Category: Sources and resources

Maintenance, Sources and resources

AI Can Help You Use Family History Software

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Family history software is a powerful tool, but it can be confusing, especially when you are just starting out. There are a lot of features to learn. When something goes wrong, it is not always easy to figure out why, or how to fix it.

Most software includes a built-in Help system. Many programs also have online support pages, community forums, and printed manuals. These are useful resources, but finding the right answer can take time. You may need to read several articles before things make sense.

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools offer a faster, more personal way to get help. Instead of sifting through pages of documentation, you can simply ask a question and get a direct, clear answer.

What Can AI Do for You?

AI tools can do far more than answer basic questions. Here is what they can help with:

  • Explain software features in plain language, tailored to your level of experience.
  • Provide step-by-step instructions for specific tasks.
  • Explain error messages: what caused the problem, how to fix it, and how to avoid it next time.
  • Suggest troubleshooting steps when something is not working as expected.
  • Combine information from multiple help articles into one clear answer.
  • Fill in the “why” behind instructions, not just the “how.”
  • Help you understand when and why to use specific features, reports, and tools.
  • Convert a PDF report exported from your software into a structured spreadsheet.

One of the biggest advantages of AI is that it is conversational. You can go back and forth, asking follow-up questions, sharing what you see on your screen, and refining your question until you get the answer you need.

What AI Cannot Do

It is important to understand the limits. AI tools cannot directly access your software or its built-in Help system. They work from publicly available information, which means they can draw on:

  • Help pages published on the software provider’s website.
  • Documents and manuals you upload directly to the AI tool.

This means your results will be better when you point the AI to the right resources, or provide them yourself. More on that below.

Also keep in mind that AI can make mistakes. Always review any instructions carefully before making changes to your data, especially when importing or editing records. And make sure that you back up your files regularly.

How to Ask AI for Help

Getting good results from AI comes down to asking good questions. Here are some tips:

  • Be specific. Name the software you are using and describe exactly what you are trying to do.
  • Describe what you see. Mention any error messages, unexpected behaviour, or screen details.
  • Provide the link to the relevant help page for your software. This gives the AI a reliable, accurate source to work from.
  • Upload files if needed. You can share a copy of your software manual, or a PDF report you want to work with.
  • Ask follow-up questions. If the answer is unclear, ask the AI to explain further or give an example.

Example Questions to Try

Below are examples written for Legacy Family Tree software. You can adapt these for whichever program you use. Notice that each question names the software and includes a link to the official help page.

How do I upload a GEDCOM file into Legacy Family Tree software, and does it need any fixing after doing so? Use the Help page on Legacy to answer the question and explain it for a beginner: https://legacyfamilytree.com/help/en/

How do I format place names in Legacy Family Tree software properly, and how do I fix existing ones that are not properly formatted? The help page on Legacy is: https://legacyfamilytree.com/help/en/

How do I delete events from Legacy Family Tree software without generating an error message saying it cannot have an empty line? The help page on Legacy is: https://legacyfamilytree.com/help/en/

These prompts follow a simple pattern: state the task, name the software, specify the audience if relevant, and provide the help page URL. This structure consistently produces better results.

ChatGPT’s response to my question about place name formatting incorporated Australian examples, as it knows that is a focus of my research from previous chats.

Using Your Software Manual with AI

Many software programs come with a downloadable manual. You can upload this directly to an AI tool and ask questions based on its contents. This approach works well because the AI has access to detailed, accurate documentation rather than relying on general web knowledge.

Most AI tools allow file uploads, though some have size limits. Check the tool’s settings or help page to confirm what file types and sizes are accepted.

Using NotebookLM for Ongoing Support

NotebookLM is a free AI tool from Google that is particularly well suited to this approach. You can create a dedicated notebook for your software, upload the manual once, and it will be there every time you return with a new question. You do not need to re-upload the file each session.

This makes NotebookLM a useful long-term resource, especially if you work with the same software regularly.

Converting Software Reports to Spreadsheets

Many family history programs let you export reports in CSV format, which can then be saved as an Excel file. However, I have found that this often results in formatting problems, with the text not placed neatly in appropriate columns. In the past, it used to take me some time to reformat the spreadsheet to my liking.

Now I just export the report as a PDF and ask AI to convert it into a properly structured spreadsheet. You do need to instruct the AI clearly about what you want in the spreadsheet, such as the columns. It also helps if you give it an example or an explanation of what goes into each column. This means creating a prompt and saving it somewhere for next time, so that you don’t have to go through the instruction process every time.

Here is an example prompt for how I convert a Potential Problems report from Legacy Family Tree software into an Excel spreadsheet, with an extra column that I can use to mark off as problems are resolved:

Convert the attached report to a spreadsheet format with five columns: ID, Name, Problem, Notes, and Resolved. In this report, each entry begins with a four-digit number followed by a name. Place the four-digit number in the ID column and the name in the Name column. The text in bold goes in the Problem column, and the remaining text of each entry goes in the Notes column. Leave the Resolved column blank. Start a new row for each four-digit number, with one row per problem.

You can adapt this prompt for other report types by describing the structure of your specific report.

Encourage AI to ask questions if your instructions are not clear enough. I used this response to revise my prompt for future requests to convert a PDF of the Potential Problems Report to a spreadsheet.
AI may even suggest improvements to your spreadsheet, if it understands what you want to use it for. Here is a suggestion I received from ChatGPT for the Potential Problems spreadsheet.

Which AI Tools to Use

Several AI tools are well suited to this kind of work. The most widely used options include ChatGPT (from OpenAI), Claude (from Anthropic), Gemini (from Google), and Copilot (from Microsoft). All of these can answer questions, interpret help articles, and process uploaded documents.

NotebookLM (also from Google) is particularly useful if you want to work with a specific document, such as a software manual, on an ongoing basis.

Most of these tools offer a free tier with sufficient capability for occasional use. Paid plans provide higher usage limits and access to more advanced features.

Try it out

Use AI to learn more of the features of your software and fix problems, to make your family history more accurate and more enjoyable. Try different tools with the same question and compare their answers, to see which one you prefer to work with.

About the Author

Danielle Lautrec is a genealogy educator, researcher, and author of The Good Genealogist. With qualifications in history, family history, and historical archaeology, she teaches for the Society of Australian Genealogists. Danielle convenes the Society’s Legacy Software Users Group and the Source Citations Group and is co-convenor of the Society’s DNA Research Groups.

For more articles on documenting your family history, go to the Document page.

Sources and resources

WikiTree Sourcer: A Free Browser Extension for Searching and Citations

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If you need help finding more sources and citing them properly, WikiTree Sourcer might be the tool for you. It’s a free browser extension that searches for sources and generates source citations in seconds.

The extension was created for WikiTree, but here’s the thing most people don’t realise: you don’t have to be a WikiTree user to benefit from it. It works with several major genealogy websites, making it a versatile addition to your research toolkit.

What are WikiTree and WikiTree Sourcer?

WikiTree is a free, online collaborative family tree. Anyone can create an account and contribute. Each person on the tree has a profile linked to relatives such as parents, spouses and children. Profiles contain a standardised data section where details like names, dates and locations are recorded, and a biography section for narrative text.

Volunteers have developed browser extensions to make working in WikiTree easier. WikiTree Sourcer is one of the most popular because it supports both research and documentation.

What the extension does

According to WikiTree, the extension focuses on three goals:

  1. Search other genealogy websites for relevant records, using the details from an open person profile.
  2. Extract information and build a source citation from a record page on those websites.
  3. Search other sites for similar records. For example, helping you locate a free version of a source you first found on a subscription site.

Not just for WikiTree users

The name is misleading. Although the extension was designed for WikiTree, it can operate from a person profile on other platforms too. It just needs structured data such as a name, dates and places.

I have used it successfully from:

  • Ancestry, FamilySearch and MyHeritage person profiles
  • Civil registration index sites such as the NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages.

So if you research on Ancestry or FamilySearch and have never touched WikiTree, you can still install WikiTree Sourcer and use it to search for sources and generate citations from those platforms. That alone makes it worth trying.

A citation tool for everyone, especially if you struggle with source citations

Let’s be honest: writing source citations is one of the tasks genealogists often skip or put off. Formatting can feel fiddly, and it’s tempting to save “just enough” detail and move on. Over time, this leads to a tree full of unsourced claims.

WikiTree Sourcer removes much of that friction. When you are viewing a record on a supported site, click the extension icon and it will generate a formatted citation for you instantly. You don’t need to know citation rules or remember which details to include. The extension does the work for you.

The citations may not be perfect for your preferred style, but they provide an excellent starting point. You can edit them if needed. The key benefit is this: you’ll actually have a citation, rather than a vague note or nothing at all. That’s a significant step forward for anyone who finds citation writing difficult or time-consuming.

How to use WikiTree Sourcer

  1. Install the extension and pin it to your browser bar so it is easy to access. You will see a [1] on your bar when it is successfully added.
  2. Open a person profile. This can be a WikiTree profile, or a profile on another supported site such as Ancestry or FamilySearch.
  3. Click the extension icon [1] and choose the website you want to search. The list is customised based on the details in the open profile and the list of supported sites. For instance, if the person was born and died in New South Wales Australia, the NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages will appear as an option.
  4. Open a record from the results. Click the icon again to generate a citation. You will be offered three formats:

Build Inline Citation – a citation wrapped in <ref></ref> tags for WikiTree footnotes

Build Narrative with Citation – a sentence summarising the record followed by the citation

Build Source Citation – the citation without WikiTree ref tags, ready to use anywhere

Here are some examples so that you can see what each of these options will generate.

Example of an Inline Citation with <ref> tags
Example of a Narrative with Citation, narrative is highlighted in this image for clarification
Same example, in the third format: Source citation without the <ref> tags

Note: You must be logged in to any subscription site in another tab before searching. The extension cannot bypass paywalls.

The citations are formatted for WikiTree by default, but the “Build Source Citation” option produces a clean citation you can paste into Word, your family history software or another online tree. Simply delete any remaining <br/> tags if they appear.

You can also create a citation without using the extension for the search step. If you already have a record open on a supported site, just click the icon and choose a citation format. This is one of the quickest ways to generate a citation.

Where it works and where it doesn’t

The extension works on supported websites and success depends on whether the page displays clear, labelled data that the extension can read.

It works best when data displayed is in labelled fields, like a name field, a date field and a place field. It is less likely to work when the same information is buried in a paragraph of text such as biographies on Wikipedia pages.

It does not work for non-supported websites or when you are working offline, such as viewing a family group sheet PDF or from inside desktop family history software.

A current list of supported sites is available on WikiTree.

My tips and observations

  • Watch for over-specific searches. When searching the NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages from a WikiTree profile, for example, the extension tends to include middle names for both parents and child. Exact searches like this can miss entries. Try editing the criteria within that website and rerunning the search with fewer details.
  • It can find records you missed. The tool sometimes locates sources that I did not find with my own manual search, perhaps because it constructs the query differently. This is a good reason to use it even if you’ve already searched a site yourself.
  • Use it alongside your existing workflow. You don’t need to change how you research. Simply install the extension and use it when you happen to be on a supported site. Over time, you’ll develop a feel for when it adds value.

Why I find it useful

WikiTree Sourcer encourages broader searching across multiple sites and saves time by filling in search fields for you. This makes it easier to find more evidence to support your conclusions. More importantly, it promotes good documentation by generating source citations for you.

Even if you ultimately modify the format, having a ready-made citation reduces the risk of leaving a source uncited. And because it works beyond WikiTree, it fits into whatever research platform you already use.

Where to get it

Installation instructions and links to the extension are available on WikiTree

About the Author

Danielle Lautrec is a genealogy educator, researcher, and author of The Good Genealogist. With qualifications in history, family history, and historical archaeology, she teaches for the Society of Australian Genealogists.

For more blog posts about source citations, see Citing family history sources – Generations Genealogy

silver imac displaying collage photos
Sources and resources

Using Canva and Affinity Studio in Family History: 21 Ideas

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Visual storytelling is essential in family history. Whether sharing research findings, preparing publications, or promoting your genealogy business, design tools help you communicate clearly and beautifully.

This post introduces two great graphic design tools, Canva and Affinity Studio, and demonstrates twenty-one practical ways to use them in your family history work.

What is Canva?

Canva is an online design platform that lets you create graphics quickly and easily. It provides thousands of templates for social media posts, posters, presentations, invitations, reports and more.

You can customise colours, fonts, layouts and images without advanced design skills. Canva works wherever you have an internet connection, making it fast and accessible.

The platform includes basic photo-editing tools, AI image generation, brand kits, collaboration features and flexible export options. If you need something quickly or lack extensive design experience, Canva is an excellent choice.

What is Affinity Studio?

The three main tools, or studios, in Affinity Studio are Layout, Vector, and Pixel.

Layout Studio handles page layouts for books, newsletters and reports. Vector Studio creates logos, charts, maps and diagrams. Pixel Studio provides precise image editing and retouching. Use them separately or combine all in one project.

Unlike Canva, Affinity does not include galleries of ready-made templates or images. You import or generate your own content.

Affinity offers fine control over typography, colours, layers, grids and print settings. It supports professional formats including CMYK colour profiles, making it suitable for print-ready publications. Affinity targets users with advanced design skills.

Twenty-One Ways to Use Canva and Affinity Studio in Family History

Below are twenty-one practical ideas for using these tools in your family history projects. Choose the app based on your skills and the nature of the task.

1. Social media posts about your family or research

Share family stories, discoveries or research updates on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest. I love Canva for social media as it has a wide selection of templates, graphics and images. You can apply your own brand kit to maintain consistency.

2. Restore or enhance family photos

Canva offers basic photo enhancements and an AI tools such as background removal. Use Pixel Studio in Affinity for careful retouching, colour cast correction or repairing small defects.

two black and white images showing a photo before and after editing in Affinity Studio
Before and after photo editing in Affinity Studio
(Subject: Taronga Zoo ferry wharf, Sydney Australia, date and photographer unknown)

3. Gift cards featuring your family

Turn family photos into birthday or holiday cards. These are simple to produce in both tools.

4. Ancestor profiles

Create a snapshot of an ancestor’s life including photos, events, occupations, locations and stories. Share these with relatives or include them in publications.

5. Family newsletters

Use a Canva newsletter template or design your own. Layout Studio in Affinity provides another option for more complex layouts.

6. Family history books

Both tools support book creation from simple to sophisticated. Plan page spreads, design chapter headings, edit images and control typography in Affinity’s Layout Studio or Canva.

7. Locality guides to assist your research

Create a locality guide in either tool for the town, parish or country where your ancestors lived. Include maps, timelines, repositories and links to useful sources.

8. Photobooks or scrapbooks

Canva works well for photobooks and family history scrapbooks. Combine images, captions, stories and themed layouts in a cohesive design.

9. Presentations about your family or research topics

Canva lets you design slides quickly for educational purposes or sharing family stories. Use a template, generate a presentation with AI, or create your own branded slides.

Easily remove backgrounds using Canva’s background remover
(AI tool in the Canva Pro version)

10. Customised family tree charts

Create family tree charts that include exactly the people and information you need. Use Canva or Affinity to customise colours, shapes, line styles, and add images or graphics.

11. Customised maps to illustrate publications

Create maps containing the places and features you need while avoiding copyright issues. Add place markers, migration paths or historical boundaries. Affinity’s Vector Studio is great for map creation.

12. Unique graphics and infographics for blog posts

Create graphics and infographics to illustrate your content. Canva’s infographic templates provide helpful starting points. Use Affinity Vector when you need more precision or complexity.

13. Banner images for social media and websites

Design banner images for Facebook or your website that reflect your personality or business brand. Get inspiration from Canva templates or create custom designs in Affinity.

three images illustrating a banner design, infographic and social media post created in Canva
A sample of graphics created using Canva – banner image, infographic, social media post (two contain AI generated images)

14. AI-generated images when photos don’t exist

Canva Pro includes AI features for creating images when suitable photos don’t exist. Generate scenes representing an ancestor’s occupation, historic locations, or people for presentations and publications. Canva’s AI tools are intuitive and easy to use.

15. Logos for your genealogy business

Design a logo in Affinity’s Vector Studio for fine control over every element, or use Canva’s templates and customisation tools for faster results.

16. Business cards for your genealogy business

Canva offers ready-to-print business card templates. Customise them with your branding or design your own from scratch.

17. Brochures and flyers to promote your services

Design marketing materials for speaking events, consultations or workshops. Keep branding consistent across all formats.

My business flyer, created in Canva

18. Brand and style guides for your genealogy business

Define fonts, colours, image styles and layout rules. Maintain your brand as a Canva brand kit or create a formal document in either Canva or Affinity Studio.

19. Customised templates for business workflows

Create professional, branded templates for invoices, reports and receipts to streamline your genealogy business operations.

20. Worksheets, forms and research templates

Design research plans and logs, checklists, interview sheets, transcription forms and analysis templates tailored to your research needs.

21. Family reunion materials

Prepare for your next family reunion with promotional materials, newsletters, charts, storybooks and more.

Choosing the Right Tool for the Task

Both tools are powerful, but they have different strengths and require different skill levels.

Use Canva when you:

  • need something quickly
  • prefer working with templates
  • want accessible AI tools
  • are new to design.

Use Affinity Studio when you:

  • require precise control over design elements
  • work with CMYK or print-ready formats
  • create detailed diagrams or layered designs
  • have confidence with graphic design tools.

Both tools offer free versions. Canva also has a Canva Pro subscription for additional features. Download Affinity Studio to your computer and log in using your Canva account. If you have a Canva Pro subscription, AI features will be available in Affinity Studio.

Get Started

Canva and Affinity Studio are valuable tools for family history work. They help you create unique designs, share your research and build engaging presentations.

Start small and experiment. Choose the app that suits your skills and the task at hand.

If you want to learn more about using Canva in family history, Jane Hutcheon is giving a presentation on Canva essentials for the Society of Australian Genealogists on 3 December.

For more of my articles on documenting your family history, go to the Document page.

About the Author

Danielle Lautrec is a genealogy educator, researcher, and author of The Good Genealogist. With qualifications in history, family history, and historical archaeology, she teaches for the Society of Australian Genealogists.

Methodology, Sources and resources

Family History Source Citations That Support Your Conclusions

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We all learn the rules. We have to cite our sources. The problem is that it has become too easy for us to add a couple of source citations and think that the job is done.

But the job is not done if the sources cited do not provide sufficient evidence for your conclusions.

Source citations do not guarantee quality family history

Modern genealogy software and online platforms make adding source citations quick and simple. Click a button, attach a source, and you’re done. This ease of citation has created a false sense of security. Many researchers assume that because they’ve added citations, their family history is accurate and well-documented.

This assumption is dangerous.

If you examine any online family tree, or even your own family history documentation, you’ll quickly discover inadequacies in how sources support the conclusions drawn. The more you look, the more problems you’ll find.

Common Citation Problems

These inadequacies fall into four main categories:

Including extra information not found in the cited sources. You record information that isn’t actually in the documents you’ve referenced.

Recording information differently than it appears in the sources. You interpret or alter what the source says instead of recording it accurately.

Omitting important information from the cited sources. You cherry-pick details while ignoring other information in the same document.

Dismissing discrepancies between sources. When multiple sources disagree, you choose one without acknowledging the conflict or explaining why you chose one over the other.

These problems stem from two causes. Sometimes you have additional sources to support your conclusion but simply haven’t cited them. Other times, you’ve reached hasty conclusions based on insufficient evidence.

Either way, these errors undermine your research process and mislead others who rely on your work.

The Real Problem: Analysis is Neglected

By focusing on adding source citations and making the citation process easy, we risk not conducting sufficient analysis to determine whether our sources and conclusions are correct.

Citations without analysis create an illusion of scholarly rigor. They suggest your conclusions are well-supported when they may not be.

Common Errors in Practice

Here are three frequent mistakes that demonstrate how citations can mislead.

Errors in Dates

Common mistakes include:

  • Recording a full date when cited sources only mention the year
  • Stating a year without clarifying it’s an approximation.

Example: You record your ancestor’s birth date as 9 Jan 1852 and cite the 1851 English census. This citation doesn’t support your conclusion. The census provides an age in a particular year, from which you can calculate an approximate birth year. This is indirect evidence for the year, but no evidence is provided for the day and month.

Census ages are often approximate. In some cases, such as the 1841 English census they’re deliberately rounded – though application of that standard is variable.

Another example: You record your ancestor’s birth date as 22 Feb 1875 and cite the NSW Births Deaths and Marriages index. This citation doesn’t support your conclusion. Full dates are only supported by the actual certificate or a transcription has been obtained and cited. Indexes may state just the year, or a quarterly period.

The Solution: Find sources that contain the actual full date, such as baptism records that often list both baptism and birth dates. Alternatively, be precise about what your sources say. If the civil registration index shows “May-July 1866,” record exactly that.

English BMD indexes often only state the quarter. This one has a specific month.

Errors in Locations

Common mistakes include:

  • Recording where an event was registered instead of where it occurred
  • Recording an associated event’s location instead of the actual event (baptism location as birth location, burial location as death location)
  • Inconsistent approach to recording location name changes
  • Including location errors from sources without noting the discrepancy.

Example: Your ancestor’s birth certificate states that he was born in Spicers Creek NSW Australia, but the birth was registered in Wellington NSW Australia. You record the location as Wellington, but this misleads both you and other researchers.

The Solution: Use the event location when available. Put registration details in your notes. For location name changes, I suggest using current names with historical variants noted.

Errors in Names

Common mistakes include:

  • Choosing one name, without recording the variations and the sources that contain the variations
  • Not realising that a difference in name may indicate that the cited source relates to a different person
  • Recording middle names that aren’t stated in the cited sources
  • Forgetting to record a woman with her maiden name.

Example: You record your great grandmother as Sophia Jane Squires, but that is her married name. Change it to Sophia Jane Webb and cite her marriage certificate or her baptism record, if available.

The Solution: All name variations and middle names need sources that specifically provide evidence for that exact variation. Record all variations you find, but ensure each has proper citation support. Choose one version as the primary name and cite at least one source using that exact version.

Why These Details Matter

Names, dates and locations are the building blocks of family history research. Even small errors can lead to:

  • Including wrong people in your family tree
  • Researching in the wrong places or time periods
  • Overlooking significant inconsistencies in your information.

Good quality family history must be accurate, comprehensive, and well-documented. This means ensuring you have cited sufficient evidence to support each conclusion.

Putting it Into Practice

Here’s how to audit your own work:

Create a simple table with four columns: Information, Sources Cited, Issues, and Sufficient Evidence?

Choose one grandparent from your family tree. Examine their name, birth, and death information. Look for discrepancies between what you’ve recorded and what your cited sources actually say.

My Example: Maternal Grandfather Analysis

This analysis revealed that my death date and location lack proper source support. I need to obtain additional sources.

Your Next Steps

Repeat this analysis for each grandparent and then move backwards through the generations. You could conduct this analysis as part of your Tree Health Assessment.

Where you find insufficient evidence, you have two options:

  1. Find additional sources to support your conclusions
  2. Modify your recorded information to match what your sources actually say.

Remember: source citations are the foundation of quality family history, but only when those sources actually support the conclusions you’ve drawn from them.

Quality research requires both good sources and careful analysis of what those sources tell us.

For more tips on source citations, see Chapter 5 of my book, The Good Genealogist, and my blog post, Citing Family History Sources.

About the Author

Danielle Lautrec is a genealogy educator, researcher, and author of The Good Genealogist. With qualifications in history, family history, and historical archaeology, she teaches for the Society of Australian Genealogists.

Sources and resources

Offline Family History Sources: Hidden Treasures

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The internet is a great tool for family history research, but it’s only the start. Offline family history sources hold incredible treasures waiting to be discovered – original documents, family photographs, handwritten letters, and records that may never appear online.

These sources can unlock family mysteries, provide rich details for your stories, and offer connections to your ancestors’ lives. With the right approach, accessing offline sources becomes an exciting adventure rather than a daunting task.

What Are Offline Family History Sources?

Offline sources are any materials that provide family history information but aren’t available on the internet. They include both digitised materials held in physical collections and items that have never been digitised.

Examples of offline sources include:

  • Original church registers and parish records
  • Historical maps and property plans
  • Family photographs, letters, and diaries
  • Published family histories and genealogies
  • Cemetery office records and funeral director files
  • Court case files and legal documents
  • School records and employment files
  • Local newspaper archives
  • Military service records
  • Medical records and hospital registers.
example of an offline family history source - the last page of an affidavit to a will
Three treasures I found in an archive for my own family history.
example of an offline family history source - a hand-written letter requesting a land grant at Evan, New South Wales, dated 1824
example of an offline family history source - typed letter regarding shares in a company

Why Offline Sources Are Genealogy Gold

Online databases are wonderful starting points for your family history research, but they represent just a fraction of available records. Offline sources offer some unique advantages:

Original documents reveal more. You might discover additional information not included in online transcriptions, or spot errors in digital copies. Original documents often contain details that provide extra context.

Example:

The birth certificate of my great grandmother, Bertha, has a notation that confirms her birth name, which was different to the name she was using at the time of her marriage. This notation was evidence that I had the correct person.

Richer context and collections. Archives often keep related materials together. You might find a family collection containing letters, photographs, wills, and personal documents that tell a complete story.

Example:

The archives of the Society of Australian Genealogists has a collection of family papers of the Sydney-based businessman and restauranteur Mei Quong Tart (1850-1903), whose famous tea rooms were situated in the Queen Victoria Building. These include scrapbooks, letters and photographs which provide insights into the social life of the man and his family.

Unique information. Many offline sources contain details found nowhere else. Personal letters reveal family relationships and daily life. Local records capture community connections.

Example:

When I worked in the archives of the Society of Australian Genealogists, I had the pleasure of reading and cataloguing many diaries and letters, as well as sketches and poetry of women from the 19th century. Their stories are captivating and the experience of holding such items is something that online research just cannot match.

Problem-solving power. Offline sources frequently hold the key to breaking down brick walls or resolving conflicting information.

Example:

When I examined my great-great-grandfather’s probate packet at the NSW State Archives, I discovered he’d left his estate to a woman and her children – not to his own family! This led to a fascinating story about a court challenge and revealed an entire branch of relationships I never knew existed.

Where to Find Offline Treasures

Libraries and archives are your primary destinations. Look beyond the obvious national and state institutions to discover:

  • Local and regional libraries
  • Family history society libraries
  • University special collections
  • Religious institution archives
  • Occupation-based collections (railway museums, medical associations)
  • School and college archives.

Museums and galleries often hold surprising genealogical treasures. Historical societies maintain collections of local records, photographs, and personal items that illuminate daily life in past eras.

Private collections represent the largest category of offline sources. Family members, local historians, and collectors often hold unique materials.

Finding the Right Repositories

Start with the FamilySearch Wiki, which lists repositories worldwide with contact details and collection descriptions.

Use specialised portals like GENUKI (UK) or Coraweb (Australia) for regional guidance.

Think strategically about your ancestor’s life. Which school did they attend? What church? What employer? These institutions may have archives.

New Zealand flag and headings for research guidance
Find information about repositories on the location page in the FamilySearch Wiki.

Accessing Offline Sources: Practical Strategies

Before You Visit

Research the repository by checking their website. Investigate:

  • Opening hours and access requirements
  • Whether you can pre-order materials
  • Photography and copying policies
  • Any special restrictions.

Check if they require you obtain a membership card before your visit.

Research the collection using online catalogues where available. Many archives and libraries provide finding aids that may help you identify relevant materials.

Plan your visit with clear goals. Prioritise the most important materials for your research questions. Contact the repository if their website does not contain the information you need. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time – always assume that it will take longer than you think!

During Your Visit

Take effective notes including full source citations. Use your phone or tablet to photograph documents where permitted – this saves time and ensures you capture all details.

Ask for help. Repository staff and volunteers are knowledgeable about their collections and may be able to assist you locating relevant materials.

Work systematically through your priority list, but remain flexible. You might discover unexpected connections.

If You Can’t Travel

Use email reference services. Many repositories offer lookup services for specific queries.

Connect with local researchers through family history societies or genealogical associations. They often provide research services or volunteer assistance.

Network through social media groups focused on your research areas. Local genealogists frequently share information and offer help.

Making the Most of Your Discoveries

Document everything thoroughly while details are fresh. Include not just the information you found, but also the context – what collection it came from, what other materials were nearby, and any insights from repository staff. Make a record of any usage restrictions, particularly if you plan to publish your research.

Cite your sources properly using established genealogical citation formats. This ensures you can find materials again and helps other researchers when you share your research.

Share your discoveries appropriately. Consider contributing copies of your research to relevant repositories or genealogical societies.

Your Next Steps

Ready to explore offline sources?

Get started with one offline action:

  • Visit your local library’s family history section
  • Contact a local historical society about their collections
  • Email a repository about a specific research question
  • Ask family members about documents they might have.

Remember: Every offline source you explore has the potential to provide new evidence for your family history. And these materials connect you directly to your ancestors’ world in ways that online sources cannot match.

The treasures are out there waiting for you. Your next breakthrough might be sitting in a filing cabinet, a family attic, or an archive just a phone call away.

Want more strategies for effective family history research? Check out my posts on research planning, note-taking techniques, and citing sources.

Feature image: Morrab Library in Penzance, Cornwall, England. I spent a day there browsing files and books when researching my maternal family history.

About the Author

Danielle Lautrec is a genealogy educator, researcher, and author of The Good Genealogist. With qualifications in history, family history, and historical archaeology, she teaches for the Society of Australian Genealogists.