... Before, you went to Library Archives Canada's site, and then you went to the siloed databases. Like if you wanted "Immigrants before 1865," you search there. And then if you wanted "Russian Immigrants," you'd search there. So it was extremely difficult to find anything at Library and Archives Canada. And what was missing was a central collection search. Well, guess what, there is now a central collection search...
Tag: methodology
My trip to the archives: how I prepare and what I found
Like you, I spend inordinate amounts of time researching obscure documents at odd hours. (Truthfully, sometimes it's research and sometimes it's getting lost down rabbit holes.) If only everything was online. I read archival finding aids like a Christmas wish list: I want this, and this, and this too. My curiosity is far bigger than my budget (to pay external researchers).
How to read an original record for evidence
In this post I share my thoughts on some confusing concepts in genealogy - original and derivative records; negative evidence; primary, secondary, and indeterminable information - all by looking at one original record from the BC archives. Genealogy Search - BC Archives Those of us fortunate to research in British Columbia rely on the Royal… Continue reading How to read an original record for evidence
Using Asana for genealogy
In this post I'll introduce you to one of my most important, can't live without it, tech tool: Asana. It's project management software that is robust enough to run large companies but customizable enough for starting small. And it's free.
Finding Mrs. Yip Sang: a case study of the General Register of Chinese Immigration 1885-1949 (Canada)
A case study for finding people on the General Register of Chinese Immigration 1885-1949
How to find your surname in Chinese
Here is the post I wish I'd read 20 years ago: How to find a Chinese surname if you only know your name in English
11 tips for anyone starting a photo scanning project
Want to start a photo scanning project but not sure where to begin?
Behind the scenes – my scanning setup
I invite you on a virtual tour of my scanning setup, refined after 6 years and 35K images
The story behind the story “Genealogy – a Detective Story”
This is a story about a wild idea that led to a whole summer of genealogical discovery, meeting new people, and publishing my first magazine article. The idea behind "Genealogy - a Detective Story" Have you ever wondered what you could do with a brand new tree and a few clues to get you started?… Continue reading The story behind the story “Genealogy – a Detective Story”
EN for genealogy: Using EN with Henderson’s Directories
How to get the most out of city directories, featuring Henderson's Directories and Evernote.