Source Those Digital Images

Sometimes family historians attach documents to individuals and give no idea of where the image was originally located. Sometimes it is easy to determine the source of the image. Sometimes it is not. When you are unable to indicate a source other than the tree, include the following along with the image:

• website (main URL and title);
• date of access;
• name of tree;
• name of submitter (or at least their username);
• person in file to whom image is attached;
• title submitter gives the image (even if obviously incorrect);
• comments submitters makes about the image (including clues as to where image was located);
• anything else you think might help you to find item again or evaluate it’s accuracy

You will be glad you did later.

Whether you want to use the information in the image is a separate matter. At the very least determine if the item has details that suggest other record sources that should be utilized and try and determine an earlier source for the image if at all possible.