You may not believe it, but you are building your own family history library. You have hundreds of little bits of paper, jot notes, newspaper clippings, family tree group sheets and charts. They are piling up all around your desk. How can you record them and get them sorted, stored and labeled so you can find the source document you need, when you need it! The key is to start your library early and update your records with new research often.
Although documentation sounds like a chore, it can save you valuable time and limit your frustrations if you take the time to set up your library properly. Being very methodical and meticulous in your record keeping can make the difference between uncovering a branch of ancestors in your family's past and wasted time searching and then re-researching the same history over and over again. Some of the work is simple. Setup your records by:
- Find 3 ring binders to store each family's charts and group sheets separately;
- Valuable copies of articles and newspaper clippings should be placed in acid free plastic sleeves;
- Number and cross reference each document and store them alphabetically and numerically for easy retrieval;
- Information that doesn't fit in the binders should be placed in legal file folders by family name (numbered and cross referenced as well); and
- When your folders get too full and unmanageable simply split your research into subsections of smaller family groups.
Following these steps and being careful to cross reference all your records will help ensure that you can find that important documentation when you need it. Check out the links on this website to find resources that will help you properly document and record your important family tree records. Many of these research tools have been invaluable to many amateur genealogists in the past.
Setting up your library can be very intimidating. But systematically setting up each family binder and folder will ensure that you will spend less time re-researching the same document and have more time to research for and find other history or record other related families. Keeping good records of each family tree, for each of your families, will make all the difference in the world. Your children and their children will thank you for your efforts.
