Friday, March 16, 2012
Addendum
I would have to agree with another blogger who felt that the statement that this challenge would take about an hour per lesson was not enough time. I spent considerably more time than that some weeks, and yet I felt like I've only skimmed the resources. Thank you for the Challenge and the opportunity to better learn what is available!
Lesson 10
Probably the biggest "discovery" for me was SIRS. While I had previously used several of the other databases, I was not familiar with this one. It has a great deal of useful information and tools for all ages.
In the past I have had opportunities to show others where they can find information using Proquest, Infotrac, Ancestry, etc. Of course since we use WorldCat here for our interlibrary loan services, I've used that in the past and have shown others how to do so. I plan to continue to promote these services with those who come into the library as well as those with whom I speak in other venues when these resources would be helpful and appropriate.
In the past I have had opportunities to show others where they can find information using Proquest, Infotrac, Ancestry, etc. Of course since we use WorldCat here for our interlibrary loan services, I've used that in the past and have shown others how to do so. I plan to continue to promote these services with those who come into the library as well as those with whom I speak in other venues when these resources would be helpful and appropriate.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Lesson 9
I searched for myself in Ancestry and did find my name and address listed for both my current address and the address where I lived 20+ years ago. It appears this information came from voter registration records. I also found my marriage record and some other listings (probably again from voter records) when I searched under my maiden name.
I found my paternal grandparents listed in the 1910, 1920, and 1930 censuses. I found my maternal grandparents in the 1920 and 1930 censuses. I had searched for them a few years ago but had difficulty finding them in the 1920 census, even though they were married in 1918. At that time I was finally able to locate them by going through township pages. Even though they were married, Grandma's name was listed under her maiden name (they did live in the same home with her parents), and Grandpa's name was listed below the other siblings. Plus, the last name had been transcribed incorrectly. (I reported it to Ancestry at that time, and they have since added the corrected spelling to the record.) And, even though Grandpa's first name was Anton, the 1920 census listed him as Anthony. Grandpa immigrated to the U.S. in 1913, so I know he won't be in the 1910 census.
A search for South Dakota that is limited to photos and maps brings up more than three million results--a few too many to browse through at this time! I found it interesting that a picture of the 1909 Corn Palace in Mitchell shows the emblem of a swastika in the decorations! (I digressed to do a little research and learned that the emblem is an ancient Eastern religion symbol, and I'm sure that in 1909 it did not have the same connotations we associate with it today.)
In HeritageQuest books, I searched for my hometown of Highland, Wisconsin. I had 26 hits, but nothing that seemed of interest or pertained to my hometown. (Some hits were for other towns in Wisconsin with streets named Highland.) So, I tried a search for Aberdeen, South Dakota and looked at some of the pages of the book, "History of Dakota Territory" by George W. Kingsbury. I didn't feel like this resource would be very helpful for my personal genealogical research, but perhaps it would be for others.
In Sanborn Maps, I looked at maps for Aberdeen. Even though our house was built in 1911, I could not find it until the map for 1923. It looks like our house was on the edge of town back then . . . which is far from the case now! I also looked at the 1908 map and found what was then the Alexander Mitchell Library (a different location from where it is now). That building no longer exists.
I found my paternal grandparents listed in the 1910, 1920, and 1930 censuses. I found my maternal grandparents in the 1920 and 1930 censuses. I had searched for them a few years ago but had difficulty finding them in the 1920 census, even though they were married in 1918. At that time I was finally able to locate them by going through township pages. Even though they were married, Grandma's name was listed under her maiden name (they did live in the same home with her parents), and Grandpa's name was listed below the other siblings. Plus, the last name had been transcribed incorrectly. (I reported it to Ancestry at that time, and they have since added the corrected spelling to the record.) And, even though Grandpa's first name was Anton, the 1920 census listed him as Anthony. Grandpa immigrated to the U.S. in 1913, so I know he won't be in the 1910 census.
A search for South Dakota that is limited to photos and maps brings up more than three million results--a few too many to browse through at this time! I found it interesting that a picture of the 1909 Corn Palace in Mitchell shows the emblem of a swastika in the decorations! (I digressed to do a little research and learned that the emblem is an ancient Eastern religion symbol, and I'm sure that in 1909 it did not have the same connotations we associate with it today.)
In HeritageQuest books, I searched for my hometown of Highland, Wisconsin. I had 26 hits, but nothing that seemed of interest or pertained to my hometown. (Some hits were for other towns in Wisconsin with streets named Highland.) So, I tried a search for Aberdeen, South Dakota and looked at some of the pages of the book, "History of Dakota Territory" by George W. Kingsbury. I didn't feel like this resource would be very helpful for my personal genealogical research, but perhaps it would be for others.
In Sanborn Maps, I looked at maps for Aberdeen. Even though our house was built in 1911, I could not find it until the map for 1923. It looks like our house was on the edge of town back then . . . which is far from the case now! I also looked at the 1908 map and found what was then the Alexander Mitchell Library (a different location from where it is now). That building no longer exists.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Lesson 8
I learned that Sitting Bull lived from around 1834 until 1890. His autograph card and its envelope are housed at the Cornell University Library Archives, and one would need to contact them to find out about access to it.
I did a search for Highland Wisconsin (my hometown) and came up with some interesting finds. There are 248 hits for such things as school records, business records, church records, cemetery records, a letter from President Harrison, personal histories (including one of a family I remember), tax rolls, etc., etc. It looks like the bulk of them are held by the Wisconsin Historical Society, with some being held by the University of Wisconsin and other universities. These types of items would be useful for serious historical researchers or genealogy researchers (especially church records of baptisms, births, etc.)
In CAMIO, a search for Paul Revere shows several items made by him, including prints, spoons, tea and coffee urns, sugar bowls, tea service, teapots, etc. A search for the term "Sioux" yields 63 results including photographs, clothing, pipes and pipe bowls, books, paintings, dolls, etc. Norman Rockwell is one of my favorite artists, so I searched his name and got 6 results. Five of these paintings are held at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, New York, with the sixth item at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. I found it interesting that the five paintings at the Buffalo Gallery were gifts to the Gallery by the Management, Associates and Shareholders of Pratt & Lambert United. Four of those five paintings depict a can of "Pratt-Lambert Floor Vanish" in them. I searched for Wisconsin and got 49 results, most of which were photographs. I added some of these to my favorites and was able to move them around, remove some from my choices, etc. I really don't see our general patrons using CAMIO a lot, but it could probably be useful to history or art teachers.
I did a search for Highland Wisconsin (my hometown) and came up with some interesting finds. There are 248 hits for such things as school records, business records, church records, cemetery records, a letter from President Harrison, personal histories (including one of a family I remember), tax rolls, etc., etc. It looks like the bulk of them are held by the Wisconsin Historical Society, with some being held by the University of Wisconsin and other universities. These types of items would be useful for serious historical researchers or genealogy researchers (especially church records of baptisms, births, etc.)
In CAMIO, a search for Paul Revere shows several items made by him, including prints, spoons, tea and coffee urns, sugar bowls, tea service, teapots, etc. A search for the term "Sioux" yields 63 results including photographs, clothing, pipes and pipe bowls, books, paintings, dolls, etc. Norman Rockwell is one of my favorite artists, so I searched his name and got 6 results. Five of these paintings are held at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, New York, with the sixth item at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. I found it interesting that the five paintings at the Buffalo Gallery were gifts to the Gallery by the Management, Associates and Shareholders of Pratt & Lambert United. Four of those five paintings depict a can of "Pratt-Lambert Floor Vanish" in them. I searched for Wisconsin and got 49 results, most of which were photographs. I added some of these to my favorites and was able to move them around, remove some from my choices, etc. I really don't see our general patrons using CAMIO a lot, but it could probably be useful to history or art teachers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)