[Genealib] Making family history relevant to our customers

[Sharon Centanne]

How about a family history blog?  Family history podcasts? A family
website where blogs and podcasts and family videos can be downloaded by
all family members?

Videotape grandmother's stories and make a podcast out of them. Perhaps
teens would listen to grandmother on their ipod? Make mp3s of grandpa
playing his fiddle or grandma singing in the church choir. Make DVDs of
family reunions and parties and wedding available to all as gifts or
party favors.

Get kids involved in scrapbooking. Elementary children can cut well
enough, and sometimes better than their grandparents who are getting
arthritis. Have the grandkids make a page for each of their
grandparents, telling about their live with COPIES, not originals of
heirloom photographs printed out on the computer on glossy paper. Teach
the kids the stories as they make the scrapbook pages.

Or make scrapbook pages with MSPowerpoint and electronic clipart. Print
multiple copies to give as gifts.

Teach kids simple HTML and let them make Family History webpages, one
for each ancestor. Post the pages for dead people online and for live
people, just email them to cousins or print them out and keep in page
protectors in three ring binders, maybe with some MS Powerpoint pages in
there as well.

For beginners, draw a simple tree, let the kids put the names and dates
in and let them color it. Grandparents, make sure your grandchildren
know the names of YOUR grandparents and great-grandparents and you will
give them a real connection to their past. You might even start them on
a life long love of history and genealogy!

Wish I had time to do all of the above myself.<g>  I do have family
history webpages online. Take a look at:

http://home.tampabay.rr.com/centans/famhist.html

Thanks for making me stop and think about these ideas. I will probably
add them to my Librarian's Guide to Helping Patrons with Genealogical
Research tutorial I have had online since 1998.

Sharon Centanne
Genealogical Research Instructor
http://home.tampabay.rr.com/centans/genguide.html


Sharon Centanne, Genealogical Research Instructor
http://home.tampabay.rr.com/centans/genguide.html

"Kalopulu, Karen" wrote:

> I am presenting a paper at the New Zealand library conference in
> October called "Keeping three steps ahead of generation Next: the
> challenge of providing a relevant family history service in the 21st
> century"
>
> I would appreciate any comments or suggestions that would add to the
> content of the paper.
>
> Karen Kalopulu
> Family history Librarian
> Auckland City Library
> Auckland
> New Zealand
> http://www.aucklandcitylibraries.comThis email is confidential. If it
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