NYSUFFOL-L Archives

From: "Unclefred" <>
Subject: [NYSUF] National Archives
Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2003 17:31:33 -0500

Technology - AP

50 Million Historical Documents Hit Web
Fri Apr 4, 2:31 PM ET

By EUN-KYUNG KIM, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Researchers, genealogists and the plain curious
can now use the Internet to check more than 50 million historical
records at the National Archives, from Civil War battles to family
immigration files.



Before the system became available, people had to either
visit the Archives and spend hours combing through documents or request
the files by phone and pay to have them mailed.


"Now, people can pull these electronic records at their own
convenience," said Michael Carlson, electronic and special media records
director for the archives. "It's totally self-service from your
desktop."


The records available on the database system represent a
small fraction of the archive's electronic holdings. They were selected
because of their analytical and statistical nature - most deal with
information that easily can be looked up based on specific names, dates,
organizations, cities or states.


For instance, someone wanting to research a
great-grandfather who immigrated to the United States in the 19th
century can choose the series of records listed under "immigrants,"
enter the relative's name and learn on what ship he traveled, the
occupation he claimed prior to leaving, the date he arrived in New York,
and the country from which he left, among other details.


"It can be another stop in creating your family tree and
understanding what happened and when," said Michael Kurtz, assistant
archivist for records services.


Carlson said he expects the service will be popular with
veterans in particular because of all the information related to
military action, casualties and POWs.


The records in the new system "aren't a revelation in
information, but is it helpful? Absolutely," said American Legion
spokesman John Peterson after checking out the Web site.


"A lot of people active with the POW/MIA issue complain the
government doesn't release enough documents about people who are still
missing, so almost anything they give out is good in our eyes," he said.


Kristine Minami, a spokeswoman for the Japanese American
Citizens League, said getting easy access to government records will
provide "a lot of validation" to Japanese Americans who were sent to
internment camps during World War II.


The database draws from the records of 20 federal agencies.
Most of the information was created by the agencies to suit their own
program needs, without any thought to its historical significance.


Because of that, some records have typographical errors like
misspelled names or an inaccurate dates. National Archives officials did
not correct any of the information to preserve the records' integrity.


Shirley Langdon Wilcox, former president of the National
Genealogical Society, called the new system an "extremely useful and
exciting" tool.


"This certainly gives you enough of an idea of what might be
available to you so you know what to weed out before taking a trip
somewhere," she said. "Anytime you have a tool that can make yourself
better prepared before you go to the Archives or library, it's
worthwhile. You don't end up wasting an hour or two looking at whether
they have something, because you've done your homework. "


___


On The Net:


National Archives' Access to Archives Databases:
http://www.archives.gov/aad/












Regards, Uncle
http://home.att.net/~unclefred
www.rootsweb.com/~nyessex

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