We are nearly done with Cycle 4 of the Genealogy Do-Over as we head into week 11. This week we are Reviewing Social Media Options and Building A Research Network.
Reviewing Social Media Options
What is social media? Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines social media as "forms of electronic communication (as Web sites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (as videos).".
I currently use Facebook both a personal page and a page for my blog, Dawning Genealogy. I have found great groups on Facebook such as Genealogy Addicts Anonymous (GAA), Geneabloggers, Genealogy Blogging, Genealogy, Just Ask as well DNA groups about testing and those geared toward adoptees who are doing DNA testing. I use Pintrest for my blog, my adventures in the Genealogy Do-Over series and pretty much anything genealogy related. I recently joined Instagram and I am learning how to use it to promote my blog. I swore I would not join Twitter again but I did and I keep it strictly to all things genealogy.
As I did the first time around I went to Google and typed in "social media sites for genealogy" to see if there were any new additions since March then I decided I would post my favorites here with the links.
Here is a list of my favorite social media sites, websites and/or genea-communites:
- Geneabloggers
- Cyndi's List
- Dear Myrtle blog
- Katherine R. Willson's Genealogy for Facebook
- Gail Deaver's Facebook for Canadian Genealogy
- Cite Your Sources
- Genealogy Do-Over Group
- The Organized Genealogist
- Technology for Genealogy
- Geneabloggers
- Pintrest
- Flickr
- WeRelate
- Genealogywise
- Popular Social Networks for Genealogy
It is very clear that social media has become one of the best tools for genealogists in terms of what social media gives us: a place to exchange ideas, theories, research and collaboration. Social media gives us the ability to streamline what we are looking for in terms of topics such as surnames, places (cities, counties and/or state, regions), DNA, ethnicity, and the adoption triangle of finding our bio-genealogical history.
Building a Research Network
What is a network? Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a network in three ways and it is the third meaning I am interested in and which states that a network is "a group of people or organizations that are closely connected and that work with each other.". As Thomas pointed out in our handout, by participating in the Genealogy Do-Over, we are already participating in a network.
As genealogist, we are dependent on the people who transcribe records whether it is to create an index, create digital copies of vital records, books, census records, immigration records, property records or military records to help us document our family history. We depend on the people who work in libraries, archives and other repositories to help us locate the records of our family whether it is in the city, county, state or regional levels. Whether we realize it or not as genealogists, we have been networking for years.
Research Network = Research Toolbox
Since I started my blog in June of 2014 my genealogy network and/or community have exploded beyond anything I could have imagined! I want my genea-community to expand and for that to happen I need to keep expanding my opportunities as well. I have joined a few more groups on Facebook that are specific to the areas of genealogy research such as DNA, Citing Sources, Social Media,and specific counties in certain states. I realize that attending conferences is also a big part of the equation but unfortunately not something I am able to do on a yearly basis. I have marked my calendar with major conferences so that if anything changes (like winning the lottery) I know when and where they are. I have decided to join a at least one genealogical society and a at least one county and one state historical society in the coming year.
In the meantime, I will keep networking via my blog, Dawning Genealogy and my new blog, The Other Side of Scarlet coming in January 2016 as well Facebook, Pintrest, Twitter, and Instagram.
Genealogy+Social Media+Network= A well rounded genealogist.
Sources:
Cyndi Howell, Cyndi's List - Social Networking for Genealogy and Family History (http://www.cyndislist.com/social-networking/ : 11 March 2015).
Gail Deaver, Genealogy à la carte (Blog at WordPress.com, Gail Deaver, 2015), pp. 1-12; PDF download, Facebook for Canadian Genealogy, (http://genealogyalacarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Facebook-for-Canadian-Genealogy.pdf: downloaded 8 March 2015).
Genealogy Wise, The Genealogy Social Network from The National Institute for Genealogical Studies (www.genealogywise.com : 11 March 2015).
Katherine R. Willson, Social Media for Genealogy.com (Blog at WordPress.com, Katherine R. Wilson, 2015), pp. 1-132; PDF download, Genealogical & Historical Groups/Pages on Facebook (in English), (http://socialmediagenealogy.com/genealogy-on-facebook-list/ : downloaded 6 October 2015).
"Popular Social Networks for Genealogy", www.familysearch.org, (https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Popular_Social_Networks_for_Genealogy : 10 March 2015).
"social media" Merriam-Webster.com. 2015 (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20media : 10 March 2015).
"network" Merriam-Webster.com 2015. (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/network : 10 March 2015).
Thomas MacEntee, Geneabloggers (www.geneabloggers.com : 11 December 2015)
Thomas MacEntee, Genealogy Do-Over 2015, (https://www.facebook.com/groups/genealogydoover/?ref=bookmarks : 11 December 2015)
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