[Genealib] Genealogy Room Set-up * & online ctalogs *

[treviawbeverly]

John, where do you feel library websites and online catalogs are "marginal?"
I realize it takes time to really get acquainted with them, but usually worth a few hours pre-trip.
One thing that is helpful - if you know far enough in advance - is to see if the library system puts
out any kind of email news.  If so, ask to be added.
    On the Clayton Library site  http://www.houstonlibrary.org/clayton    you'll want to  click on "the following pages."
Click on "More Resources" and you'll see the "Links to our research collections" .. and "To sign up for Clayton's electronic newsletter: Clayton Town Crier." It's free.
    The thing that frustrates me is that often Central Library changes up the main site, which Clayton is a part of, and "some sweet young thing" that may be a wiz in technology knows little about the branches/collections/etc. and they set out to rearrange without consulting those who work those branches/collections/etc.  And the colors! Often not pleasing. The Houston Public Library's main site at http://www.houstonlibrary.org/ (by the way there is another Houston Public Library in another state so if you're doing a Google search, be sure you have the one you want)
gives you an opportunity to offer a suggestion.  Believe me, I do use it!  Sometimes to say thank you but also to
say what I don't like or give a suggestion on maybe how to be more user-friendly. 
    In the case of HPL, the central facility downtown has some special things ... Texas & Local History, archival division, etc.  So it will pay the researcher to get acquainted.
    Speaking of the main site for HPL, one thing researchers need to do it going out of town (or even in town!) is to
get thoroughly familiar with what else is available in the system, in other libraries (especially universities), etc.
    If you're planning on visiting Houston, send me a private email (you name and town, please) and ask for "Here's to Houston!" I'll be glad to send you a list of repositories, etc.  (but it will be after the 20th on my return from Angelina College Gen Conference.
http://www.angelina.edu/genealogy/genealogy.html (still time to register; and the date for the special cemetery program has been extended).

   Trevia



  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: john at johnwylie.com 
  To: 'Librarians Serving Genealogists' 
  Sent: Wednesday, July 08, 2009 8:11 AM
  Subject: RE: [Genealib] Genealogy Room Set-up


  Like Trevia, I too am a professional genealogist. I use many libraries in my traveling research. For what it's worth here's how I use your wonderful collections: 

  First: Before I travel, I visit you online to refine my task list for your locality. Perhaps it's my limited 19 year experience doing this full time, but most library websites and online catalogs are of marginal help.  

  Second: When I arrive and before I start working my task list, I ask you for a brief orientation, especially what you have that no one else has. You're almost always thrilled to show it off. And I'm grateful. This step has revealed answers I would otherwise have missed, sometimes to questions I didn't know to ask. Most of your unique stuff is not in the catalog or impossible to find on your website if I don't already know your collection well, which I never will. 

  Third: I work my task list.

  Fourth: I browse the shelves. If the collection isn't well organized by locality, I skip this step. As others have observed better than I could, even with good cataloging, the Dewey system is not responsive to my needs. 

  John Wylie

  Member, APG  



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