Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The Reader GeneaMeme

As Jill said, better late than never!

Below is my contribution the Reader GeneaMeme set by Geniaus

The list should be annotated in the following manner:
Things you have already done or found: bold face type
Things you would like to do or find: italicize (colour optional)
Things you haven’t done or found and don’t care to: plain type
You are encouraged to add extra comments in brackets after each item 

Which of these apply to you? reading


1.                 Have you written any books? Not yet J I need to gain some confidence – I do have some chapters that will eventually make up a book

2.                 Have you published any books? No

3.                 Can you recommend an inspiring biography? Lot’s, but the most recent one I read and couldn’t put down was called “His Majesty O’Keefe”. First published in 1950, it follows the trials and travels of an Irish American trader who set up a trading post on the Micronesian island of Yap, which is part of the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, during the late 1800’s. It describes the life and beliefs of the islanders, and the consequent colonisation of Yap by the Spanish and Germans, as well the life of his own families – one from Savannah, Georgia – and his second wife, an Islander woman 

4.                 Do you keep a reading log? If yes, in what format? I used to keep an excel spread sheet, then Collectorz book collection software (when it was free); I now use LibraryThing

5.                 Are you a buyer or a borrower of books? Mainly a buyer; if I love a book, I find it hard to give back, especially with the large cull that our local library is undergoing. I may love the idea of Libraries, especially as an ex-Librarian, but I have also seen many Libraries close, cull their collections as a book hasn’t been borrowed enough times, or was published too long ago for it to be (not my words) “relevant” – such policies can really get me going….

6.                 Where do you get reading recommendations? Newspapers, magazines, blogs, radio, word of mouth….

7.                 What is the one genealogy reference book you can't do without? “The mechanical eye in Australia :  Photography 1841-1900” by Alan Davies and Peter Stanbury. I use this book for dating photographs as it list photographers from all over Australia, with their address and date that they were in operation. It has helped me pin down accurate dates for many, many photographs

8.                 Do you hoard books or do you discard them when you have finished? Hoard definitely, though it depends on the book! A light read will probably end up at the op shop, my collection consists mainly of reference, biography and non-fiction and faction or historical fiction, like “The harp in the south” by Ruth Park, along with two shelves of classics, a shelf of children’s books and folk and fairy tales from around the world, and finally my genealogy collection

9.                 How many books are in your genealogy library? About 400-500?

10.            What's your favourite genealogy magazine or journal? Inside History, Australian Family Tree Connections, and Your Family Tree (UK) are three that I subscribe to. I also love the journals  published by the various Genealogical and Historical Societies to which I belong

11.            Where are the bookshelves in your house? Two walls in the Lounge room, two walls in the hallway, one whole wall in my office, three shelves in the bedroom; then there’s my husband’s collection…
12.            Do you read e-books? How? e-books on Kindle and Google books on my computer

13.            How many library cards do you have? Local Regional Library which encompasses 6 libraries, State Library of Victoria and the National Library of Australia; The Genealogical Society of Victoria has a wonderful and accessible Library as well. Being an alumni of the SLV and CSIRO also allows me access to their collections, which equals access to 6 regional and 4 other major Libraries = total 10!

14.            What was the last genealogy title you read? A family history book, self-published by my cousin’s partner, Tony Berry called “From paupers to iPads”, looking at his family’s history in the UK.

15.            What is your favourite bookshop? Mainly online second hand bookshops, then there a few second hand book shops in different Melbourne suburbs that specialise in history and Australian titles; The GSV bookshop is a bit of a trap as well!

16.            Do you have a traditional printed encyclopaedia in your house?  Yes, a 1961 edition of Encyclopaedia Britannica that was bought for my husband when he was a boy

17.            Who are the authors in your family tree and what have they written? My mother wrote many articles for the Randwick Historical Society during the 1970’s. Some were published and others remain in their archives; many of which are still referenced in some recent local histories – I get great pleasure and joy to see my mother’s name in the index of a published work!

18.            Who is your favourite author? US Crime writer extraordinaire and (in my view) social commentator James Lee Burke

19.            Where do you buy books? Anywhere I find them
20.            Can you nominate a must-read fiction title? Yes, but how long should the list be?
21.            How many books are in your personal library? 3000 odd, after a cull when we moved about 18 months ago. It is gradually building up to the 4500 we had before the move

22.            What is your dictionary of choice? Oxford English Dictionary for words; Dictionary of philosophy; Medical dictionary; Dictionary of scientific terms…. However I really need a “Macquarie dictionary” to check my words when playing along with the SBS TV show “Letters and Numbers” A must watch in our household!

23.            Where do your read? On the couch, on the veranda, in bed…

24.            What was your favourite childhood book? “Swiss Family Robinson”, Heide, Robinson Crusoe, Coral Island…. (all of which I still have – a real sucker for escapism and tropical isles it seems)

25.            Do you have anything else to say about books and reading? They are my life, heart and soul. I could not live without them.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

When Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness wear you down

I have never been adverse to sharing my information. I often receive requests for information regarding ancestors, distant and not so distant. Often this can take several hours (or more) of compiling reports, adding images and certificates if not already posted to my online public tree. However lately, the requests for information have been coming thick and fast; sometimes regarding people who are so distant to me that I can only provide basic details. For example, the question may be regarding an ancestor of my cousin's father (or his sister) and I would like to keep that basic information on my tree for my close relatives  their descendants - especially for those who are not currently into genealogy. So delve deeper I do and it often feels like I am doing what a paid Genealogist would do for nothing. I have been know to purchase certificates for these far flung branches. Yes, it does add to my overall knowledge, but it is certainly way off the road of my own current research. Though I must admit I am learning, in that my latest response was much less involved; but even finding the person on the tree, gathering the source information, and compiling an email set me back an hour.

I always reply promptly and with cheerfulness and often ask that if they have additional information "would they mind sending it on to me" - With many thanks in advance.

I don't mind if they have nothing to share, but I do believe that I am turning into a grumpy old woman, feeling less and less like performing these RAGK. In the past few weeks, I have answered maybe a dozen or so of these queries, and I have received not one "Thank you for your information..."

My time is precious, being a full time carer, and I am wondering why I spend my time doing other peoples research - they could go through the same processes that I have done to compile the information, but hey! why reinvent the wheel I think. Or do I do it for the "Thanks" - is that being selfish or is it just rude not to reply to someone who has helped you out?

I am really beginning to questioning my motives in doing this added research; maybe people don't realise how little time I have to myself, though my profile on my major online tree (where most requests originate) says that I am a carer, as does my Google+ profile. Am I a sucker for any old request, wanting praise for my efforts? Should I continue to spend so much time on things that bring no reward? Should I want a reward or thanks?

I know I am not getting much done here on the home front for myself; my writing challenge fell by the wayside in favour of answering these questions, and I do feel slightly burnt out, so question to self - do I politely refuse, knowing that I could be helpful? Do I continue to spend my precious time and hope for some one to reciprocate or even just say Thank you? Or maybe I should just make my tree private, so that I wont be hassled in future.

Somehow, all these scenarios seem wrong. Maybe I am just struggling with my own conscience and needs and deep down know that it is right to continue to help those who ask without wanting anything in return. 

Am I alone out there? 

Regardless, Thank you for taking the time to listen to my gripes.