[Genealib] indexing projects

[Pam Cooper]

Larry and I are on the same level. My volunteers tell me that I have too
much time on my hands because I am always thinking of new indexing
projects.

For 22 years we have been indexing anything local history that is NOT
indexed. Consequently, all 14 of our local history books are in one big
index. http://www.rootsweb.com/~flindian/ircl/irchistorybooks.pdf I
consider this index worth more than any book in our library. It has
saved us time and effort when answering questions on local history. We
have probably indexed about 35 different items in our local history
collection.

My volunteer indexer used Sky software and then we converted it to PDF.
We just purchased an updated version of Sky Software and plan to use it
in all our future projects and possibly convert older ones to it, I
hope. 

We even indexed genealogy books that are rare and appear to need an
index. You can see what we have done at:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~flindian/ircl/databases.htm .This does not
include all the indexes that we have put on the shelves. There are too
many to list.

I say INDEX everything local and put it online! It will be the best tool
that you will ever own in helping researchers.

One thing that we have learned through the years is try to think ahead,
which is very difficult with today's technology. We still have indexes
on the old PC7 software and have had to re-enter the data.

I also print out a good clean copy on acid-free paper and that goes into
a locked cabinet with the disk or CD. A second copy is cataloged for the
shelf. We now have two full drawers of the printed copy and back-ups. 

Our future plans were to put them all in one database, but budget cuts
have taken the wind out of our sails for now. <g> 

Pam

Pamela J. Cooper, Supervisor 
Archive Center & Genealogy Department
Indian River County Main Library
1600 21st Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960
 
772-770-5060 x4148 - Fax 772-770-5446
Email: pcooper at irclibrary.org  
 
Need a guide to our collection? 
See our pathfinders at:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~flindian/ircl/pathfinderalpha.htm
-----Original Message-----
From: genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
[mailto:genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu] On Behalf Of Larry
Naukam
Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2008 10:56 AM
To: genealib at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
Subject: [Genealib] indexing projects

"...Interested to know how many Libraries and/or societies are currently
undertaking indexing projects? If so, why? What software/tools are you
using? Hosting on the web, in-house only, published?"

We have done a lot here in Rochester. Mostly it is because I am a
troublemaker and want to have things easily available for the users
instead
of walking over and showing them for the n'th time.

I can usually assign some people to create things (which is one benefit
of
having some seniority) and get them back pretty quickly. We use Excel
for
the most part, as no one knows Access, and management hasn't yet wanted
to
spring for a commercial or custom made database. (We are going out to
bid
later this spring for a content manger)

The Rochester Genealogical Society has been doing a digitization project
of
local church records. It is not an index, but rather creating a digital
image of the original church books. After they are completed (and over
5000
pages have been done to date) a digital and hard copy will be donated to
the
library. Digital copies also go to the church and to the RGS. There are
no
plans to put these on the web, mostly because of privacy agreements.

Links for various RPL indexes are at: 
Digital Collections:
http://www2.libraryweb.org/index.asp?orgid=630&storyTypeID=&sid=&
General Indexes:
http://www2.libraryweb.org/index.asp?orgid=439&storyTypeID=&sid=&
City Directories:
http://www2.libraryweb.org/orgMain.asp?orgid=468
Life Records (nearly 850,000 names 1957-2008)

Altogether we guesstimate 1,500,000 pages of historical data and over
nearly
1,000,000 names of individuals. 


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