tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post5360923279255370158..comments2024-03-26T11:22:41.940-07:00Comments on Genea-Musings: Tuesday's Tip - Use Genealogy Message Boards to Find Distant CousinsRandy Seaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477703429102065294noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-86061718993726887462014-04-08T12:17:38.028-07:002014-04-08T12:17:38.028-07:00Randy, I heartily agree! Online forums are still a...Randy, I heartily agree! Online forums are still a helpful tool in the research toolbox. Whenever I teach a class on online resources, I include a mention of these, even though some may view them as genealogical dinosaurs. A forum can only be as useful as we (as a community of researchers) make it, and I'm campaigning to keep this utility!<br /><br />While I've yet to find that sought-after researching soulmate distant cousin, I have benefited from the many "some kind soul" responders who have answered my questions and pointed me in the right direction.<br /><br />Every time I delve into a new territory--a county or country with which I'm (so far) unfamiliar--posting a query to ask locals to direct me to online resources has been so helpful. That's the only way I could have found digitized newspapers out west in Canada, for instance--a place I had never researched before. Or online cemetery listings for a specific region. Or a local library with a grand collection of archived material. Sometimes, only the local researchers know about such resources. But they're glad to tell anyone who asks!<br /><br />When arriving in new research territory, it never hurts to ask the locals for directions. It certainly has done me a world of good in Rootsweb and GenForum.Jacqi Stevenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03471698670217119444noreply@blogger.com