Continuing education is an important part of genealogy. No one knows all there is to know about family research. New electronic sources are coming out constantly and there are new ways to use the old records and research skills. One of the best ways to keep informed is through the periodicals published just for the family historian.
Nationally based magazines provide up-to-the minute information for all genealogists. There articles of all types~ including how to research in different countries, how to use old sources in new ways~ and usually at least one case study. Case studies showone researcher~s solution to a difficult problem they have encountered.
National magazines include Ancestry. Family Chronicle. Family Tree Magazine and Heritage Quest. Genealogical Helper is perhaps the best known but has the least amount of educational material. However~ it is invaluable for it's yearly releases of directories of several types. It also includes a few educational articles, but is best known for it's query sections.
Another category of periodicals are the scholarly productions of national level genealogical societies. These include the National Genealogical The American Genealogist. and Forum. Most of these require yearly membership dues in the organization that produces them but they are the best sources for case studies and problem solving ideas.
The next level is the area specific periodicals put out by state and local societies. Almost all state level societies have a quarterly that provides genealogical information to their membership. The Colorado Genealogist is the quarterly for the Colorado Genealogical Society. It usually includes record transcriptions from Colorado areas that don't have their own publications and a periodical index of all publications received by CGS. Fremont County was one feature in the Feb. 2001 issue.
Smaller area societies usually put out some kind of newsletter and usually feature area records. Unfortunately, Fremont County doesn't have a genealogical society newsletter but Colorado Springs and Pueblo do.
Although they do not produce a periodical, Repeat Performance produces quality audio tapes from the talks given by genealogy experts at major society conferences. They are instructional tapes, usually an hour long, by such well known experts as Birdie Monk Holsc.aw, Elizabeth Shown Mills, Johni Cemy, and Sharon Carmack. They cover every possible topic including case studies, organizing your materials and setting up a business. These tapes can be ordered online or by mail.
As in all things in life, it is important to continue to learn. Find out about all the different sources and products available to the family researcher. You can never learn too much and since genealogy has become the number one hobby in the country, the sources for learning have never been better. Next month, we will explore the computer resources for the family historian.
First Published Sep 19, 2001
Canon City Daily Record
Copyright June 2001
Mary Ann Thomas
