As an archivist working in a county archives every day, I get asked lots of questions about researching in archives and records preservation. Most questions come from my favorite people: genealogists! In celebration of Ask an Archivist Day, here are the top 5 questions I get asked as an archivist–and my answers.
Today is “Ask an Archivist” day on Twitter, so Lisa asked me to share the top 5 questions I am asked all the time. Let’s jump right in!
Top 5 Questions I Get Asked as an Archivist
Archivist Question #1: What kinds of records can I find in an archive?
This is a great question that I never get tired of answering! Every archive is different in what records they have in their collections. That is why it is very important for genealogists to contact the archive and ask them about the various records they have available. I can tell you that archives have records that are unique, not online and just waiting for the genealogist to discover them. You can find records like photographs, oral histories, scrapbooks, store ledgers, and so much more.
Archivist Question #2: Why do I need to wear gloves when handling photographs?
When handling photographs, archivists almost always ask researchers to put on a pair of gloves. The reason for this is because the oils and dirt on our hands can transfer to photographs and will eventually damage the photographs. Wearing gloves ensures that damage will not occur but genealogists still get to enjoy holding original family photographs.
Archivist Question #3: What is a finding aid?
A finding aid is the “road map” to a manuscript collection. The finding aid lists what is contained in the collection and is arranged in a folder-by-folder, box-by-box listing. When accessing manuscript collections at any archives, the finding aid will help the genealogist know what is in the collection.
Archivist Question #4: Are there family histories in the archives?
Yes! Family histories are found in archives. Many of these family histories are in the form of family group sheets, compiled family histories, and even whole collections of family histories that have been donated to the archives. These family histories can be found in the vertical files collection or manuscript collections. When doing research at an archive, genealogists need to ask the archivist about family histories.
Archivist Question #5: Why aren’t all records in the archives digitized and online?
This is a question that I get all the time by genealogists who can’t travel to the archives but want to see the records. I wish all the records in all archives could be magically digitized and put online but the truth is that it takes money, equipment, and staff hours to digitize the vast amounts of records that are in all of our archives. While there are more and more records coming online every day, there are still records that may never be online and will need to be accessed at the archives.
Learn More from The Archive Lady
Jennifer recently wrote in with a question about how to archive family history documents. My answer in this blog post will help you care for your precious possessions, too. Then, listen to the Genealogy Gems Podcast to hear more from me, The Archive Lady!
A new “Archivist in a Backpack” project to support community archiving offers genealogists a great idea: a portable archiving kit for on-the-go genealogy research and preservation projects. The Archive Lady Melissa Barker explains the initiative and offers...
Did Lisa Louise Cooke just spot fake family history news on TV? Watch as she shares a weird example of mistaken identity on television news and how she went about solving the case. Then, spot errors in your own family history whether they occur on TV, in books, online family trees, genealogy blog posts or elsewhere.
The Importance of Verifying Information
Verifying information found online is essential these days, especially when it comes to genealogy research. The last thing a family historian wants to do is incorporate inaccurate data into their family trees. Once the error is replicated, it can be extremely difficult to get it corrected or removed.
A Case of Mistaken Identity
Recently, I was watching a news program that claimed to show an old black-and-white photograph of Nat Turner from 1831. It was to illustrate a brief “This day in history” story they were doing on Nat Turner’s Rebellion.
However, my instincts and background in genealogy alerted me that something was off.
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My first clue was the year. The photo couldn’t have been of Nat Turner in 1831. The earliest known surviving photograph was taken around 1826. Photography was not more widely available until the mid to late 1800s.
With my curiosity peaked and the television show on pause, I set out from the comfort of my couch to figure out who the man was in the mistakenly identified photograph.
Investigating and Correcting Photographic “Misinformation”
I’m going to share with you the steps I took to investigate the authenticity of the photograph on the screen. Consider using some or all of these techniques the next time you come across questionable family history content.
1. I trusted my instincts. (In other words, if it doesn’t quack like a duck it’s probably not a duck!)
2. Took a photo with my phone of the image shown on the TV.
3. Cropped the image to just the photograph.
4. Searched online to confirm when photography was first invented.
5. Searched in the Google app for the name and year stated on the show (Nat Turner 1831) and found only artwork, no photographs.
6. Used Google Lens in the Google app to upload the photo and search to see where it appeared in other online locations.
Tap the Google Lens icon in the Google app
7. Reviewed the results to identify the oldest occurrence of the photo being misused as a photo of Nat Turner
8. Reviewed the Related Searches suggested by Google and discovered the image was likely of Charles Henry Turner, an African American entomologist born in 1867.
Related Search results provide a clue to the real identity of the man in the photo.
9. Further dated the photograph by estimating the age of Charles and adding it to his birth year, bringing the actual photo date closer to the 1890s or turn of the century.
10. Contacted the organization to try to correct the error. Even if they don’t respond or respond negatively, you’ll know you did your part to try and set the record straight.
The Takeaways for Fixing Family History
This scenario of mistaken identity drives home the importance of trusting your instincts when something seems off. Even if it would be wonderful or convenient if what you found was true, place truth above desire. Invest time in validating the finding with high quality and preferably primary sources. Then and only then add it to your family history, or your news broadcast!
The key takeaway is that we must be diligent in our research to ensure the integrity of our family trees and genealogical records. (Proverbs 14:25)
Continue exploring our content here at Genealogy Gems for more tips and insights on cultivating accurate genealogy research.
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