[Genealib] Genealogy Room Set-up

[DMeszaros at aol.com]

I remember replying to a similar question 10 years ago, when I was the head 
 of the cataloging section at the Arizona State Library. Thank goodness  
for the Genealib archives! See my description of our genealogy classification  
system at 
_http://mailman.acomp.usf.edu/pipermail/genealib/1999-August/001028.html_ 
(http://mailman.acomp.usf.edu/pipermail/genealib/1999-August/001028.html) 
 
Having researched my family history for over 30 years, and having visited  
many libraries, I can say that I definitely prefer using a collection 
arranged  alphabetically by state and then alphabetically by county and city 
within the  state. When I am on a trip and have limited time to spend in a 
library, it  really helps to be able to find the state and county I want without 
constantly  having to look up the call number. 
 
On the other hand, I search the library's catalog online before I visit  
because I know that not everything relevant to my research will be found by  
merely browsing the shelves, nor will it all be in the genealogy collection.  
Important sources can be found in federal documents, state documents, and 
many  other areas of the library.
 
Do not underestimate the growing importance of Google Books and other  
similar services in providing full-text searching of books, some of which  may 
be in your collection. Last year I found a valuable clue in a  Massachusetts 
law reporter digitized by Google Books. That reporter had  been in the law 
collection the whole 17 years I worked at the Arizona  State Library. 
 
Donna Meszaros
Genealogist and Retired Librarian
 
 
**************Looking for love this summer? Find it now on AOL Personals. 
(http://personals.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntuslove00000003)
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