[Genealogy] Data Everwhere, Consultations, FamilySearch Trip, and They Stole My Stuff

Fri Nov 28 07:15:09 CST 2025

Data, Data Everywhere and not a Thought to Think
FamilySearch Library Trip
Consultation Sale
They Stole My Stuff
NotebookLM Webinar

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Data, Data Everywhere and not a Thought to Think
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In some ways genealogy has changed immensely over the last thirty years.
Access to records (for the most part) has changed and communication among
genealogists is better and faster than ever before.

In some ways genealogy research has not changed at all. Analysis and
interpretation are still crucial. As we have access to more data, the
ability to sort information and to reach logical conclusions becomes even
more important and distinguishes those who collect data from those who
synthesize data.

As collection becomes easier and more automated, analysis become even more
crucial.

Genealogy is not a game to see who can collect the most records or the most
relatives. And while many genealogists enjoy the search, I’m not certain
it’s even really correct to think of genealogy as a game at
all–particularly not one where there is something to “win.”

While certain records are closed and there are occasional limitations on
access, genealogists generally have much greater access to records than
they did thirty years ago. If the access is not greater, it certainly is
faster and easier to obtain many records than it was “back in the day.”
There are more indexes available, more finding aids are within a moment’s
reach, and many records can be acquired in a fraction of the time it used
to take–sometimes within minutes. Despite the improved speed of access,
genealogists need to remain cognizant of access issues and be wary of
attempts to restrict our ability to obtain records.

There was one advantage to digging for records the “old fashioned” way
(also known as a manual search). It forced the searcher to familiarize
themselves with the records. There were no online indexes one could use to
bypass the page-by-page search. The end result of that manual search and
the page-by-page reading of the records was that the conscientious
researcher became familiar with how the records were organized, what
information each record typically contained, and how each record was
structured. That knowledge benefited the researcher and helped them to
analyze and interpret information in context.

When I point and click my way to a record, I don’t develop those skills.
I’m not as familiar with the records.

Often when it is suggested today that a researcher conduct a page-by-page
search in order to locate an item on an ancestor, the response is that
“I’ll wait until they are indexed. I’m not going to take that much time and
effort.” That robs the researcher of the joy of making a manual discovery
and it also robs them of learning about the records they are trying to use.

Technology gives us greater access to information.

It’s still up to us to think.
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FamilySearch Library Trip
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We've set the dates for our 2026 trip to the FamilySearch Library in Salt
Lake City. Register and save your spot today. Details at:
https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2022-family-history-library-salt-lake-city-trip/

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Holiday Sale on Genealogy Consultations--Save $40--limited space left
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Need some guidance with your research, but don't need a class, don't need
to hire a researcher for $1000 or more?

Just need someone to look at what you have and give you ideas on what to do
next?

That's exactly what a genealogy consultation is for and we're having a sale
on ours for the Holiday Season.

Save $40! We are offering a limited number of consultations at this reduced
price--normal price is $140.

More details about our consultations are available at:
https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/consultations-with-michael/

Space at this reduced rate is limited!

Reserve your consultation today. Scheduling takes place after registration,
but we are still booking in December!

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They Stole My Stuff
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*Note: I’m not a lawyer and I don’t play one on the Internet. Seek legal
counsel if you have serious copyright issues you wish to pursue legally–but
remember–it ain’t cheap.*

I realize that they are “your” ancestors and you probably have some
emotional attachment to them. That’s perfectly normal.

You may also have some emotional attachment to facts that have taken you a
long time, some money, and a great deal of time to ascertain. Let’s say
that you “discover” that Johann Schmitpluffer was born on 12 August 1739 in
Gottareallylongschmirkingname, Germany, the son of Erasmus and Anna
(Umlautholder) Schmitpluffer.

You decide put those facts online, perhaps including your analysis along
with those facts. It is a very long and detailed analysis, reflecting your
research and your own creative way of writing up the analysis. Creative
here meaning that your prose is eloquent, engaging and keeps the reader on
the edge of her seat. We do not  mean “creative” in the sense that you made
it all up.

Your distant cousin from Bangor decides to use the fact that Johann
Schmitpluffer was born on 12 August 1739 in Gottareallyloneschmirkingname,
Germany, the son of Erasmus and Anna (Umlautholder) Schmitpluffer in his
genealogy database, his blog etc.

Oh, your “taters are irked.” You fly off a nasty email–it is not eloquent
and it is not engaging. He has used “your” information and he needs to pull
it.

Sorry, it’s not your information. It is a fact and you have no more right
to use that fact than anyone else.

Your distant cousin from Seattle decides to copy all your eloquent,
engaging prose and use it in its entirety in her own material. The Seattle
relative does not give you one whit of credit. That’s a problem and that’s
a violation of your copyright because your paragraphs of writing were used.
Whether you can get the Seattle resident to remove their material or cease
from using it is another story. You can try and convince them nicely to
remove the paragraphs of your writing, but they may choose not to.
Enforcing your copyright may not be easy and if you decide to hire lawyers
it certainly isn’t cheap. You may contact the ISP or the web host that
houses the information and prove that the prose is yours. You may get lucky
and they may remove it.

And if your cousin in Seattle removes the prose and replaces it with:

Johann Schmitpluffer was born on 12 August 1739 in
Gottareallyloneschmirkingname, Germany, the son of Erasmus and Anna
(Umlautholder) Schmitpluffer.

There’s not a lot you can do.
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NotebookLM Webinar
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Easily create audio and video overviews, mind maps, reports, quizzes,
infographics, and slide decks from your uploaded family or personal
narratives, genealogy documents, and the like. You can also have NotebookLM
 integrate multiple documents into one summary. There are limitations to
it. NotebookLM is not perfect by a long shot, but it may give you insight
into your own research and cause you to notice something you had not
noticed before. The visuals it creates can help interest others in family
history as well.

More details--including registration information at intro rate--at
https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2025/11/24/notebooklm-at-google/

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-- 
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Michael John Neill
Genealogy Tip of the Day
http://www.genealogytipoftheday.com
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