So basically, missionaries and geneology experts around the world are scanning images of pages from different geneological records. But computers can't be relied on to translate the information from those images into text that can be databased and searched. People need to do it.
If you have an lds account, you can volunteer to help turn these scanned images into usable information. Go to http://www.familysearch.org/volunteer/indexing and register. Then you download the program that will allow you to download and upload the scanned geneological records. Choose which language, location and type of record you'd like to work with (i.e. Texas WWI draft records) and then type in what you see.
It's pretty straightforward and it's such an interesting little slice of history that you get to see with each record.
And if you think that is interesting, you have to check out a similar project currently underway at the New York Public Library website. They have a collection of thousands of menus from NYC restaurants spanning over a hundred years. They are enlisting help from volunteers online to help transcribe these menus, much like FamilySearch is doing with geneological records. Except there's no registration for the NYPL project, anyone can sign on and contribute.
So, if you are finding yourself clicking randomly through Facebook wishing one of your friends would get online and post something interesting...why not spend a few minutes transcribing these rad historical records?
Just a thought.
2 comments:
That's awesome!
Yes! It's so cool that anyone can be involved in indexing for this HUGE undertaking in family history. Ben has done a little bit of it and felt very useful in doing so!
Ben's parents are finishing their mission this week in the Royal Archives of Scotland, where they have been taking digital pictures of old books that will later have to be indexed. And then my dad just got a job as a programmer at the Church on the other end of the project -- trying to organize all of this data. Lots of people involved in this project -- I'm glad you're doing your part.
I just TODAY got your VM about a blogging question. Do you still have a question? Sorry my voicemail is so lame and never tells me I have messages until 4 days later! I tried calling back once but then my battery died in the middle of it. Let me know if you still have a question!
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