For the past month I have been busy at least an hour a day taking an online class called, "Google for the Wise Genealogist." The course is offered by the National Institute for Genealogical Studies (NIGS) and can be taken by anyone for a fee. For a list of courses NIGS offers online, go to their website http://www.genealogicalstudies.com/.
The first lesson was an overview of Google products. Some of them I had used before like Google Maps, Google Earth and Google News. But there were a couple new ones that I learned about that will help me organize my genealogy research. One of these is Google Keep which allows you to take notes and store them so that you may access them again by signing into your Google account. Another is Google Bookmarks. This allows you to bookmark your frequently used websites and be able to access the bookmarks from any computer anywhere at any time.
The next lesson was about how to make the most of your Google search. I was able to set up a Google alert so that when something new about the surnames I am researching is added, I will receive an e-mail notification. So far I haven't received any alerts. But hope springs eternal, as they say.
Another lesson taught me how to "map my ancestors." Since I didn't have any addresses for my ancestors, I used all the locations I have lived in my lifetime. I was dismayed to find out that one home I lived in is now a parking lot. I don't think I have a picture of that home at all. So go out and take pictures of your home right now because 40 years from now it might not be there!
This week's lesson was all about Google Books. Many books that were published years and years ago are now digitized and available online for free. If the book isn't available for free you might be able to find it at a nearby library. Unfortunately, the books I would like to borrow are books that must remain in the library. This means I'll have to plan a trip to go to that library to do some further genealogy research. Some titles may be purchased online using Google Play. However, I chose to save the titles I found using the "my library" feature of Google Books. Now when I do have an opportunity to travel those titles will be "on the cloud" and fairly easy to access. This is great for me as I often lose track of slips of paper, notes, etc.
But wait that's not all! There is more to come in the weeks ahead. Feel free to stop by my desk and ask about the latest "Google for the Wise Genealogist" lesson any time.
Janice
Genealogy Librarian
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