The Family Tree
By Terence L. Day
Terence L. Day, genealogist and journalist, is on the Washington State University faculty. He welcomes e-mail at genealogy@moscow.com, or regular mail in care of the Tri-City Herald City newsroom, P.O. Box 2608, Tri-Cities, WA 99302-2608.
Library of Congress browsable from home
This column was published April 15, 2001
Very little in this world awes me.
Awe is a trait journalists neither covet nor cultivate. Yet, there are some things in this world to which even cynics must give respect - grudging or outright.
For me, the Library of Congress is one of those things.
It has been my privilege and delight to do research in the Library of Congress, physically, in the Main Reading Room in Washington, D.C.
What an incredible experience that was for someone who grew up in Kennewick during the 1940s. Back then, Kennewick was a smallish farming town and its library then couldn't have contained more than 3,000 books.
The first time I visited the Library of Congress - nearly 30 years ago - I sat for the longest time in the Main Reading Room, staring at the magnificent rotunda ceiling, soaking up the atmosphere of books and desks and hushed whisperings.
When I finally ordered my books, the staff had to send to another building and have them brought in through a tunnel.
As I sat at a magnificent wooden desk doing my research, I daydreamed of moving to Washington, D.C., and spending my retirement in the Library of Congress.
How could I have imagined that today, as I approach retirement, I can do research in the Library of Congress without leaving my dinky office in my Pullman home.
Of course, I don't have the same full access I'd have in the District of Columbia, and my cluttered office has none of the ambiance of the Main Reading Room, but it is amazing how much of the collection of the Library of Congress is available from home.
Online resources are remarkable. Genealogists and local historians are among the well served. If you've never made a visit via computer to the Library of Congress and have the equipment, as soon as you finish this column, boot up your computer and go to lcweb.loc.gov/rr/eleclcrr.html.
Hit "enter" and you will be whisked to the Library of Congress' Web page of Electronic Services for Researchers.
Scan down the list of Internet resource pages until you come to "Local History and Genealogy."
Click there and you will be able to access a genealogical collection that began in 1815 when Thomas Jefferson's library was purchased.
The collection of compiled family histories has grown to contain more than 40,000 titles. It also holds more than 100,000 U.S. local histories and many local histories from around the world. Researchers doing foreign research will find lots of resources for western Europe, the British Isles, Ireland and Germany.
It's exciting to anticipate adding your own family or local history to the Library of Congress' collection. There are two ways you can get your work into the collection. If you file a copyright of your work through the library's Copyright Office, your work will automatically become a part of the collection.
If you don't file for a copyright, you can donate your book directly to the library by mailing two copies to: Library of Congress, AngloAmerican Acquisitions Division, USA Gifts, 101 Independence Ave. SE, Washington, D.C., 20540-4174, or to Library of Congress, Local History and Genealogy, Collection Development, 101 Independence Ave. SE, Washington, D.C., 20540-4660.
Genealogical conference
So, you ask, how are you ever going to write and publish a family history?
You could start by attending Genealogy Conference 2001, scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2004 Road 24, Pasco.
It is free and open to the public. Topics include all aspects of genealogy, from basic research through writing, with classes on Internet research, computer software programs for genealogy, putting genealogy on a Web page, how to scan pictures into a computer and how to create genealogical scrap books.
I will be a speaker and will teach a session on writing family history.
The conference has something for every genealogist, from beginners through seasoned genealogists.
It's a good idea to register in advance. For information, call 542-0350 or 545-9101.
I hope to see you there.