"Before traveling to a library or archive in a distant town to look for books, periodicals and other materials, check to see if their catalog is accessible through the Internet."
"When I work with genealogy enthusiasts in my local society, and I ask them "how many of you have used the Family History Library Catalog in the past year," I'm always surprised by how few persons are even aware of this resource."
"I do use Research Outlines and keep track of the sources I search, but sometimes I have a hard time remembering what the source looked like until I find myself searching it again. Digital photos have changed all that and cut down the amount of time I spend reading books and records in the libraries and repositories."
"A librarian, historian, or archivist might tell you that a certain set of files, index cards, or an electronic database or image doesn’t have anything to do with genealogy. Some have even said it would be a waste of time to check the record or index. A recent experience demonstrates how much we might miss if we heed that kind of advice."
"Many customers come into a library and ask 'Where is your genealogy collection?' These customers may lack well-developed search strategy skills, may think that all the resources they will need will be collected in that one specialized collection, or they may be primarily motivated by the addition of generations to their pedigree chart."
"Maybe you forgot to ask if there were any large groups expected that day and arrive to find that all the microfilm readers are taken. You have already paid to park in the lot for the full day. Your day doesn’t have to be a total loss."
