March 8, 2009
TRACING OUR
ROOTS
TRIP TIPS
Brenda Kellow
Traveling across the country visiting archives and
libraries to glean the last bit of information available on your ancestors can
be rewarding. However, if you have not done your homework before your trip it
may be disappointing. Here are a few tips to help you have a beneficial and
enjoyable trip.
Before you leave either check online or by phone for the
regular hours of operation. If it is on a college campus, ask if there are any
early closing times or holiday hours during the period, you plan to visit. Some
are more popular than others are, so ask if there are tour groups or limited
microfilm readers and computers that would necessitate you coming in early or
adjusting the days of your visit.
Using the online catalog, check for all resources and
methodically enter into a spreadsheet the name, author or agency, and the
complete call number before you leave. Some records require you order them
before you leave so they will be ready when you arrive. You can do this over the
phone and sometimes online.
It is common for facilities to require you to leave
everything in a locker before entering the research room. The Southwest Archives
in Fort Worth does not allow you to bring anything inside except a digital
camera, but they provide you with paper and a pencil. If you take your research
list inside, they will examine it before you enter and again after you leave.
The Tennessee Archives and Libraries have staff available to give you a tour of
the facility to acquaint you with their collection. Since all archives and
libraries have different rules, find theirs out before your arrival and be
prepared to follow them to the limit.
Ask about parking garages and how much they charge and if
taxi cabs pickup and deliver there? The Georgia archives gets crazy after three
o’clock when the federal workers in surrounding buildings leave work. The
library does not want their patrons to become stranded in the area after hours
so they called a cab for me.
Often there are restaurants in the area, but that is not a
guarantee. I usually pack a sandwich, a drink, fruit and a snack if I intend to
spend the day. It’s much quicker than going out and risking that a parking space
will not be available upon return.
Certainly, you should carry your identification and money
for copies and entrance fee if there is one. If you are visiting the Daughters
of the American Revolution library in Washington be sure to bring your
membership card to eliminate paying a small fee to access the library. Clothing
pockets provide a place to keep your I.D., money, membership card and the key to
your locker.
Sticky notes, post-it stickers and a yellow highlighter
help to identify sources and label important areas. These items are rarely
furnished. At some facilities where only a pen and paper are allowed inside they
furnish stapler, tape, scissors or paper cutter—sometimes both and in some cases
white cotton gloves for handling documents. Otherwise when I visit I carry a
clear cosmetic case filled with sticky notes, post-it notes, small scissors,
stapler, highlighter, a couple of band-aids, paper clips, tissue, small
magnifying glass, lip balm, business cards and hand sanitizer.
Thinking ahead before attempting a research trip can make
all the difference. Go prepared with plenty to research, take explicit notes,
write the source on the back of every photocopy, and log carefully each picture
taken with a digital camera. Working in the field is fun and beneficial as long
as you are prepared and remain flexible when the unexpected happens.
Brenda Kellow has a bachelor's degree in history,
teaches, and lectures on genealogy. Before retiring to publish her family’s
histories in 2007, Brenda held certification as a Certified Genealogist and as a
Certified Genealogical Instructor. Send reunions announcements, books to review,
and genealogy queries to: TraceRts@verizon.net.
