Digital Cameras and Genealogy

This article comes from the   New England Historic Genealogical Society:
A Note from the Editor: Digital Cameras and Genealogy
by Lynn Betlock, Editor
This week we present an interesting article by NEHGS member Philip Hermann of Melrose, Mass., on using digital cameras for genealogical purposes.
Digital Cameras and Genealogy
by Philip Hermann
Today’s genealogist is faced with the challenge of digitally storing records. I have tried to use limited financial resources on equipment that will perform a variety of tasks — such as copying vital records and photographing tombstones. I started looking at cameras as a way of preserving important information. 
Some genealogical applications of a good camera:
1. Tombstone photos — Early morning or evening provides the best light for pictures of tombstones. Make sure to check both the front and back of the tombstone since there could be information on both sides. I also take pictures of the name of the cemetery at the front gate and the plot markers to help identify the tombstone location. You can use http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HcuVtFZCAsTygadVmYfGnVz6lehSCYWR-kMhLz94oSa2cctkb0_ASZEJy78aT6V8seppLw1A8R5hndUJ6Sz1vK4o4myD6DjE2rroO3T9SG-n4UO5bntR2A== to make a virtual memorial at no cost.
2. Photos of documents — Preserve significant documents such as vital records, newspaper articles, mass cards, and school records by photographing and downloading them to a computer photo storage program such as Picasa. This free program allows the user to manipulate a duplicate of the photo without permanently altering the original. I use the text function to write names and dates on the copy of the photo.
3. Photos of photos — Many of my old photos are stored in albums with “magnetic pages.” The adhesive chemicals in these pages speed the rate of deterioration. All printed photographs are affected by handling, light, moisture, and chemicals. Digital storage of photographs on computers and portable memory devices will preserve them for future generations. When photographing photos, I find it helps to use a table lamp to provide lighting from different directions.
4. Family History — Use your camera to record the current members of your family. At family reunions, take pictures of the different generations. After downloading the images, use your photo program to label the names of family members.
My requirements for a camera would include the following:
1. Less than $300 and easy to use
2. Takes pictures in low light (in archives and libraries)
3. Fits into my pocket (I hate carrying equipment.)
4. Image stabilization function (reduces blurring)
5. Excellent close-up functionality
6. Large LCD screen display (3 inches)
7. Preview photos quickly on LCD screen
8. Useful for different types of shots (indoor and outdoor)
9. Easy process to download to computer
10. MP greater than 10MP (# of mega pixels = greater detail, larger prints)  

There are some outstanding digital cameras on the market that will meet all these requirements, including the Nikon Coolpix P310 Digital Camera, which features 16.1 MP (excellent detail), ultra-fast f/1.8 aperture glass lens for low light, and handheld image stabilization. There are other manufacturers that make good, easy to use cameras. Search the web particularly for cameras that take high quality pictures in low light. These cameras are constantly improving and their prices are decreasing!

Hernando Today Obits

We have completed indexing the Hernando Today obituaries from the bound editions of the newspaper, which are located at the Main library. The publication dates range from November 11th, 1987 to December 24th, 1988. There are a total of 663 obituaries,  from "Lorilland H. Ackerman" to "Byron Wayne Zuber". Obits weren't always published quickly, so the November '87 obits may include deaths from October, and some deaths from December '88 may not be included.  We can check the index for you- just call the 754-4043. Whoever picks up can find the the index on  the "F drive"   in the "Reference Master Folder" under "Local History and Genealogy".

Potential damage from storms like  TS Debby are a good reason to scan old records, photos, and other genealogical materials.  You can keep them on your computer,  and  on a CD or a flashdrive.
Storm damage to your home may cost you the originals, but at least you won't lose them completely.

Free Genealogy ebooks

This article is from the New England Historic Genealogical Society newsletter:

A Note from the Editor: Free eBooks for Genealogy Research
by Lynn Betlock, Editor
A recent survey question on eBooks prompted member George McKinney of Santa Rosa, California, to write an article about the availability of free eBooks.
Free eBooks for Genealogy Research
eBooks — or electronic books — exist in a variety of digital formats and can be read on your computer, smart phone, or eReader (Kindle, Nook, iPad, etc.). Different eReaders utilize different digital formats, but, in most cases, an eBook can be converted to work on your device by using calibre-ebook.com.
A number of websites offer free eBooks — generally out-of-copyright books or works made available by their authors. Categories of particular interest to the family historian are family genealogies, compendiums of genealogical facts (such as military records), directories, and local histories.

Here are some examples of free eBooks I’ve used in my own research:
History of the Families of McKinney-Brady-Quigley, 1905
History of Southwest Virginia, 1746–1786, Washington County, 1777–1870, 1903
Commemorative Biographical Record of Tolland and Windham Counties, Connecticut, 1903
San Francisco City Directory, 1850

Sources of free eBooks for genealogical research
Family History Books is a collection of over 40,000 books made available by FamilySearch. All books on this site are free and relate to genealogy.
Google Books is provided by Google. This site contains literally millions of books. After you enter your search terms, you can limit your search to free books by clicking “Free Google eBooks” halfway down the left side of the page. Further down the column, you can also select a custom date range, or choose a 19th, 20th, or 21st century search.

The non-profit Internet Archive offers a wide range of volumes. To limit a search to books, select “Texts” from the drop-down menu labeled “All Media Types.” 

The NEHGS website, AmericanAncestors.org, offers free eBooks for members. From the homepage, click on Library, then Library Catalog, and then enter your search terms in the "Search the Digital Library & Archive only" box. You can also browse through available eBooks by clicking the "Browse the Digital Library" link found at the bottom of the library catalog pages.

Popular names for newborns

Ever wonder how an ancestor got his or her first name? The Social Security website has a page for baby names. You can search for the most popular names, going back to the 1880's, and you can search by state or by decade.  The source of the information is from Social Security card applications for people born after 1879, so it doesn't include people born before 1937 who never applied for a card.

New records at Family Search

familysearch.org has added millions of new records, accessible for free online. A sample includes records from the Maine State archives, 1790-1966; court records from Queens and Orange counties in New York; court records from Jefferson and Stark counties in Ohio; and obituaries for Crawford County in Ohio. They have also added a large amount of international records.

1940 census update

Read about it @ familysearch.org