[Genealib] French/English speaking researchers?

[Laurie Mahaffey]

Kathryn,

Is there a local school or university that teaches French? Possibly a
teacher or professor could translate for you and your patron.

Laurie

(whose knowledge of French is zero)

 

  _____  

From: genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
[mailto:genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu] On Behalf Of Devine, Kathryn
Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2007 1:17 PM
To: genealib at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
Subject: [Genealib] French/English speaking researchers?

 

I'm looking for anyone who could possibly help a long-distance patron of
ours. There seem to be two basic problems. 1) His first language is French
and he lives in Quebec, 2) He doesn't seem to be an experienced genealogist.


 

He is doing research on people who settled in the state of Washington,
specifically around Tacoma. He has emailed the librarians here at the
Washington State Library probably a dozen times and the language barrier has
been extreme. He has been asking for resources that we do not have, or for
sources that do not have the information he wants. For example he seems to
think a marriage index will tell him where a person was born and who his
parents were.

 

Several librarians on staff here have tried to help him with his questions,
but most of the time we just don't have the resources (marriage records,
county level records, etc-which are located in the state archives).  Or he
doesn't understand the types of information that our resources will give
him. We have referred him several times to the Archives, but something seems
to get lost in the translation because he keeps writing back to us. 

 

I have even tried using online translation tools-limited as those are-to
respond to him in both English and French. But it doesn't seem to be working
all that well. I am going to suggest that he try to find a volunteer or hire
a professional researcher who speaks both English and French who can better
explain what's available, where it's available, and what kind of information
is available. 

 

Does anyone on the list know of a researcher or volunteer who is fluent in
both French and English, preferably with research experience in the Pacific
Northwest? I tried a search on APG but have not had much luck.

 

Thanks,

Kathryn Devine

Genealogy Reference Librarian

Washington State Library 

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