WorldCat for Genealogical Research: A Researcher

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WorldCat for Genealogical Research A
Researchers Assistant

• Curt B. Witcher MLS, FUGA, IGSF
• Allen County Public Library
• Fort Wayne, Indiana

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Youve come a long way, baby!

• From MAX the Maximum Catalogto WorldCat,
  OCLCs offering of the worlds largest
  bibliographic database for direct customer use
  continues to make a substantial contribution to
  the genealogical field.
• If next to knowing is knowing where to find out,
  then next to having is knowing where/how to get
  the desired data.

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Allen County Public Library

• Serve between 87K and 100K genealogists each year
  from all corners of the continent and beyond
• While our collections are a significant asset,
  our expertise programming as well as our
  interest in and ability to teach is most
  consequential.
• WorldCat is a great partner!

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Data Gathering Techniques

• Hunters n Gatherers to Crime Science
  Investigatorsno matter the strategy (very
  sophisticated or quite pedestrian) some of the
  underlying techniques are the same.
• Find answers
• Find clues
• Find sources of more answers and clues
  possibilities

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Gathering Strategy

• Five-point strategy for seeking the most relevant
  data
• family name
• geographic location
• ethnicity
• religion
• occupation
• WorldCat is a great partner!

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Family Name/Surname
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Family Name/Surname
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Family Name/Surname
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Family Name/Surname
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Family Name/Surname
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Family Name/Surname
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Geographic Location
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Geographic Location
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Geographic Location
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Geographic Location
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Ethnicity
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Ethnicity
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Ethnicity
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Ethnicity
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Ethnicity
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Ethnicity
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Ethnicity
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Ethnicity
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Ethnicity
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Religion
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Religion
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Religion
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Religion
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Religion
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Religion
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Religion
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Religion
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Religion
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Religion
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Occupation
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Occupation
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Occupation
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Occupation
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Occupation
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Occupation
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FHL Catalog WorldCat
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WorldCat

• A Genealogists
• Research Companion