Sunday, October 27, 2019

PGS Family History Repository Provides Safe Harbor for Research


A few years ago, the Pinellas Genealogy Society in partnership with the Largo Public Library announced the formation of the Family History Repository. Its goal is to safeguard and make available to the public unpublished, original family history and genealogy research.

The FHR has been established to give researchers a place to harbor their work when they decide that they want to retire their research collection, or there is no family member who is able to continue the effort. In these cases, the FHR stands ready to accept the material.

Too often the efforts of researchers are neglected or destroyed when their personal involvement in the research ends due to shifting priorities, health, or other reasons. The FHR provides a place and a process where that research can live on. It is not a place to backup your research or to place your research with the intent of adding to it later. It aims to be a safe harbor for research that has run its course and will be lost if not protected here.

To be accepted, the material must be an original work product (family group sheets, pedigree charts, narratives, notes, etc.), it must be un-published, and the author or other authorized person must be willing to pass control of the material-al to PGS. The material should be organized by the donor, as meaningful organization by FHR volunteers is not possible. Although paper files are the focus of the repository, several different electronic formats can be acceptable on a case-by-case basis.

The donated material will be archived either in paper or converted to digital form, and made available to other researchers through the collection in the Genealogy Center of the Largo Public Library or the World Wide Web. if the material is digitized, the paper will be disposed of Since storage space is limited.

If you are in possession of research materials that you think would benefit from the services of the Family History Repository, get in touch with us at info@pinellasgenealogysociety.com.

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