| How are you planning to share your family | | | | particular individuals as living or private. And, they |
| tree-to-date? Remember that you will never finish | | | | often allow you to specify who can even look at |
| a family tree, so do not wait until it is perfect and | | | | the online tree. If you elect to do this, make sure |
| detailed to a high degree. At some point in time, | | | | that you maintain control of all the information |
| you will want to share this family tree with your | | | | that you have gathered. If there are errors that |
| relatives, your cousins, aunts and uncles, and | | | | relatives find, they should email you (or call) to tell |
| grandparents, etc. | | | | you of any error or mistake they believe they |
| I will assume that you have long ago discussed | | | | have found; you can then edit the tree with any |
| your research with these relatives, perhaps when | | | | corrections. Make certain that you understand |
| you interviewed them for information they might | | | | how you can access your family tree on the site, |
| have. Perhaps they had documents or | | | | and that you can both upload and download the |
| photographs, or family stories of ancestors that | | | | tree at any time. Ask the support desk for details |
| you were able to use for your research on | | | | of how this process takes place, and how the |
| various family lines. You probably found, as many | | | | information is kept private. If you elect to allow |
| people do, that they were happy to share | | | | the public to see your information, you need to |
| information, and were very pleased that someone | | | | be absolutely certain current living relatives are |
| else - you - were doing this research! There | | | | not included in the tree. For example, you may |
| seems to be at least one person every other | | | | decide to break the tree into several different |
| generation who is interested in family history and | | | | lines e.g., your grandparents families, and then |
| all things genealogical. Your responsibility is to | | | | upload each one with a different name for the |
| share your information! | | | | tree. In that way, your own parents and children |
| Here are a few successful ways others have | | | | are not detailed online. Or, just upload the one |
| shared their genealogy results with relatives.. | | | | tree, after having removed details of the living |
| 1. Reunions. | | | | descendants. |
| At reunions or family picnics, you could have a | | | | Once the tree is online, you can invite relatives to |
| table of information on everyone's ancestors, with | | | | access and view the whole family tree. You |
| several photograph albums arranged by date. You | | | | should keep yourself as the only editor of the |
| could also post up a big sheet of paper with the | | | | tree, so that you (and only you) can make |
| family tree listed on it. This could be done | | | | changes to the details. Otherwise it could get quite |
| professionally, or you could do it by hand, copying | | | | silly if too many people start changing things |
| details from printouts of family groups. If you | | | | because they believe their details are more |
| color-code each family line, relatives could quickly | | | | correct than what you have researched! Also, as |
| find their part of the tree. With a little planning, | | | | relatives send you information or photographs or |
| you may find that you can make a smaller tree | | | | documents they have found, you will be able to |
| for each family line, for individuals who care to | | | | scan and upload these items, attaching them to |
| take one home with them. You may also be able | | | | individuals in the online tree. Over time, your tree |
| to fill in some more stories, hear about more | | | | could be very detailed indeed! |
| family treasures or momentoes or photographs, | | | | 4. Copy the Database For Relatives. |
| as people pore over the details you have found | | | | You can make a copy of your family tree and |
| to date. Take about 8 months or so to put on | | | | email it to your relatives. By showing them how |
| this kind of reunion, and involve a few relatives | | | | to download a free family tree software program |
| too in the planning stage! | | | | and then how to open your tree in the program, |
| 2. Family History Book.It is possible to make a | | | | you will be able to share a copy of the family |
| family history book at any time, with whatever | | | | tree. Copies are made by having the software |
| details you have gathered to date. You may use | | | | program "export" the entire tree in a GEDCOM |
| publishing software which is part of your family | | | | format - which is a very common format. This |
| tree database software to put together a basic | | | | condenses the information in a way that allows it |
| family tree book. Or you may make your own | | | | to be "imported" into any other family tree |
| kind of book using any word processing software, | | | | software program - a very handy feature! |
| or simply typing the bare bones information of | | | | Always export the tree with identifying |
| your ancestors. Perhaps you might design a type | | | | information: the date of the export and your |
| of scrapbook-style book, with copies of photos, | | | | name attached. |
| details of residences, headlines of the era, or | | | | You may also find other interesting ways to |
| more, interspersed with descriptions of individual | | | | share the family tree information - be creative |
| family units. You may elect to make a family | | | | and inventive, and see what may be particularly |
| history book of one or two family lines only. | | | | practical and interesting for your relatives. |
| There is no correct way to put together a "book" | | | | Scrapbooks, published histories, inventive and |
| of your family history. | | | | creative posters, reams of paper of the entire |
| 3. Online Family Trees. | | | | tree, on an online web site, copies of the |
| Many companies will allow you to upload your | | | | database (e.g., CD or DVD): all these and more |
| family tree to their site for free. They generally | | | | are ways relatives would be able to enjoy learning |
| protect "living" persons' details if you specify | | | | more about their ancestors. |