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From: "Jana Black" <>
Subject: [BOARD-L] Discussion: Special Projects
Date: Thu, 4 Oct 2001 12:38:49 -0700


OK folks. Now it is my turn to stick out my neck. Please be gentle.... I am
going to address Special Projects.

I have thought long and hard about our Project, its original mission and
goals, where we find ourselves now, what has worked and what has no worked
and what our next steps ought to be. I love the idea of promoting the
Project but agree, we need to be sure we have something good enough to
promote. I appreciate what Kelly offered on ALL this AM would like to offer
my conclusions in response. But, I will not wade into the past, I will focus
on where we are NOW:

Originally the USGW Project was designed to offer researchers pithy
genealogical content on folks who have lived in every county in every state
in the United States. While I was not a CC originally, I was on the USGW
list and remember well when discussion of Special Projects first came up.
Then, as now, I was concerned that SPs would merely scatter our Project
focus away from developing county sites. Someone recently pointed out that
novice researchers will go to a county site and try to wade their way to
information. I agree. Our job, as I see it, is to make it as easy as
possible for researchers to find what they are looking for so they keep
coming back to us and the Project grows. I agree with much of what Greg said
yesterday and think we do need to address how to be sure each and every
county site offers excellent content for researchers.

IMHO, it takes a level of research sophistication to know to even look for a
website focused on a special category of information (and I don't care if we
are talking tombstones, cemeteries or census data). Therefore, I am not sure
it is in the best interest or an appropriate focus for us to envelop Special
Projects under the wings of the USGW Project *at all.* I think we should
encourage the development of Special Projects and offer support where we
think the results will benefit researchers and out Project, but, beyond
that, Special Projects need to stand or fall on their own. They must take
responsibility for creating their own inner operating systems and to deal
with their own inner politics. I think USGW Project offering links to any
such services the AB deems relevant which also follow our own mission
statement (providing free access to data) is enough.

Currently, we have *no* official Census Project, just two linked CP sites
and an empty Board seat. Frankly, I think we need to change the bylaws and
eliminate Board representation for Special Projects and put ourselves as the
USGW Project into
the driver's seat where we belong focused on what we do best, developing our
county sites.

I would like your carefully considered feedback on this as CCs.

Jana

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