I have a question for the other County Coordinators. I some times get requests for referrals to researchers (for hire), people asking me if I know someone in my county's area that will do extensive research and that they are glad to pay for this. Well I usally do as much of what I can for free, refer them to someone else that can help them free and then if there is too much to research or a great deal of time involved I refer them to a few of the people in the Waupaca Area Genealogical Society for further help. What my question is-do any of you have these area researchers (paid researchers) listed on your websites? I know we are trying to get as much information out there for FREE! (And I do this in every way I can) But I am wondering if this is also a service that I should have on my website (not the homepage). I would really like to hear what the rest of you are doing about this and what your thoughts are on it? Thanks Paula WaupacaCC http;//www.rootsweb.com/~wiwaupac/index.htm ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com

Since you asked......... Here is my two-cents worth about paid researchers on websites. 1. There is no right or wrong here. 2. Paid researchers DO perform a service, especially since WE can't do it all, even though we would like to think that we can. We want to offer all options that are available. 3. Perhaps you could SELL advertising space to those who do this for profit. (to pay for photocopying data for your 'free' pages.) 4. Posting paid researchers sends a subliminal message of endorsement of their work, even if you post a disclaimer. 5. If you post one name, you will be bombarded with others wanting to put their name up, and whose name goes first, etc etc etc etc. Is it worth it??? 6. If I were a paid researcher, I would have my own website, and wouldn't need a name on the county site. Honestly, I have thought long and hard about this, (all of two minutes) and feel that I actually would charge a fee to place a researcher's name on my site. (Those that live by the sword.........) If they are truly professional, they would not have a problem with that, and if they have no problem paying, then I would gladly accept their money to defray my photocopying costs. Tracy Reinhardt Fond du Lac Co Paula Vaughan wrote: > I have a question for the other County Coordinators. I some times get > requests for referrals to researchers (for hire), people asking me if I know > someone in my county's area that will do extensive research and that they > are glad to pay for this. > > Well I usally do as much of what I can for free, refer them to someone else > that can help them free and then if there is too much to research or a great > deal of time involved I refer them to a few of the people in the Waupaca > Area Genealogical Society for further help. > > What my question is-do any of you have these area researchers (paid > researchers) listed on your websites? I know we are trying to get as much > information out there for FREE! (And I do this in every way I can) But I am > wondering if this is also a service that I should have on my website (not > the homepage). I would really like to hear what the rest of you are doing > about this and what your thoughts are on it? > > Thanks > Paula > WaupacaCC > http;//www.rootsweb.com/~wiwaupac/index.htm > ________________________________________________________________________ > Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com > > ==== WIGEN Mailing List ==== > Visit the Fond Du Lac County WIGenWeb Project Pages > http://www.rootsweb.com/~wifonddu/index.htm