Giving something back to the genealogy community

[Elaine ..Spain]

Thanks to one of our members (SmallTownGirl) for her suggestion of creating a new section in the Reference Library relating to “Transcribing Historical Documents”.

You may have seen a previous thread where we asked members who have been involved in transcription projects to contact us. With their help and input we have put together some ideas of what is involved, the benefits to the volunteer and some examples of projects seeking volunteers.

You may feel that you would like to ask questions before leaping in and offering and this can be done in two ways.

• on the Transcribing Historical Documents page in the reference library (click here) you will see the names of members who are happy to answer questions via PM (personal message) - you can contact them direct by clicking on their username, or
• you can post your queries on this thread.

[SmallTownGirl]

Thanks, Elaine.

Looks really good.

STG

[Katarzyna]

Can you add my name to the list, Elaine? I transcribe for Family Search - 6 years and Ancestry - 1 year.
Thanks

[Elaine ..Spain]

Many thanks Kat. Will do.

[PhotoFamily]

"Slightly different from transcribing written or printed documents, but still giving something back to the genealogy community, these projects offer a slightly different perspective on volunteering - one that offers both an active and sedentary form of participation."

I think findagrave.com might fall into this category? I've volunteered for them - and transcribed gravestones & obits for them.

Also, another nice feature to familysearch indexing: they have support available 24x7 (or close to it, I think) - by phone or online. If you have a problem record, they'll advise you about it.

[Caroline]

A new opportunity for would-be transcribers from the TheGenealogist newsletter:

"Help preserve our valuable past

Headstones nationwide are suffering from erosion, and burial grounds from closures for new developments. We need to act now to preserve these crumbling records.

Join our new project where you can earn credits towards a subscription with TheGenealogist or products from S&N Genealogy. All you need to do is photograph and transcribe headstones from local churchyards and cemeteries."

http://www.ukindexer.co.uk/gravestone

[Elaine ..Spain]

.. and to coincide with the launch of our new section in the reference library for the WW1 Centenary, why not take a look at Operation War Diary which is a joint project between the Imperial War Museum and the National Archives.

Volunteers are needed to help classify the type of page and tag key data. From the tags created they will then be able to put together a detailed index of the people who appear in the diaries and learn more about what they were doing.

[Olde Crone Holden]

I am sorry to be a party pooper here because I think this is an excellent idea in principle. However, as someone who has previously transcribed for familysearch, I am VERY taken aback to discover that FS appear to have sold many transcriptions to Ancestry and FMP. That is not why I did my transcribing, I did it under the impression that the information would be FREE for ALL to access.

Of course, there are many other FREE projects to transcribe for and I wouldn't want to put anyone off. I am personally so grateful to those who have transcribed records which have helped me in my FH quest.

OC

[Katarzyna]

I agree OC and I am most upset about this. The odd thing is I cannot any FULL explanation at FS as to what is actually going on. Although they mention partnership with Ancestry not much is explained and I cannot find anything on FS with regard to FMP.
On Ancestry, I keep finding lots of silly transcriptions.
eg this from England Select Burials:

Name: Anthony Till
Gender: Male
Spouse: Ann Till

Absolutely of no benefit to man nor beast without a date or place.

[Olde Crone Holden]

Kat

No, I cannot get an explanation either from FS. It seems very odd to me because the LDS church was given access to church records only under the strict proviso that these records when transcribed would be availalble to all FREE OF CHARGE. To me that implies the transcriptions would not be sold.

OC

[Janet in Yorkshire]

From what I've read, all new transcriptions done by volunteers will still be included on the familysearch site, where anyone can view them for FREE.

However, the article seemed to suggest that the 2 BIG companies were each paying for some images of parish registers to be digitised and that these images were being made available to the LDS volunteer transcribers. In return for footing the bill, each big company would receive a copy index of the transcriptions made through their funding, which, along with the relevant digitised images for those registers, would be available exclusively on their pay site.
So the work of the transcribers will appear for free on familysearch, but it will only be the transcriptions - access to the images of the original records will only be available on the "sponsor"/partnership site.
(This is what I read somewhere on the internet - sorry can't quote chapter and verse for you to check out the claim for yourselves. Some transcribers were claiming that this is what was to happen and that they were rather upset about what they regarded as a breach of their good will.)

Jay

[Jill on the A272]

I'm currently transcribing for my local OPC as it is free to view for all, I've considered Operation War Diary for transcription but have already got my own tree, a local history WW1 project and another local history project on the go and there ain't enough hours in the day after work & family. National Archives aren't going to have another agenda like familysearch who are only there to serve Mormons seeking to baptize dead ancestors so I'd say to anyone wanting to "put something back" that this would be a good project to be involved with.

[Olde Crone Holden]

Jill

I think it's a little harsh to say that the LDS is only there to serve its own purpose - yes of course it is, but until now, it has given free access to anyone of any religious persuasion and I have to say that without the FREE LDS family history centres, I wouldn't have managed one hundredth of the research I have done.

But I do feel aggrieved that the LDS feel it is ok to use volunteer transcribers for commercial gain and on that basis, I won't be transcribing for them again.

OC

[Guy]

Try

https://familysearch.org/blog/en/familysearch-ancestry-partnership-frequently-asked-questions/#comments

Partners such as Ancestry supply records for indexing, in return patrons who visit Family History Centers can view the completed indexes and original images free of charge, patrons who visit family search online are limited to viewing the inedexes and transcriptions.
I believe LDS members may also view the original images after logging in to familysearch using their password.

This is a win win situation the commercial firm and their subscribers gain by faster indexing, the LDS and their members win in the same way plus access to more original images and the general public win by accessing transcripts and additional indexes.
Cheers
Guy

[PhotoFamily]

So the work of the transcribers will appear for free on familysearch, but it will only be the transcriptions - access to the images of the original records will only be available on the "sponsor"/partnership site.Jay

Some of this has been happening in the past, but the relationships were with FMP, or Fold3, or ??. FS has transcribed Devon parish records, but the images were not (are not?) available on FS. If you find the transcription on FS, the "view image" option would lead you to FMP. Similar things with Fold3 (e.g., Ellis Island).

I've logged a lot of names/hours indexing for FS. I'm not happy about the sharing of results, but I'm like OC: I very deeply appreciate the resourcs that FS has made available - and continues to keep available. It must be very expensive.

sarah

[Olde Crone Holden]

I am a bit puzzled, because until recently, parish registers were not FREE at LDS centres but were available to order for a nominal sum - recently raised to £7 a film. Still cheaper than travelling hundreds of miles (in my case) in order to see original records. Are we to understand that we can now see original registers (films, that is) free of charge at LDS centres?

(Apologies for taking this thread sideways; I really do support wholeheartedly the idea of transcribing for free to pay back what I have gained from other people's free transcribing, no matter which website it is).

OC

[Janet in Yorkshire]

OC, I believe familysearch.org now offers a photoduplication service, whereby you can send off for a free copy of an actual image that a transcription was made from. There are one or two threads about this. (Obviously of no use if you want to peruse a whole film - this would still have to be done at a family centre!

Jay

[Olde Crone Holden]

Ah, right, thanks Jay - I normally do the whole film while I'm there, just to save having to go back again!

OC

[Caroline]

Just came across this from Dick Eastman:

FamilySearch Works to Put the World’s Historical Records Online in One Generation
Hopefully the linked articles/explanations will reassure some of you. If they can speed up the process of digitising/getting things online in considerably less than 300 years, I'm not complaining!!

[Caroline]

Also in our Genealogy News forum:

http://www.familytreeforum.com/showthread.php/106452-Genealogy-s-Star-RootsTech-2014-FamilySearch-Goal-to-put-all-the-World-s-Record