Still room for the human element

I know many people wonder if they need a computer and genealogical software to do genealogy. The answer is no. A computer with an Internet connection and genealogical software can make researching and organization of your data easier but it isn’t absolutely necessary.

It wasn’t so long ago that genealogy was done using paper pedigree charts and other forms. There are still genealogists who don’t use computers. When I research at libraries I observe many who are using hand-written charts and notebooks. There’s no sign of a computer, tablet, smart phone, or other device in sight.

In classes I’ve always passed out hard copies (that’s paper copies) of pedigree charts, research logs, and other genealogical record keeping forms for students to use. I’ve found many people are computer-phobic or don’t want the added expense.

And, it’s a good thing for new genealogists to learn the basics and use paper before committing themselves to any software.

While it’s true you can do a lot of solid research without a computer and the Internet the truth is that for genealogists, just like so much else in this world, the Internet is becoming our right hand. More information is coming online every day.

It’s not just Ancestry.com, the 800-pound gorilla of genealogical database companies, but even Family Search.org, the website of the Church of Latter-Day Saints is now putting more of their fabulous microfilm collection on their website. I recently downloaded and printed my 5th great-grandfather’s probate records. He died in 1801 in Lebanon, Connecticut and while I could write for copies I was able to obtain digital images of the actual documents in my own home.

There’s no denying the Internet has opened doors for genealogists, but if you truly don’t want your own computer and Internet connection what can you do to take advantage of the research opportunities? One great place is the Family History Library near you. There you can search the microfilms in their collection or they will help you order what you need. The cost is small and much less than a flight to a distant state would be.

Also, you can search a limited version of Ancestry.com at your local library or Family History Center for free. Members of the staff of your library or History Center will show you how to search and you can utilize their system to see if you can find the records you need and in most places print them out.

If you’re willing to try to learn to operate a computer many local libraries will offer a lesson or two without cost to help you along the way. I’m old enough to remember a time when PCs didn’t exist. Now I can’t imagine life without my laptop which I think is now permanently attached to me. However, I still spend a lot of my time in libraries and I have to admit there is a special joy in holding an original document in my hands that a digital image simply can’t equal.

Whatever method you employ in your research there is room for all methods in the genealogical world.

Nancy Battick is a Dover-Foxcroft native who has researched genealogy for over 30 years. She is past president of the Maine Genealogical Society, author of several genealogical articles and co-transcribed the Vital Records of Dover-Foxcroft. Nancy holds a MA in History from UM and lives in DF with her husband, Jack, another avid genealogist. You can contact Nancy at nbattick@roadrunner.com.