a FL death Index and if the person could wait, I would eventually get the full date and be able to get the obit. Now, I think this last offer is above and beyond the call of duty. I thought I was being kind of nice about the whole thing. Lo and behold, I got back a really nasty letter saying if I wasn't going to do lookups, I shouldn't have put my name on the page. I was pretty shocked and insulted. I personally have had a lot more success getting help with honey than with vinegar. Fat chance she will ever get her death date or obit from me. Speaking of honey, I also suggest that you offer to do what you can in return. I maintain a lookup page of my very own which lists some of the materials I own. I also maintain a web site for my local FHC. On this website, there is a list of the permanant material at this FHC. I have had good luck with suggesting to people that I will be happy to do a lookup in any of the above in exchange for what I am asking. I very seldom actually have to do this, but the offer seems to help a lot. So you might list the catalog of a library or gen soc which is within your reach and offer to exchange lookups. Right-- now that I brought it up, the website of my local FHC is http://members.aol.com/junebyr/ch.html If you need something, let me know. I volunteer there every Saturday and will try to get your information. The following items are listed for Indiana which I could do lookups in. USA IN IN Early Land Records See Ref Books on Fiche 6046718 USA IN IN Quaker Records, Heiss See Ref Books on Fiche 6051380-86 USA IN IN Records See Ref Books on Fiche 6051202 USA IN Index to Journal of Hoosier Ancestry Queries 6046609 USA IN Indiana Gazetteer 1849 See Ref Books on Fiche 6051129 USA IN Indiana Marriage Index Vol 1 1960 only 6105310 USA IN Indiana Marriage Index Vol 2 1960 only 6105311 USA IN Indiana Records (Marriage, will, cem, etc) 6049732 USA IN KOS 1866 Census Kosciusko Co, IN 6104706 USA IN KOS 1870 Kosciusko Co, IN Census FILM 0545831 USA IN KOS 1880 Kosciusko Co, IN Census FILM 1254290 USA IN KOS 1899 Pierceton Record-Newspaper Clippings 6104698 USA IN KOS 1900 Kosciusko Co, IN Census FILM 1240382 USA IN KOS Circuit Ct Rec 1836-1843 Kosciusko Co, IN 6099927 USA IN KOS Circuit Ct Rec 1857-1861 Kosciusko Co, IN 6099928 USA IN KOS Newspaper Clippings, Kosciusko Co 1902-33 6050145 USA IN KOS Newspaper Clippings, Kosciusko Co 1929-37 6050146 USA IN KOS Obits, 1985-6 Kosciusko Co, IN 6104693 USA IN KOS WPA Surname Index to Co Hist, Kosciusko Co, IN 6111287 USA IN NOB Cemeteries of Noble Co, OH Vol 4 6049384 USA IN NOB Cemeteries of Noble Co, OH Vol 1-3 6049374-6 June Byrne [email protected]