Benefits of Joining a Genealogy Group
September 30th, 2011
When working on any type of family search, you should consider joining a genealogy group to help further your studies. Even if you are not a particularly social person, there are a number of important benefits to be had from this approach.
Genealogy clubs, groups or societies are fairly common though their size and scope will vary from region to region. There are usually larger groups that cover an entire state, and then smaller groups target counties, cities or even specific ethnic groups for family searches. You can expect to pay some kind of dues or fees to be part of a group, and that can vary depending on what types of memberships each group offers. Some smaller groups may be free to join.
You can usually find out about local genealogy groups from your library, or do a few online searches if you want a larger group for your entire state. You don’t necessarily have to live in the area either. If doing your family search from another part of the country, you can certainly join a group for that area whether you are living there or not.
Better Access to Records
One very important way a genealogy group can be helpful is that it can provide you access to more material than you would otherwise be able to get on your own. Of course, it will depend on the group and what kind of documents are you looking for but these groups almost always have their own collection of records that are for members only.
Smaller groups may only have a few personal files supplied by the other members but large genealogy societies can have entire libraries of material in their collections. Groups that are this large usually have their collections open to the public so you may want to see what the benefits are in becoming a member. Public collections that belong to specific groups operate like libraries but typically have an admission fee for non-members, so getting in for free can be one nice benefit.
In some states, vital records for family searches are more easily accessed from state agencies if you are a registered member of a genealogical society. Only a few states take this approach but it can be quite handy if it applies to you in your family search. Where birth and death records are private and not released to the public, you can still get copies if you are a member of an official group in that state.
Access to Other People
The actual collection of files and documents are an invaluable resource for any family search, but there is also a great deal of value just in the other members of the group. Personal networking with others who may be doing similar research can be worth its weight in gold. You can find hidden resources that you’ve never even heard of by word of mouth, or even just be able to take a look at other people’s personal collections of genealogy material.
Additional Perks
Many groups and societies hold events, workshops or conferences each year that can provide you will greater chances to network and learn more about genealogy techniques. Membership in a society may also provide you with regular publications that can be quite educational and help you learn more about the history and genealogy of the area.
Entry Filed under: News and Society