| The purpose behind properly documenting sources | | | | completely free of any license fees and future |
| in your genealogy is to make sure that someone | | | | updates are free. MS Word and Wordperfect also |
| in the future will be able to locate the document | | | | permit you to scan from inside the program. |
| that you used for your data. This leads us to | | | | To begin turn on your scanner and open the |
| collect reams of photocopies of our sources. Did | | | | word processor. I'll use Writer as my example, |
| you find the information in a book, on the | | | | but other word processors will use similar steps. |
| internet, at the National Archives, at the county | | | | To set up your first scan change the page size in |
| court house, etc.? This information all needs to be | | | | the word processor from letter to legal because |
| cited as your sources in the tradition manner, but | | | | many court documents are on legal size paper. |
| now we can also include a digital image of the | | | | Later you can reduce the size of the page if need |
| original, microfilmed or photocopied source | | | | be. |
| document in a genealogy. | | | | Next, I click on |
| With today's computer equipment, inexpensive | | | | Insert>Picture>Scan>Request which |
| disk storage and powerful genealogy programs, | | | | opens my HP scanner software. Now I have to |
| the task of documenting a genealogy is much | | | | set the parameters for the scanner such as |
| easier. This makes it possible for someone who | | | | resolution which I set at 300 dpi. I scan |
| might question the spelling of a name or the date | | | | documents in greyscale to keep the file size as |
| of an event that you cite to actually see the | | | | small as possible. The HP scanner samples the |
| copy of the document and determine for | | | | page and returns an image surrounded by a |
| themselves what the correct spelling or date is. | | | | dotted outline with tiny boxes (handles) in each |
| Plus by scanning a hard-to-read document, you | | | | corner. I drag the handles to re-size the box |
| often can improve the contrast and sharpness of | | | | around the page enclosing all the content, making |
| the type enhancing the quality of the document. | | | | sure to include page numbers or other notations in |
| The results can be better than the original. | | | | the margins. |
| Scanning a single page is easy using a graphics or | | | | After the image appears in the document, I |
| genealogy program, but when your have multiple | | | | center it on the page. Next in Writer I click |
| pages it's not so simple. | | | | Control+Enter to open a second blank page and |
| I tried several methods and finally decided I was | | | | repeat the process until all the pages are scanned. |
| going about the process of scanning multiple | | | | I save the file as a *.doc file which opens nicely in |
| pages backwards. Rather than scanning each page | | | | my genealogy program. Make sure to select a file |
| separately as a graphic file and then importing | | | | extension that your genealogy program will |
| multiple files into a word processor to create a | | | | accept. |
| single document file, I found a better way is to | | | | The end result is a single file containing numerous |
| open a blank page in my word processor first and | | | | scanned pages. This file can be inserted into a |
| and then scan each page directly from the | | | | genealogy program in any section that accepts a |
| scanner into the document. Now I can click on a | | | | digital file. In Legacy Family Tree 7.0, this file can |
| single file in my genealogy archives and read the | | | | be inserted in the galleries or as a source |
| entire document no matter how many pages it | | | | document for an event. In the notes section, I |
| has. | | | | also reference the file name and location of the |
| I am using Legacy Family Tree 7.0 which provides | | | | file. |
| galleries for pictures and files, other programs | | | | Someone once said, "Genealogy without |
| may call this feature albums or scrapbooks. Most | | | | documentation is mythology." With the ability to |
| of the recent genealogy programs allow you to | | | | capture digital images of important documents |
| enter photos and files. | | | | that otherwise are not readily available, there is |
| For a word processor, I use Writer which is part | | | | no excuse for not providing the future |
| of the OpenOffice suite of programs from Sun | | | | genealogists in your family with the next best |
| Microsystems similar to Microsoft Office with one | | | | thing to having the original document in hand. |
| huge exception; you may download OpenOffice | | | | |