Resent-Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1999 11:03:25 -0700 (PDT)
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Date: Fri, 02 Jul 1999 11:01:13 -0700
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Subject: Re: Pierce County USGenWeb page
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Hi,
I really had to respond to this, since it expresses feelings widely held
but very mistaken. Genealogists tend to be among the most hidebound and
traditionalistic members of society, and often have a deep suspicion of
anything the least bit "newfangled." This is not necessarily a bad thing,
but it can get in the way of the common good sometimes. Anyone reading this
has adapted to the point of using computers and maillists in their work of
course, so may not really be the folks I'm talking about.
Many genealogists seem to take a very competitive view of everything, but
really there is no competition involved. We should remember why societies
were formed in the first place. They were formed to cooperate and share
information between the members, thus advancing the study of genealogy in
their area. They were certainly not formed as financial investments or
businesses seeking to earn profits or returns.
When societies publish the information that they gather in books, they do
so as a service, not as a way to enrich the management. Book publishing
carries some very high costs, however, and the societies must attempt to
cover these costs with sales of the publication. In most cases the
societies are very happy if they can break even on a publication. The high
price of these publications is simply a function of high publication costs
combined with a very small market. In effect the information is free, and
the sales price is to cover the cost of publishing it.
Online publishing, on the other hand, carries little or no cost. With no
publishing costs to cover, the information can be provided free. Of course,
there are companies and individuals out there offering online genealogical
information for money, in most cases far more than is needed to cover any
actual costs. When information becomes more widely available, these pirates
will move on to the next moneymaking scheme.
Despite what many people assume at first thought, online publishing does
NOT compete with paper publishing of genealogical information. On the
contrary, online publication complements and supports the paper publishing
effort in several ways. Most genealogists have a strong desire to have
information about their ancestors "on paper."
Many people hesitate, especially with the current high prices, to purchase
publications if they are unsure the people they seek are listed. When they
become sure of this, a large number wish to own the publication. Another
factor severely limiting the market for these publications is that
relatively few people know of their existence.
Online publishing acts as effective, free advertising which reaches a wide
audience on behalf of society publications. When a much larger audience
becomes aware of the availability of these publications, and especially
when they know of a certainty that their people are there and their money
not wasted, sales go up. Sales also increase when the market expands for
other reasons. The explosive growth in the availability of online
genealogical information has created a huge increase in interest in
genealogy and family history. The more genealogists that are "created," the
larger the market for genealogical information.
Many of the more progressive genealogical societies are now cooperating
with the US GenWeb Archives to place online some or all of their
information. When this is done in such a way as to state where and how the
society publications may be ordered, it has proven to work very well for
the benefit of everybody. Contrary to predictions of doom and gloom, in
case after case across the country there has been no decrease in sales of
publications, and in fact the usual result has been an increase in sales,
sometimes a dramatic one. Some of the societies here in Washington are now
doing this, and as far as I know there have been no adverse effects.
I am glad you mentioned the Tacoma Public Library. At one time there was
great resistance in certain societies to the idea that "their" information
would be available to the public free of charge in a library. When it was
found that this actually helped sales of the publications, this objection
faded away. Posting the information to the public online is a very similar
situation. Despite the fact that the reader has obtained the information
free, there is a powerful urge to own his own copy in book form, as this
feels more "official" to most of us.
Genealogical societies are the absolute backbone of all genealogical
research, and we at the US GenWeb Archives support them and their work
wholeheartedly. All of us should remember why society publications, and
indeed the societies themselves, were created in the first place. They,
like the US GenWeb Archives, were created to advance the cause of family
history research, to involve as many people as possible into the study of
genealogy, and to make that study as easy and convenient as possible. As
the Washington State Manager of the US GenWeb Archives, I call upon all the
genealogical societies of Washington, and their members and supporters
(this should be all of us) to work together to best serve the public and
reach these goals.
Anyone who wishes to help with our online work please contact me. We have
hundreds of volunteers here in Washington already, but need many more.
Thank you,
Kevin Fraley (Swimref(a)cmc.net)
Washington State Manager, USGW Archives (Digital Library)
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/wa/wafiles.htm
Director, Washington Census Project, USGW
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/wa/wacensus.htm
Director, Washington Cemetery Project, USGW
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/wa/wacem.htm
The Pierce County GenWeb Archives can be found at:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/wa/pierce/pierce.htm
Several cemeteries and the 1860 census are currently being worked on for
Pierce County.
At 10:37 AM 7/2/99 -0400, you wrote:
>I am very concerned about the recent discussion about what is needed for
the
>Pierce County GenWeb Page.
>
>There is a wonderful collection of Genealogical materials at Tacoma Public
>Library. That collection didn't just materialize there. It is the result
of
>many years of hard work by the members of the Tacoma-Pierce County
Genealogical
>Society. One of the main fundraisers that has paid for all those
materials, is
>the publications that TPCGS has done. For many years, members of that
society
>have been collecting, transcribing, editing, and publishing ALL of the
>cemeteries in Pierce County.
>
>If we, as individuals, now go behind them, gather this information, and
post it
>on the web, what will that do to them? Their time will have been wasted.
Their
>stock of finished publications will be worthless. The development of the
>collection at Tacoma Public will not be growing at it's present rate. New
>sources of funds will have to be found. Any record transcription
committees
>will probably disband, for fear those records will eventually be
on the
web too,
>so why bother.
>
>I visited Missouri last year, and the county society that I needed, had
burned
>out. There was no longer anyone volunteering in the library or doing
research
>for folks outside the area. There was no longer any gathering of records
being
>done by anyone. There is an Email list for this county, and none of us
live
>anywhere near it!
>
>Our societies are very important to all of us as Genealogists. Long after
each
>of us is gone, the collecting of records will need to be done by those
>perpetually interested in an area. (Members of societies)
>
>The Soldier's Home was mentioned....Do you know....
>1) Tacoma Pierce County Genealogy Society has already transcribed that
cemetery,
>and is editing and updating the materials for publication in the near
future?
>2) Heritage Quest Research Library is currently transcribing individual
member
>records for the Soldier's Home for Publication?
>
>As an active member of both of these organizations, I am very concerned.
>
>Our Societies are preparing this information to be available in Libraries
and to
>individuals for generations to come. Considering the number of other
functions
>these groups provide, do we really want to strip them this important
source of
>funds?
>
>I know many of you are enthusiastic about helping with the GenWeb Page for
>Pierce County, but there has to be a way we can provide useful information,
>without hurting the societies that made our area rich in the genealogical
>resources we have today.
>
>I hope all of you will consider sharing some of your volunteer time with a
>society in your area so we can leave marvelous collections and materials
for the
>researchers of tomorrow. There will always be a need for that one record
that
>hasn't been transcribed....there will always be a need for a live volunteer.
>
>Carolyn
>