| We all want to know more about our ancestors | | | | service, look for one that is located close to a |
| and where we come from. Learning more about | | | | large resource, like the National Archives, or the |
| family history is becoming a more popular goal. | | | | Family History Library, each home to millions of |
| But genealogical research can quickly go from a | | | | documents. |
| weekend hobby to a daily pastime to a full-time | | | | 2. Accuracy |
| (albeit unpaid) job. Relying on ( professional | | | | If you've been involved in genealogy long enough, |
| genealogy research is an attractive alternative to | | | | you've received conflicting information. Perhaps an |
| incomplete research or quitting your day job. Here | | | | interview with your mother put your |
| are the top ten advantages that professional | | | | great-grandmother's birthday in June but the |
| genealogy research offers. | | | | official record has it in February. Or maybe your |
| 5. Speed | | | | documents themselves disagree. How can you tell |
| Professional genealogy research offers you the | | | | which source is right? Or perhaps your |
| advantage of speed. Using certified and trained | | | | great-grandfather is John Smith and all you know |
| genealogists to conduct your research allows you | | | | is that he died in 1955. How can you find the right |
| to take advantage of their years of previous | | | | John Smith? |
| experience. Certified genealogists can apply their | | | | Trained genealogical researchers have already |
| previous researching experience to increase their | | | | learned the ins and outs of analyzing conflicting |
| efficiency as they conduct your search. Let their | | | | sources and accurately identifying individuals in |
| speed and efficiency work for you. | | | | records. Based on their training and experience, |
| 4. Training | | | | they can judge which date is more likely to be |
| ( Trained genealogists know where to begin and | | | | accurate or which John Smith is your ancestor. It |
| where to look to find the best and most pertinent | | | | takes years of genealogical experience to assess |
| information, instead of sifting through countless | | | | source material, especially from documents that |
| census, ( probate or other records in a fruitless | | | | can't give a clear answer. Professional genealogists |
| search. Years of training and experience mean | | | | have the experience necessary to ensure |
| that your professional genealogy researcher will | | | | accuracy in their work. |
| know where to look, how to look and what to | | | | 1. Qualified Access |
| look for. Family history research requires a | | | | Many resources are highly sensitive or have |
| knowledge of many different types of resources, | | | | restricted access. Most archives have stringent |
| from computerized records to microfilm to books, | | | | rules for using their resources, including who may |
| from censuses to probate records to | | | | access what, how to access materials, what |
| correspondence indices. | | | | researchers can bring with them, and more. |
| 3. Geographical Access | | | | Certified genealogists are familiar with these |
| Although the Internet is a good resource for | | | | restrictions and have experience handling |
| many records, some records have yet to be | | | | documents and researching in these settings. |
| entered into computers. Obtaining these records | | | | Additionally, in those archives that limit access, |
| often includes sending letters and money to | | | | professional genealogists are often granted access |
| archives offices thousands of miles away. When | | | | that other researchers might not be able to get. |
| choosing a professional genealogy research | | | | |