I get emails through my various county sites quite often from people asking questions
about resources they could look up online themselves. Part of the reason is - many
people don't know HOW to search for many of the resources - they aren't aware of
how many and types of resources there are, especially when they're also a few thousand
miles away, so I think Billie's Google Search would be helpful for her to be able to
add more resources to her site.
I don't think it's too much to ask for the CC's to check in monthly - just so
Gail knows a county hasn't been abandoned.
And there are many USGenWeb State and county sites that are visited frequently - so
we're not dead yet. I feel bad that my Eagle County site is on hold, but it'll
be that way for a while. Pat McArthurColorado: Eagle CountyMichigan: Genesee County,
Hillsdale County, Kalkaska County, Shiawassee County - and Archives File Manager
To: bilwalsh(a)swbell.net; cogen(a)rootsweb.com
Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2014 21:32:57 +0000
Subject: Re: [COGEN] Members
From: cogen(a)rootsweb.com
Billie:
I provide free research resources, i.e., the contact information for the local
historical societies and county archivists.
I'd love to hear from other CCs who are able to track new site visits to see how
they are doing. I used to get dozens per day, now I get less than a dozen per year. Is
the website static? Yes. Perhaps that's because it already has all the information
that's useful for someone wanting to do research on the county.
I work a 60+ hour per week professional job in the tech industry, own and operate a
commercial farm, and serve on the boards of several organizations. My wife and I lead 4-H
projects and serve as Extension Service volunteers. I don't have time to spend doing
online research for others that they can do for themselves. If you are using a google
search for your county you aren't providing any information than any other internet
user can't find just as easily. That's not adding value, that's adding noise.
The only way to add real value to your counties is to go get information that isn't
on the web and that's not something easy to do from far away.
As I said before, if you don't like the way my counties are going I'd be
happy to resign. I don't have time to be part of an organization run by people that
assume they can demand extra work from volunteers that they didn't sign up to do. I
meet both the USGenWeb and CoGenWeb *requirements*.
I do get lots of enquires and requests to make use of my Colorado County Evolution
site.
I don't know if you realize it but
Ancestry.com has essentially wiped out all
other online genealogy sites. I doubt all of USGenWeb gets as many hits in a month as
Ancestry gets in a minute.
Don Stanwyck
-----Original Message-----
From: cogen-bounces(a)rootsweb.com [mailto:cogen-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Billie
Walsh via
Sent: Friday, October 31, 2014 1:37 PM
To: cogen(a)rootsweb.com
Subject: Re: [COGEN] Members
Don,
Here are links to what is "required" of coordinators:
CoGenWeb Requirements:
http://cogenweb.com/guidelines.html
http://cogenweb.com/guidelines2.html
These are the USGenW Requirements:
http://www.usgenweb.org/volunteers/guidelines.shtml
There is no strict requirement that research material be added to any site. However, it
is the stated aim of the USGenWeb, and by association the CoGenWeb, to provide free
research sources for our visitors.
You state that you haven't had anyone contact you for some time and wonder if the
sites are still being visited. Why would anyone visit a site that has nothing to offer
researchers. The reason most of us add whatever research materials we can is to draw
visitors to our site. Then they want to donate material to the site.
I also live hundreds of miles from most of my sites. That doesn't stop me from
locating stuff on the web that I can add. I set up automated Google searches for counties.
I get a message everyday with links to whatever Google finds. Sure, I have to sift through
a lot of chaff to find that kernel for the site but it's not that bad.
On 10/31/2014 02:27 PM, Don Stanwyck via wrote:
> Checking in now for Clear Creek and Gilpin, and correcting something said below.
>
> You said, " remember you as a CC volunteered to maintain and keep your county
updated and information added to the site." Wrong. When I volunteered as a CC more
than 15 years ago the only requirement was that you keep your "looking for" page
up to date. There is no requirement to update any other aspect of your page or to add any
information to the site. Many of us live several states away from our counties and have
no way to do any research on the country. I maintain a contacts page for the historical
and government entities that can help with research.
>
> If you believe a CC has committed to doing research for their county you can remove
me. I'm probably about the longest lived of the early CCs. Most of the others have
been chased off already. I've been too stubborn to leave.
>
> Does anyone even look at the USGenWeb/COGenWeb pages anymore? I haven't had a
surnames request in almost 5 years. I haven't received any email about the counties
in about 3 years. The only email I get is the monthly check-in reminders and it seems
kind of pointless given that, as far as I can tell, no one uses these resources anymore.
>
> --don stanwyck
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: cogen-bounces(a)rootsweb.com [mailto:cogen-bounces@rootsweb.com]
> On Behalf Of Gail Kilgore via
> Sent: Friday, October 31, 2014 12:17 PM
> To: cogen
> Subject: [COGEN] Members
>
> This subject has again come up and I know that there was some opposition to the
"requirement" that each CC check-in monthly. Some people disagree that we
should check in.
>
> It is one of the responsibilities of the SC to maintain a current list for the
Election Committee and checking in every three months or six months just doesn't keep
our paperwork updated.
>
> I have been since last spring trying to contact some of our members. Even though I
know that they are out there, with some, the others I have had no contact with
what-so-ever.
>
> I am asking that you make this a requirement of the COGenWeb that CC's check in
monthly and after a _______ of time of no contact, they can be removed from the state.
>
> We have so many counties that need to be adopted I hate to say we would be loosing
more CC's, remember you as a CC volunteered to maintain and keep your county updated
and information added to the site.
>
> Tomorrow is the first of the month, I would like to see a 100% check-in.
>
> Would also appreciate comments on the checking in monthly, please...
>
> Happy Halloween!!!
>
>
>
> Gail
>
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--
"Never be afraid to laugh at yourself, after all, you could be missing out on the
joke of the century." - Joan Rivers
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