Question/answer » How do I involve family members who have nothing with family trees?
Many researchers notice it: the family thinks it is nice that you are making a family tree, but the lists of names and dates mean little to them. Photos and stories do. That is where a family archive begins.
Why a family archive is easy to join
Family members do not have to install anything. They receive an e-mail, choose a password and can look. On the phone, tablet or computer.
Taking part is free.
They do not need to know anything about genealogy. Anyone can look at a photo and respond.
Tips to get the family on board
Start with photos that touch people. The parents' wedding photo. The class photo from school. The parental home.
Ask questions. "Who still knows where this photo was taken?" People like to help.
Ask for material. Everyone has a box or an album somewhere. Let them add scans themselves.
Send a newsletter now and then. That keeps the archive in view, also for those who do not log in often.
Celebrate the finds. A news item about a record you found or a riddle you solved makes it exciting.
Involve the younger generation. Grandchildren can help with scanning and enjoy seeing their great-grandparents.
That way your family tree research becomes something of the whole family.
Genealogical publications are copyright protected. Although data is often retrieved from public archives, the searching, interpreting, collecting, selecting and sorting of the data results in a unique product. Copyright protected work may not simply be copied or republished.
Please stick to the following rules
Request permission to copy data or at least inform the author, chances are that the author gives permission, often the contact also leads to more exchange of data.
Do not use this data until you have checked it, preferably at the source (the archives).
State from whom you have copied the data and ideally also his/her original source.