The 'Big Bang' Already Exploded
Leland Meitzler points us to an article by Jim Beidler [Genealogy's 'Big Bang' Theory]. Here’s a key point:
Simply put, societies have lost members to age and death, while the new folks who would have been inclined to replace them (pre-Internet) instead have chosen to do genealogy in their pajamas from home on their computer desktops.
In other words, the Internet is destroying genealogical societies and the conference business and the spirit of volunteerism that existed before the Internet. I must be living in an alternate universe [mine is VERY digital] because I see an expanding genealogical community thanks to the Internet providing opportunities that were impossible in those pre-Internet days.
Ignoring the impact of the commercial databases for the moment, all the “pajamas people” [I'm a proud member of that group!] have made massive amounts of free genealogical and historical information available to anyone with access to a search engine. Family photos, documents and family histories which once were buried in closets – or worse – have now been scanned and posted to photo-sharing sites, family web sites and blogs. Cousins are finding each other through these sites and sharing even more information using online collaborative efforts like WeRelate.
Online communities have blossomed thanks to online technologies like Internet phone and messaging systems, blogs and email. Individuals involved in these communities generously share their expertise – be it technical, legal, creative or knowledge of a specific area or group. And, because many of us are still working and/or raising families, this community offers the ability to span time and distance – commodities in short supply in many of our lives.
I have enjoyed a much more satisfying experience online than I ever experienced in my local society. I have found kindred souls who provide both support and friendship and many a great digital conversation [yes, even while wearing my PJs].
As for the special collections libraries, university libraries and county historical societies, it’s only a matter of time before their collections are digitized and available to all. And, with today’s affordable online video conferencing, even more of us can attend – and participate in – workshops and conferences from the comfort of our homes [I'd get dressed for that!].
Mr. Beidler should be rejoicing that so many young people are involved in today’s genealogical community and learning how to provide tools they can use to support their efforts.
They are the ones who will be carrying the torch forward . . .
January 21st, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Amen Denise! I just finished reading Jim’s article and had your very same thoughts. I think we’re going to find fewer and fewer face-to-face gen-so meetings and more Facebook gen-so meetings in the years to come.
I get more information, assistance, encouragement, stimulation, and social interaction in one week on my blog than I got from a whole year of meetings at my local gen-so. I read more genealogy articles in one week in my feed reader than my local gen-so puts out in a year’s worth of its journals. I VOLUNTARILY publish content of interest to genealogists the world over every week on my blog and single handedly bring together some of the best written genealogical articles in an online magazine twice a month. What am I missing out on that my local gen-so can offer me? It’s getting tougher and tougher for me to come up with a good answer to that question.
If genealogical societies don’t get their act together and adapt to the times they will slowly dissolve away. The needs that they used to meet are being met online (without paying dues) everyday on the web.
January 21st, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Preach on, sistah! Preach on!
I am right with you and Jasia. I didn’t really get into genealogy and family history until “the Internets” took off. My starting point was about 1995 and if had I to go through the route of using an LDS Family History Center or a local genealogy society, I don’t know that I’d be where I am today.
There has to be a balance between “societies” and “pajama people” (and as someone who works from home full-time, I take personal offense at that remark – I am always “pretty as a picture, too beautiful for words” each time I sit in front of my two computers). I participate in several “societies” that only meet in person once or twice a year but all other business is conducted on-line or via e-mail.
It sounds a lot like a case of “I remember when . . . ” or “back in the good old days . . .” when what people represent as a “fond memory” is actually not so for other people.
There’s room enough for people to enter the field of genealogy/family history from both ends of the spectrum. Our goal should be to keep them engaged, and not draw margins as to who is inside and who is outside. Right?
January 22nd, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Hear! Hear!
Denise, you are preaching to the choir on this one. Bravo for your review and double BRAVO for your words.
Old-fashioned proprietary [let's protect the turf at all costs] societies are slowing dying out. Those societies with an on-line presence and with a willingness to share around-the-world the documents they’ve horded over the years seem to be managing most nicely.
I agree with your words and with the comments above: there is a spirit of sharing and of helping online that is both refreshing and youthful. With thousands of new documents being made available daily AND FOR FREE, indeed, why shouldn’t we all sit home in our pjs, unshaven and unwashed doing genealogy!
Thanks for your post. It should be required reading in a lot of quarters.
TERRY THORNTON
HILL COUNTRY OF MONROE COUNTY
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:09 pm
The marriage of Internet and Genealogy was very much in bloom when I first became interested in my own family history. I was working full time, going to school full time, and had an hour and a half commute each day to work. Without access to the Internet, my new found interest would have died on the vine.
Since I began blogging, the network of information, insight and the pure joy of accessing thoughts, words and opinions from a wide variety of voices has enriched my experiences tenfold.
I’ve been asked to speak before a genealogical society in a neighboring town, and I’m told that they are trying to attract new members. Many of these newbies are Internet savy, but others won’t have anything to do with the Internet. The fact that they have reached out to someone whose main contact is through the Internet is encouraging. I only hope I can find a topic relevant to both groups.
Thank you. Denise, for posting on this subject. You and those who have commented before me, have put into words my own beliefs.
Another member of the Pajama Game,
Terry Snyder – Desktop Genealogist
January 23rd, 2008 at 5:20 pm
I’ve never joined a society. I did join a family association but I didn’t feel I really got anything out of it. About 80% of my work is done online. I’m happy to share what I have and often post things on message boards that I’ve found but do not have a place in my tree.
That said, I am thinking about attending a meeting at a local society when they start back up in March. They have a couple of speakers lined up that I think I’d enjoy. This society does have a web page but very little publicly available content. I will be interested to learn what they have available online to members.
I doubt very much that a local society can provide the support and cover the wide range of topics that we all have found online.
January 23rd, 2008 at 10:02 pm
Rant on! I agree with the others; if it wasn’t for the Internet, I know I would not be doing this. I would not have “met” the several cousins that I have (online, of course) and I would not have been able to reconnect with first cousins I’d lost contact with.
There is so much good to come out of online genealogy — good that goes beyond names and dates.
January 24th, 2008 at 9:12 am
Denise,
You have written an excellent article. One factor that is not mentioned is that most organizations struggle with keeping and gaining volunteers, not just genealogy or historical societies.
In a knee-jerk response to Ancestry.com, some of the historical societies I am familiar with have become more proprietary, rather than less proprietary, and they just don’t “get it” that this type of behavior turns off their customers.
I belong to several societies, and the one that I rave about (in a good way) the most is NEHGS, who of course has worked hard to put many of their databases and documents online for membership. As for three others I belong to, I wrote to them all 2 years ago and said they had to put more of their unique data on the internet or they would fold. I’m giving them one more year to do it (3 years today is sufficient don’t you think to be patient?) before I decide to quit their membership.
Again, thanks for discussing these very important issues.
Janice
January 30th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Here is the rebuttal I’ve posted:
http://destinationaustinfamily.blogspot.com/2008/01/pajama-game-can-romance-blossom-between.html
In a nice way, I sent the link to Mr. Beidler who wrote the original article and thanked him for spurring such a lively conversation among us genea-bloggers!
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:58 pm
[...] is a reprint of an article originally posted at Family Matters [...]