Carol Smallwood - Genealogy and the Librarian: Perspectives on Research, Instruction, Outreach and Management

Foreword by D. Joshua Taylor

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Jefferson, North Carolina

RECENT MCFARLAND WORKS WITH CAROL SMALLWOOD:

Teaching Technology in Libraries, edited by Carol Smallwood and Lura Sanborn (2017) Library Partnerships with Writers and Poets, edited by Carol Smallwood and Vera Gubnitskaia (2017) Library Volunteers Welcome!, edited by Carol Smallwood and Lura Sanborn (2016) Continuing Education for Librarians, edited by Carol Smallwood, Kerol Harrod and Vera Gubnitskaia (2013) Job Stress and the Librarian, edited by Carol Smallwood and Linda Burkey Wade (2013) Marketing Your Library, edited by Carol Smallwood, Vera Gubnitskaia and Kerol Harrod (2012) Mentoring in Librarianship, edited by Carol Smallwood and Rebecca Tolley-Stokes (2012); Women on Poetry, edited by Carol Smallwood, S. Harris and Cynthia Brackett-Vincent (2012)

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGUING DATA ARE AVAILABLE

BRITISH LIBRARY CATALOGUING DATA ARE AVAILABLE

e-ISBN: 978-1-4766-3322-0

2018 Carol Smallwood and Vera Gubnitskaia. All rights reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Front cover image 2018 CharlieAJA/iStock

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com

D. JOSHUA TAYLOR

It is no secret that I have a deep love for genealogical librarianship. My first experiences as a librarian were spent behind the reference desk, where I was consistently in awe of the knowledge of my colleagues, and the array of questions that came my way. Today, whether working on personal genealogical research, a Genealogy Roadshow segment, or with a project of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, the relationship between genealogists and librarians is more diverse and vibrant than ever before. For many librarians, the genealogical customer is one of the most challenging. We tell stories, we arrive unprepared, we fail to heed your advice, and we expect that every experience should be as simple and easy as clicking on the shaky leaf or the recent episode of Genealogy Roadshow we viewed the evening before. The reality isgenealogy and family history is a complex and diverse topic for librarians, one that requires careful navigation, constant development, and an ever-growing range of skills and patron services.

Fortunately, coeditors Carol Smallwood and Vera Gubnitskaia have expertly represented the complex world of genealogy and librarianship. Genealogyand the Librarian soundly demystifies elements of the research process and suggests diverse, multi-faceted approaches libraries can take to harness the needs of their customers. From its opening pages, this essential resource outlines the important shifts and trends within the field, providing invaluable insight for any librarian (and their administrators) who find themselves seeking to understand their patrons. Digital resources and television programs have set new expectationsand created new opportunitiesfor librarians and genealogists. The transition from a traditional library setting with rows of microfilm readers to one that includes daily reference questions covering topics ranging from DNA testing to searching Ancestry.com is the reality of any librarian serving genealogists today.

Expertly organized, the pages that follow move beyond serving the essential needs of the genealogical customer. These carefully crafted sections provide the tools for public, academic, and special libraries to harness the strengths of their respective institutions to meet (and often exceed) the expectations of genealogical customers. Perhaps most importantly, the range of topics covers areas of the world often forgotten by professional genealogical organizations, while also offering a variety of practical ideas for providing tools for underserved populations. Regardless of your librarys size, collection, structure or budget, Genealogy and the Librarian provides new ways to harness the worldwide interest in genealogy to grow and expand your librarys services.

More than 30 individual experts move their conversations beyond theoretical discussions, offering practical case studies that provide unique, realistic, and insightful viewpoints on methods libraries undertake to develop services that expand their genealogical offerings beyond the reference desk. These real-life examples show the endless opportunities for libraries and genealogists: working with local schools, advocating for records at risk of closure or destruction, and becoming an epicenter for crowd-sourced projects. The discussions of how libraries can (and should) leverage their own unique collectionsboth onsite and onlineare essential for any library seeking to increase visibility and support for their institution. This practical guidance has the ability to transform any librarys genealogical services, increase patron satisfaction, and solidify the role of your library in serving genealogists.

The diverse group of talented librarians whose words fill the pages of Genealogy and the Librarian offers a rareand unparalleledinsight into the diverse and expansive opportunities available to libraries and librarians who aid genealogists. The authors of each section, each practicing professionals themselves, carefully explain the myriad of opportunities libraries have to expand their genealogical services: creating unique digital resources, developing unique collections based on specific localities and subjects, and guiding patrons to publicly available projects, such as mapping tools, that are often overlooked by customers. For those seeking to understand the modern-day genealogical patron and the role a librarian can play in their experience, the authors of the following pages are indispensable.

It must be said that genealogists owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to librarians. As Genealogy and the Librarian so eloquently illustrates, librarians can serve as guardians over priceless collections, gateways to unforetold knowledge, voices for records preservation and access, and provide immeasurable resources for customers seeking to find out more about their past. The role of a librarian serving genealogists is certainly not easyas rapid changes in available tools, new diverse populations, and the increasing popularity of the topic require that any librarian who encounters genealogical customers remain on the forefront of new developments in the field. This reality makes the following pages fundamental and essential reading for any librarian who interacts with genealogists. The exceptional work of Carol Smallwood and Vera Gubnitskaia and the more than 30 authors they have gathered is a groundbreaking and fundamental resource.

D. Joshua Taylor is a nationally known genealogical author, speaker and researcher. He is president of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society (NYG&B). He holds an MLS (in archival management) from Simmons College in Boston. He has been featured on