tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1979873143763627178.post9175528456449333134..comments2023-09-24T08:11:15.643-04:00Comments on The Occasional Genealogist: Finding Aids vs. Library CatalogsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1979873143763627178.post-40344502346154041612018-05-29T09:08:34.598-04:002018-05-29T09:08:34.598-04:00Thanks so much for the insight, Deb! Finding aids ...Thanks so much for the insight, Deb! Finding aids are such a great resource we often overlook as genealogists.Jennifer Donderohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12302995363908225713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1979873143763627178.post-28011906208449548882018-05-16T17:36:44.089-04:002018-05-16T17:36:44.089-04:00As an archivist, I can tell you that a lot of work...As an archivist, I can tell you that a lot of work goes into creating a finding aid. We write these tools so that researchers can see what's in the collection at a high (and sometimes very detailed) level, as well as put the materials into context. We also create metadata -- data about the data, and this includes subject terms (sometimes called index terms). These lists of terms make it easy for researchers to discover names, locations, and other terms related to their search terms. For example, I took the time to enter every single name of anyone mentioned in the WWII newsletters in this collection: http://chesterlib.org/local-history-room/finding-aids/the-honor-roll-newsletter-collection/#Index. I did this so that anyone searching one of those names on the internet would discover that that person (or maybe not that person, but someone with the same name) appeared in these newsletters. <br /><br />Hardly anyone does this in their finding aids. I don't do it any more. However, I thought it was important for this small collection, so I invested the time. All that to say, I suggest that any researcher take the time to read the whole finding aid. They may find much more than they originally thought they would.Deb Schiffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00930921557637227921noreply@blogger.com