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From: "Elissa Scalise Powell, CG" <>
Subject: Re: [TGF] Research for the entire U.S.
Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2008 11:55:35 -0500
References: <E0A83B72EEA04584B67DAB05BCB30744@ESMPC><A1A340E694564CF898B46BDBA79F3E38@ChristyPC><D6625FF35797475598C453B892856B15@ESMPC> <F2FD9FC7E6E34ED4A12A8DE4DD79E481@ChristyPC><005101c86ec3$c0bb7d50$6601a8c0@AmyComputer><001901c86ef1$b3dba870$1b92f950$@com> <D691164794F74D9FBA2DAA6670844848@MissysOffice> <3A0F6B53CE684F4FBA32A7E4DA30E364@ChristyPC><F841E59544F64ED9BADB04FD720602ED@MissysOffice>
In-Reply-To: <F841E59544F64ED9BADB04FD720602ED@MissysOffice>


This is a good example of what the discussion on professionalism is all
about. Will this lovely couple ever progress beyond just Internet research?
Don't know -- but he says he belongs to the umbrella of APG and may be
perfectly happy to continue as they are.

Another problem is that in checking the APG directory, there is no one by
their surname listed.

So how do we tell the consumer there is more out there than what is on the
Internet? It may not occur to them that we were doing research long before
computers. It may not occur to them that when Internet searches come up
empty, the answer still awaits them in the hands of a records-based
researcher. The public is too easily led that if it isn't found on the
low-lying fruit of the genealogy research tree, it can't be found.

Not to say that this type of service is not valuable to some who understand
the difference. In the BC era (before computers) companies such as Halberts
and Sharon Taylor put out advertising that they had your whole family
history in a book for $29.95. It was a telephone listing of just names and
addresses with a bit of generic information that may or may not pertain to
your ethnic heritage. Many were disappointed and they eventually stopped
selling their books due to the same info being available for free in the
Internet. However I knew what they were and bought one for my mother's rare
surname -- and found the lost branch of the family through writing to all 50
addresses in the book. But you have to know what you are purchasing.

Whenever we have an opportunity to educate people in our social groups
(neighbors, church friends, co-workers, PTA, etc.) we should do so.
Hopefully it will help them to understand our profession a bit more.

-- Elissa

Elissa Scalise Powell, CG
www.PowellGenealogy.com
CG and Certified Genealogist are Service Marks of the Board for
Certification of Genealogists used under license after periodic evaluations
by the Board.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Melissa Barker
> Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2008 10:48 AM
> Hello, Thanks for pointing that out, I did see that. I guess with all the
> discussions of professionalism we have been having, this site kind of
struck
> me the wrong way this morning. I am not trying to say anything bad about
> them, it is just another example of the "umbrella" that we keep talking
> about and the more I delve into this, the more I am concerned.

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