Ancestry Magazine

Genealogical research data proved very adaptable to the digital revolution. Information previously accessible only through direct contact with the document itself was now available through a variety of media, such as CD-ROM.

Traditionally, the availability of research materials was largely contingent upon onsite research. In order to access much of the important data on their families, researchers went to the repository o f the material. This usually meant a trip to the town or county office responsible for maintaining such data. If a trip was not feasible, correspondence, a very time-consuming activity, was required.

Other data was accessible at many public and private libraries, which had collections of quality published genealogical research materials. Usually, a trip to the local library to use these materials was easier and more productive than several trips to different town or county records offices.

But regardless of the method, genealogists had to physically engage in the research process. They had to get organized and out of the house in order to get their hands (or their eyes) on the data. The only real alternative to pencil and paper research at these locations was to acquire a personal collection of materials. Over a long period of time, a single dedicated genealogist could amass a remarkable collection of material. In fact, many genealogy societies and research libraries owe their existence to these individual collections when the collector willed his or her personal libraries to such groups.

The end of the twentieth century saw a change in the entire process. Genealogical research data proved very adaptable to the digital revolution. Information previously accessible only through direct contact with the document itself was now available through a variety of media, such as CD-ROM. Now genealogists have the option of beginning their own collections of data CDs, similar to the book libraries that previous generations of researchers created and used.

If you’re wondering if CD-ROM research is right for you, consider the following:

• Are you computer literate?
• Do you have a computer with a CD or DVD disk drive?
• Are you living in an area far from where your ancestors lived?
• Do you have many ancestors who lived in the same area?

If you answered “yes” to these questions, CDs are a research option to pursue. Through your local library, F amily History Center, or genealogical society, you can learn about the published CDs from which your research could benefit. Once you locate the appropriate CD, it is a simple matter to insert the CD into the CD drive (or DVD drive) on your computer and follow the instructions that appear on the screen. If you are really fortunate, printed instructions might be included with the disc.

Here are some tips to keep in mind to make the move from onsite to digital research a little easier.

1. Be certain the CD has enough relevant data to make the purchase worthwhile. Some researchers purchase a CD because it promises millions of names. Once home and loaded into the computer, however, they discover that there is little information relevant to their research.

If possible, go to your local library or Family History Center to “test drive” the CD before purchasing it. While it might be necessary to sign up in advance at these locations in order to use the computer(s), it would be time well spent. Another option to consider prior to making a purchase is to talk to other researchers at conferences and workshops. These provide great opportunities for gathering tips and possibly even seeing a demonstration of a CD if there is a vendor selling CDs. This way you get to decide for yourself if a particular CD is worth your money.

2. Be certain that the CD is appropriate for your computer’s operating system. While not as common now, there are still CDs on the market that are designed for a specific operating system. Also, make sure your system has the “right stuff” for the CD, such as the necessary RAM and the appropriate storage capacity on the hard drive (usually measured in megabytes or gigabytes).

3. Be certain you have other software installed on your computer that might be required to access the data on the CD. Many data CDs require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the data on the disk, since many genealogical data files are created as portable document files, or .pdf files. The Adobe Acrobat Reader will allow you to view this type of file on your computer. The installer is sometimes on the CD along with the data, but if it is not, it can be downloaded free of charge from the Adobe website.

4. Be certain there are directions for installing and using the CD. Nothing is more frustrating than having a CD pertinent to your research but not knowing how to access the data it contains. Most CDs now are the “load and go” type, which means you simply insert the disk into the appropriate drive and you are ready to research. However, some are more obtuse and require some additional maneuvering before getting to the information.

5. Be certain the CD is “searchable.” Regardless of how many pages or how many names a CD contains, the information is useless unless you can search the material and pinpoint the data relevant to your research. Most commercial CDs have built-in searching capability. The instructions will tell you how to use this feature.

If you have widespread research needs and are considering purchasing several CDs, it might be useful to buy from a publisher that creates a single CD to serve as a “master index” for all of the CDs produced. Simply insert this index disk into the computer’s drive, allow the data to load (patience is indeed a virtue here), then type in the name of the individual you are researching. If it finds information that matches the name you entered, the screen results will indicate which other disk contains this data. At this point, you will simply remove the index disk, insert the appropriate data disk, and view the information on the screen.

Where can you buy genealogical CDs? Virtually any company that carries books related to genealogy will also carry research CDs. Companies selling CDs tend to specialize in one of two ways: 1) publishing and selling their own titles so their CDs will only be available from them directly; and 2) specializing in parti cular geographic areas so the CDs are unique to those areas.

As is always the case, do your homework before considering any CD purchase.

The sidebar on this page includes the names and web address of some of the companies we have dealt with in the past. This listing is intended as a starting point for some places you can locate genealogy CDs.

The availability of research materials on CD-ROM is a very big reason genealogy has become the fastest-growing hobby in the country today. Remember, however, that CDs are identical to books in many ways. Most notably, there is no guarantee that the data contained on the disk is 100 percent accurate. Also, the CDs should be footnoted and documented just as traditional bound books.

Terry and Jim Willard hosted the ten-part PBS Ancestors series. They have researched their family history fifteen generations back on both sides.