January Genealogy

Many days, a few weeks ago I blogged about my resolutions and responsibilities for 2009.  I am well on my way to fulfilling those ... already.  It seems that my local genealogy society's books at the public library needed to once again be shifted.  Big shift!  We did this a year ago with minor shifting in the following months.  Two other departments shifted last week, so we shifted.  

It has not been a normal shift.  One shelving section was moved and repositioned to make a user friendly area for researchers.  Because we knew this big shift was approaching, we had not shelved at least 150 books in the last couple months.  These were newly cataloged and not wanting to shift twice, they were left for this major shift.  One heavily used area (Nebraska books) had gone shabby and out of order.  Both of those functions have been accomplished and today we will finish the shift project.  

I would call this my responsibility for 2009, or one of them in the genealogy world.  I have had four willing workers, one being my daughter who writes the blog, Growing Up Genealogy.  

A resolve I mentioned earlier this month was to clean up my computerized genealogy files.  I am a Mac and Reunion user.  I have picked up some great tips for doing this at Ben Sayer's blog, MacGenealogist.com.  If you are a Mac user and a genealogist, be sure to read his blog.  My genealogy files on the computer are enormous, but I have cleaned up three thus far and well on my way to four.  I have many more to go.  

Not too bad for less than one, well almost a month.  Wonder what I'll do in February? 

Genealogy Resolutions and Responsibilities

I am not one for making resolutions in the New Year, probably because I don't keep them.  However, I am going to make some resolutions for 2009 that I am more likely to keep.  Spending two weeks in Virginia in December allowed me time to review some of my genealogy files on my laptop, along with doing research while there.  

Browsing some of my files, I realized the need for quality clean-up time.  Errors were not drastic, but they were there.  This is a resolution I can keep and will keep.  It will also provide a great review of family lineages and information, thus allowing me to see what information is needed.  

No, I'm not going to resolve to overcome all brick walls.  I know I won't be able to keep that one.  However, I am going to resolve to overcome one brick wall in 2009.  

There are stacks of genealogy periodicals all over my house.  I leave them in strategic places so a few minutes here and there, maybe I'll find time to read them.  Sometimes I find that time and sometimes I don't.  I resolve in 2009 to get caught up reading my periodicals.  This doesn't mean I'll read every article in each and every genealogy magazine, but I'll read those that I want to read.  

What am I responsible for in 2009?  I am responsible for leaving a genealogy legacy for my family.  I want it to be right and informative.  Therefore, I am going to show responsibility in my research and also in my documentation. 

As President of the local genealogy society in 2009, I am responsible for motivating other genealogists, providing interesting meetings and leading the society in new directions.  Members in turn are responsible for doing their part in society projects and the encouraging new members to join our group.  Together we will have a great 2009!  

Can I do all of this?  I hope that I can.  I will try.  Perhaps by December 2009 I will have accomplished more than I have resolved to do in January 2009.