Technology is great. And expensive in time and money. And requires an enormous learning curve, unless you have grown up with it.
The Family History Library has a new photocopying system. Each document is scanned individually. So you can adjust the focus, the exposure, and the size. If the edge of the document is too dark to read, you can adjust the lighting so that most of the black disappears.
You can print in black and white or color. The cost is 5 cents. Or 10 cents. Or 50 cents. Make your choice and click the print button.
And sometimes it takes as long to copy one page as it does to read the whole record! You have a two-step process to get the images onto your flash-drive.
If you are coordination-challenged like me, moving the image around the copy pad, just to find the right page is a project of time. I finally discovered that if I watched the carrier rather than the image on the computer screen, I could move the carrier the way I wanted to without too much difficulty. But after a few tries, you feel that your eyes are no longer crossed–they are facing different directions entirely!
Oh, for the days of a flat-bed surface and a green print button.
Who knew that after years of learning about records–where to find them, how to get them–you and I face another series of years learning how to copy them. And the new online access is sometimes just as challenging. With single page access and restricted ability to copy multiple entries. Takes three copies to do one page of the new data on familysearch.
Ugh! and Ugh! again. So I am involved with every Family History Expos event to increase my skills. You could be too.
Live from the California event at Pleasanton California where more than 700 people are learning the tech. Watch for my assessment of the up-coming Expo in Atlanta, the second weekend in November. Then register quickly to attend, while there is still seating space available.
The Ask-the-Pros booth is completely booked for both days. And the Atlanta event is also completely booked for FREE research help on your most difficult research problem.
When the researchers at the booth get stumped, they send the questions to me. Ha!! Little do they know…
Your favorite genealogist, Arlene Eakle http://arleneeakle.com
PS Here’s a report for you: I am quicker and better with my laptop. As long as I use the mouse and don’t rely on my uncoordinated fingers on the built-in mouse. And I took a whole days training on new familysearch–one-on-one with two instructors. You see I really lucked out. I arrived at the training class and I was the only student. My favorite thing–to be the only student. So I got a chance to work each and every step as the instructors did–on my own computer. On my own names! So I am feeling well-blessed, and trained this week!