Selection Policy
Resources for Librarians Assisting Genealogists
Overview of Objectives:
Genealogy is one of the fastest growing hobbies in the United States. Often the first
place a new genealogist begins to research is his/her local library. However, many
librarians have not received formal training in genealogy research and their libraries may
not hold a significant collection of genealogical resources. The large amount of
genealogy information available on the Internet may seem overwhelming to a new
researcher.
This collection of resources is intended for librarians assisting genealogists that have not
received formal training in genealogy research and that may not have significant
genealogy collections in their own libraries. This collection may also be useful to
beginning genealogists, graduate students in library science, and other librarians.
These resources will instruct librarians on basic genealogy research methods, provide
gateways to databases, suggest mailing lists, and refer to other libraries. Only general
genealogy resources will be posted; regional and ethnic genealogical resources are too
numerous for this purpose. All websites will be free and non-commercial (no product
selling).
Details of Subject Areas and Formats:
This collection will only include general genealogical resources. This may include, but is
not limited to: basic instruction of genealogy research methods and sources, gateways to
genealogy databases, and mailing lists.
Selection will be the responsibility of Louise Svehla, genealogist and graduate student of
library and information science. Included are books, periodicals, and websites that she
has found personally useful or recommended from reliable sources and meets the
“Criteria for Selection of Resources” listed below. All resources, especially websites,
will be frequently monitored for content and reliability. Suggestions are welcome.
Criteria for Selection of Resources:
Coverage and scope: All resources should be related to genealogical research at a basic
level. Only general American genealogy resources will be included; regional and ethnic
websites will not be considered at this time. All resources should be based on fact, not
opinion. This is not to be considered a comprehensive list, only a starting point.
Accuracy and currency: All resources should be as accurate as possible and kept updated.
Websites with outdated material and broken links will not be used.
Authoritativeness: All resources should be created by genealogy librarians or
genealogists, professional or experienced. All authors should be noted and include
appropriate citations.
Organization and Design: All resources should be easy to use and well organized.
Websites should not include flashy graphics or advertisements. Resources should not
require additional software.