----- Original Message -----
From: Virginia Crilley
To: GAGEN-L(a)rootsweb.com
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2004 4:50 PM
Subject: [GAGEN] Page requirements - Guidelines Revision
The GRC is working on the "requirements" for the County Pages. In addition
to "required", we hope to have some "ideas/suggestions" as well.
Please
write your GRC reporter with your comments.
We need your input. Some of these are also on the required National
Guidelines. If they don't seem to be there, I've listed it as [?national]
So to start your thinking:
1)What is the most important thing to you about a County Page?
That it is easy to navigate, and offers as much
information/records for that county as possible.
When you visit another county/another state, what do you look for first --
(we're thinking this might show what should be required)...
Data & Information for that county,, the data can either be on that site or provide
links to where the data can be found. It makes no difference to me as a researcher
where it's housed as long as I can locate it.
I like the idea of finding everything that I need for a county on the County page
whether it be locally maintained on that site or linked to other sites, if it's
available information/records for that county we should be the gateway which helps
researchers find it easily and quickly.
2)Out of these "required" items in the present Guidelines (below), are
there any which seems "not needed" or "too extreme" or should be
"moved to
suggested not required". (to respond, just "copy and paste" and add your
comments)
National NEW guideline suggestion:
Section 2. USGenWeb web sites may show only a single project affiliation -
that of The USGenWeb Project. If a coordinator chooses also to host a
local, state or special topic site with another organization, it must have
a separate home or index page.
[How do you feel about this?]
I'm not sure about this one because I'm not
quite clear about how limiting this would be. Does this suggest that the
CC can not place a link to any other affiliations on their page?
If the USGenWeb logo is prominent, then I don't see why it would
be such a bad thing to link to other affiliations as long as they are
non profit. If it's a site related to that county, I would think it could
be helpful to researchers.
16. Minimum GAGenWeb Requirements for County Sites.
A) - The GAGenWeb logo must be prominently displayed on the front page of
the Web site, and linked to
http://www.rootsweb.com/~gagenweb/. [National logo]
I agree with this.
B) - All pages on the Web site must be clearly identifiable as GAGenWeb.
[either by logo or notation]
I agree with this as well
C) - The main page of the county site must have a link to the GAGenWeb
County Selection Table:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~gagenweb/table.htm [National[
Agree
D) - Each county site's main page must include a basic history of the
county, or a clearly identifiable link to same. This history should include
the following: the parent county(ies) name(s); when the county was formed;
some of the cities and towns located within the county, identifying the
county seat. [? National]
Agree
E) - Each County Site on the main page must include links to the
surrounding GAGenWeb County sites. [?National]
Agree, I find this extremely useful and maps even more helpful.
F) - Each County Site must include information for Resource Contact
Addresses and Phone Numbers, i.e., Court House (Probate Judge, & Land
Record Office), Newspaper, Health Dept., Chamber of Commerce and the local
Genealogical Society, with internet links when available.
[National]
I Agree that these resources should be available where possible but I also know from
experience that
some counties have little resources. I have one county that has no Chamber of Commerce,
Genealogical Society, Newspaper etc. so specifying which addresses are to be maintained
could cause
problems
G) - Each county site's main page must prominently include the names and
email addresses of the County Coordinator and Regional Coordinator. The
inclusion of the State Coordinator and Asst. State Coordinator is optional.
[?National]
Agree
H) - Each county page must include a maintained "Last updated"
notification. [?National]
Agree
I) - Each county site must include one of the following ways for
researchers to query their county:
(i) - Maintain queries by having the CC receive the query and placing it on
the appropriate query page within the site.
(ii) - Utilize the various message boards available on the Web. Such as
Rootsweb:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=board&r=rw&p=localities.nor...
.georgia.counties.COUNTYNAME or GenForum:
http://genforum.genealogy.com/ga/COUNTYNAME/
[National]
Agree
J) - Each county site's main page must include a link to the county's
mailing list. [?National]
Agree, but to go even further I think there should be more than a link to the list.
We should either create our own pages with instructions for using the list or
link to rootsweb list pages such as
http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/usa/GA/baker.html which also has links to the searches
and archives for those lists.
K) - Each County Coordinator and Special Projects Coordinator is required
to keep a link to their county's section in GAGenWeb Archives. [?]
Agree
L) - Each County Site is encouraged to make available, surnames (submitted
to the county coordinator) and the corresponding surname researcher's
contact information.
[recommended]
I agree this should be a recommendation and not a requirement.
M) - A copyright notice on each page is optional, but suggested.
Agree
N) - a CC or SPC must include (within a reasonable time commensurate with
the amount and format of the data) on their county or project site, any
data submitted by any transcriber that relates to their county or project,
with exceptions as noted in Section 13. [copyrighted ?]
Agree
9. USGenWeb Requirements and Guidelines.
All GAGenWeb county sites must meet the minimum requirements, for county
pages, of The USGenWeb Project listed at
http://www.usgenweb.org/volunteers/countypage.html, and incorporated in
section 16 of these guidelines. CCs must agree to follow current and future
USGenWeb guidelines for county sites.
Agree
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