Organizing Your Family History Search: Efficient & Effective Ways to Gather and Protect Your Genealogical Research

by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack, Roger D. Joslyn (Editor)

As genealogists everywhere will testify, few hobbies generate more paper work than genealogy. This guide successfully tackles the process of organising family research, from filing piles of paper to streamlining the process as a whole.'

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, History

150 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1999

About the author

Sharon DeBartolo Carmack has an MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing and postgraduate coursework in American History. She is a thirty-five-year veteran Certified Genealogist®, Retired (2024).

Sharon is the best-selling author of twenty-nine books, including Madame Restell: The True Story of New City’s Most Notorious Abortionist, Her Early Life, Family, and Murder; In Search of Maria B. Hayden: The American Medium Who Brought Spiritualism to the U.K.; and If We Can Winter This: Essays and Genealogies: The Gordon Family of County Leitrim, Ireland, and The Norris Family of County Tyrone, (now) Northern Ireland.

A few of her guidebooks include Telling Her Story: A Guide to Researching and Writing about Women of the Past; Tell It Short: A Guide to Writing Your Family History in Brief, 2nd ed., and You Can Write Your Family History. Sharon is part of the English adjunct faculty for Southern New Hampshire University and the genealogy faculty for Salt Lake Community College.

Reviews

[Brad Garton · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the puzzles I have tried to solve is how to organize files and my research process to make more efficient use of my time for genealogy. This book offers very helpful suggestions in organizing files to reduce copying and to help see relationships between family members. The book doesn't promote a single way of doing things, but gives examples of several methods to use with pros and cons to each. There are also a lot of suggestions for time savers and process helps for improving your research techniques. The book is aimed at people new to genealogy as well as professionals.
As with several other books I've read recently, when the book ventures into specifics on using a computer, some of the technology it discusses is rather dated. I also found some of the later chapters a little disorganized, such as the chapter on finding a place to store your genealogy tools and files in a small office. I enjoyed the humor, but the flow of the chapter seemed a little random. All in all this is a really helpful book.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, the computer related information is quite out of date—this book was published in 1999. However, it answered all my questions about how to organize the hard copies of my family history.

[Kathy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really should have checked the copyright before I checked this out. I’m sure it’s fine advice, but I am looking for more digitally organized strategies. Consider this skimmed rather than read.

[Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a lot of wonderful ideas about different ways to organize your genealogy stuff. And to organize your head about where you are going with your research and what you should do with it.

However, because the book was published in 1999, all of the computer related advice is out-of-date.

I would recommend this as one of several books for a beginner to read. And a few old-timers might find some useful hints.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read several books by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack, and I enjoy her sense of humor and her writing style. She is knowledgeable, but presents things in a very easy, conversational style. She says she doesn't use genealogy software, which I don't understand. Mine saves me tons of hours, but...to each their own.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had some helpful ideas for organizing family history that I will add to my previous organization methods. The ones that helped me the most have to do with tracking my research more effectively. It also gave me food for thought in how to preserve and pass on what I've been doing for a couple of decades now.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an older book, but the information in it is still stellar and timely. She goes into more detail than I thought went into genealogical research (I'm so lazy in comparison!) about how to do genealogy right. You learn exactly what the title says -- how to start from home and how to do research when you're out in the field.

[Denni · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few good ideas for organizing that I will use, but a little too detailed for my needs.
Good forms in the back for notetaking.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who studied archival management I liked this book. It gave really good ideas as to organize your family history in an efficient manner without being confusing.

[Kevin Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a more productie way to organize my original copies of documenst, and my digital files

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good book for someone who, like myself, has been immersed in research and skimping on organizing the information found. In sensible, no-nonsense steps, Carmack makes organizing look easy.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good and informative book!