Another point that I find very helpful with lookups. Many of us are listed on various county lists, along with the books and CDs that we are willing to do lookups in. Obviously, by sending me an email you must have thought that one of the things with my name might be of help to you....right? Then put the name of that book,CD, etc in the subject slot or in the 1st line of the message of your query. That way I will know, up front, what book to grab from the shelf, rather than have to read through your whole email to figure it out. Putting lookup in the subject slot is useless..might as well leave it blank.....another aspect about using the titles; many see, I guess, Marriages of Chester co 1690-1812, for instance, in the lookup list, but apparently don't bother to read the years offered. If they would make it a practice to put the tile in the subject slot they would have seen that the years covered weren't the ones they were interested in, thereby saving them, and me, time and effort. So many many people assume that where ever they found your name is the only place you do lookups for, and so don't think it necessary to tell you the location. I've found that many of us do lookups in multiple places....I do them in 4 different states, so don't assume anything! Goodness, all these instructions......but, it's all in an effort to use our own time to better purpose, and to be better able to help you . S. -----Original Message----- From: Mary D. Taffet <mdtaffet@mailbox.syr.edu> To: PACHESTE-L@rootsweb.com <PACHESTE-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Wednesday, July 26, 2000 1:09 PM Subject: Re: [PACHESTE] How to write a query or ask for a lookup... >Hi there, > >There is one additional element that should really be included to make the >best query possible. This is a standard item to be included on many of >the mailing lists that I am aware of when someone wants to ask for >information. > >In addition to the items suggested by Cheska, you should also include any >references that you have already checked. After all, there's no sense in >having somebody else recheck a source that you yourself have already >checked. > >I have read the policies for some of the professional mailing lists used >by reference librarians. They are pretty much required to list what >sources have already been checked, or their query won't even be posted to >the list. > >-- Mary Taffet > > >On Wed, 26 Jul 2000, Cheska Wheatley wrote: > >> I also do look-ups for several counties and am also a >> list manager for a number of lists. I can certainly >> share Sandra's frustration in receiving requests for >> lookups as well as viewing many inadequate queries >> that are posted to lists. >> >> I think there are basic elements that should be >> included in almost every query and before anyone >> hits the send button, they should read their query >> to make sure each element is included: >> >> WHO: a specific given name and surname. >> (Not, "I'm looking for all Smiths") >> >> WHAT: what information do you hope to find, e.g., >> birth, marriage, death, will record, etc. >> (Not: "anything you have on..." >> >> WHEN: give specific dates when known or at least >> a time frame. >> >> WHERE: specify where the individual last lived >> or in the case of Quakers the monthly meeting >> they last belonged to. >> >> WHY: describe what you hope the information will >> lead to, e.g. trying to establish parents of >> the specified individual. I just might have >> other references that will provide the >> information you need but I won't check them >> if you can't tell me what your research >> objective is. >> >> When you reread your query and cannot find at least >> three of the five elements, you are probably wasting >> your time by asking the wrong question not to mention >> wasting the time of the people who you hope will >> respond to your query. >> >> [snip] > > >==== PACHESTE Mailing List ==== >To unsubscribe from regular mail mode on this list, send a message to: >PACHESTE-L-REQUEST@rootsweb.com >Put only the word unsubscribe in the body of your message. For digest >mode, send the message to PACHESTE-D-REQUEST@rootsweb.com > > > > > >