Why Is Networking Important?
To paraphrase an old adage, "No genealogist is an island." We have to rely on others to help us in our family history research. Archivists, librarians, courthouse clerks, vital records office employees, cemetery sextons, church secretaries, and others help us locate and access the materials we need to further our research. While many of these individuals are knowledgeable and adapt, some have little or no understanding of what is involved with genealogy. Therefore, they may have a limited ability to help us with the problems and brick walls we encounter.

Genealogists are used to the exchanging of information in various forms. Most of us have shared some of our research data with others, whether it be by letter, by e-mail, or by telephone. This exchange may be in the form of pedigree charts, family group sheets, or GEDCOM files. But have you taken the time to discuss research techniques, organizational methodologies, and other important topics with others? If not, you may be missing out on the benefits of networking with other genealogists.

Think about it. Some of our most valuable resources are undoubtedly our fellow genealogists. They understand our desire for acquiring family information and our addiction to the research process. We don't have to rationalize to them why we want to delve into boxes of musty records in the basement of the courthouse or scan through reels of microfilm until our eyes roll back into our heads. THEY UNDERSTAND! They are very familiar with the process, they know how to record the data they uncover, and they are aware of the importance of documenting their sources. In addition, they have the experience of working with many different types of records and may already have encountered and dealt with the same types of brick walls we may be experiencing. It is therefore essential to take advantage of this camaraderie and to share the benefits of one another's experience and expertise. Here are a few examples of ways in which you can network with other genealogists.

Join Genealogical Societies
Genealogical societies provide many benefits to their members. Joining the local genealogical society allows you to immediately participate in a social group that shares your interest in researching family history. You will find that not everyone in the group is researching just the local area; people are researching their families all over the United States and abroad as well. Therefore, you can undoubtedly make friends and share with others who are perhaps researching in the same vicinity as you. The group may host educational talks by speakers who will teach you about new records and research techniques. The society also will probably organize group trips to research facilities, which can be fun and rewarding. As a member of the society, you may have the opportunity to work on important genealogical projects, such as canvassing cemeteries, transcribing documents, preserving historical records, or publishing books, journals, newsletters, and Web pages on behalf of the society. All these projects provide valuable opportunities to learn more about research and to build and strengthen relationships with other members.

Joining genealogical societies in other geographical areas provides an important networking opportunity as well. If you are researching your family's presence in another location, you will probably want to join the genealogical society in that state, county, or region. Its publications will teach you about local history and events to help put your family in context. You often can make contact with other researchers who are working on your lines through queries and correspondence. You will also discover what projects the society is working on and what materials in its holdings you can access.

Conferences
The networking opportunities provided by attending genealogical conferences are limitless. Not only are the breakout sessions full of great information, but they, and every social event, give you the chance to meet and talk with other genealogists. Don't be shy! People want to talk and share information. Striking up a conversation with the person sitting beside you in a breakout session or sitting across from you at a luncheon table can be an enjoyable way to share your own experiences with one another. You can gain a new perspective from someone else's experience and may make a new life-long friend in the process. Other people, you will find, will quickly jump in and want to participate in the conversation too.

Don't overlook the vendor area at a conference as an important venue for networking. Booksellers and other vendors are highly knowledgeable about their product areas. If there is a specific book you are seeking, or if you are looking for specific resources for a given area or subject, network with the book vendors. Don't assume they brought their entire inventory to the conference. They may have exactly what you are looking for back at the shop. Also, feel free to discuss research problems and roadblocks with them. They may have encountered a similar situation before and may be able to suggest specific resources you haven't considered to help you.

Invest some time in talking to software vendors as well, and ask them to demonstrate their products. You may get some new ideas for recording and storing your data while the vendor representative is talking. Talk with suppliers of photo albums and other archival storage supplies about preservation and storage methods. Even if you don't buy the products, you can gain valuable information in the course of your discussions with the representatives.

Mailing Lists and Message Boards
While networking in person is a valuable and enjoyable activity, you should also be networking with other genealogists via the Internet. Mailing lists (also called listservs) and message boards provide the means for networking from the convenience of your own computer.

A mailing list allows people with the same interest to share information with one another via e-mail. You send an e-mail message to an address in order to subscribe. After that, every time someone posts a message to the list, a copy of that message is sent to every subscriber via e-mail. (Some mailing lists allow you to subscribe in either a full-text mode, with which you receive every e-mail message, or in a digest mode, with which you receive a summary of all messages and then request the full text of the ones that interest you.) There are many types of mailing lists—surname, state, county, region, country, ethnic group, religious group, historical event, and others. By participating in a mailing list, you can engage in discussions of topics of common interest. You can also use the group as a sounding board for solving some of your research problems.

Message boards are similar to mailing lists in that they allow people with the same interest to share information. The difference is that instead of sharing information via e-mail, you post your message to a Web site. People come to that Web site to read messages posted there, and they may then respond on the message board, send you a private e- mail response, or both. The effect, however, is the same: you share information and engage in discussions with a network of other genealogical researchers who share your interest in a specific subject.

Sharing Your Experiences
Genealogical research is a life-long endeavor, one in which we all continue to learn. Regardless of your level of expertise, your research has placed you in situations where you have learned something. That experience is valuable in your development as a researcher, but it can also be beneficial when shared with others.

Genealogical societies, conferences, mailing lists, and message boards are by no means the only opportunities for networking with other genealogists. You might share research insights with another family member just getting started with their own research. You might share information and research techniques one-on-one with another patron in your local public library or volunteer to work in the genealogical collection there.

Networking is one of the keys to expanding your genealogical knowledge and expertise. Be willing to listen to other people and learn from their experience. Also, be willing to share your own experiences. Networking with other genealogists can be fun, rewarding, and informative—and it will expand your research horizons.

Happy Hunting!

George

George G. Morgan is a proud member of the International Society of Family History Writers and Editors, Inc. He would like to hear from you at atl@ahaseminars.com, but due to the volume of e-mail received, he is unable to answer every message. Please note that he cannot assist you with your individual research. Visit George's Web site for information about speaking engagements.