Research on the Go

Family History Library - Salt Lake City, UT

October is a busy month for me.  I am traveling toward the eastern part of Nebraska on Monday to deliver a genealogy presentation.  Because it is so light and easy to use, I will be using my iPad for the Keynote presentation.  It works great by using my iPod as the clicker.  I upload my Keynote presentations to it via iTunes.

I will be home about three days and I fly to Salt Lake City ... yes, to spend hours in the Family History Library.  I am hosting the Nebraska Genealogy Tours.  Those in my tour group will join me Monday morning at the library.  We are all staying at the Plaza Hotel.   I will have a couple days to get caught up with personal research.

Once again, I am traveling light by taking my iPad and leaving the laptop at home.  I have all of my film numbers and book call numbers on Bento, syncing between my main computer and the iPad.  All of my Reunion genealogy files will be updated before I leave home.

There is one application I cannot live without on both the main computer, laptop and iPad and that's Evernote.  If you have never tried it, consider doing so.  I have to-do lists, projects and even maps on it.  It worked great in April when I was on the east coast.  I placed maps on it with instructions to various places I was researching.  For my trip next week I have placed jpgs of various maps that I will need, showing counties, jurisdictions, provinces, etc.  Evernote now allows me to capture photos of books or documents and syncs them so when I arrive back home they will be waiting for me on my main computer.

I have a flash drive for my iPad so anticipate it will get used a good deal in microfilm reader/printers in the library.  In addition I can take photos and transfer them from my digital camera to the iPad.  They can then be used on blogs or sent to my friends and family via e-mail.

In addition to all of this I have some other good stuff on the iPad, such as Good Reader and PDF Printer.  Another application I like is eWallet.  It stores my passwords along with the corresponding web sites.  I have some ebooks for reading, if I find time, as well as videos on the iPad.  They are, of course, about genealogy!  I also have Sticky Notes and Reminders ... hope I don't forget to use them.

As my friend Lisa Louise Cooke would say ... Pretty Cool!