Q: How long have you been a genealogist?
A: I have researched my family since the late 1990s. I began taking clients in 2014.
Q: Do you have any special training or are you certified?
A: I hold a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University which I acquired in 2013. I continue to attend seminars and webinars in an effort to stay abreast of developments in the field. I am also a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists which has an annual continuing education requirement which I exceed each year. In 2018, I earned certification as a Kentucky Scholar from the Kentucky Arts Council which resulted in a much better understanding of story and how to tell one effectively.
Q: How long will the research take?
A: I can only give an estimate of the time it will take to complete your research because it depends on a variety of factors including:
Q: Why do you have a 10-hour minimum?
A: To clarify, the 10-hour minimum only applies to projects. I actually punch a time clock for the other hourly services listed and bill them at the hourly rate. The minimum allows for:
Q: Do you conduct online research?
A: ABSOLUTELY. It is far more efficient for me (and cost effective for you) to pull document images from e-sources than drive 70 miles to a repository to pull the actual document. I hold active subscriptions, and therefore full access to over half a dozen for-fee websites including Ancestry, Fold3, Newspapers, etc., as well as accounts on major free websites.
Q: Once a research block is complete, what will I receive?
A: You will receive:
Q: How will I receive these documents?
A: All deliverables are conveyed in PDF form. Extremely LARGE reports may have to be conveyed via Google Drive due to email size limitations.
Q: Will you help me find my living relatives?
A: No. I only deal with the dead.
A: I have researched my family since the late 1990s. I began taking clients in 2014.
Q: Do you have any special training or are you certified?
A: I hold a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University which I acquired in 2013. I continue to attend seminars and webinars in an effort to stay abreast of developments in the field. I am also a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists which has an annual continuing education requirement which I exceed each year. In 2018, I earned certification as a Kentucky Scholar from the Kentucky Arts Council which resulted in a much better understanding of story and how to tell one effectively.
Q: How long will the research take?
A: I can only give an estimate of the time it will take to complete your research because it depends on a variety of factors including:
- the time period being researched
- the area where the subject(s) lived
- the availability of reliable records and documents for that time and locale
- the number of lines being researched
Q: Why do you have a 10-hour minimum?
A: To clarify, the 10-hour minimum only applies to projects. I actually punch a time clock for the other hourly services listed and bill them at the hourly rate. The minimum allows for:
- a review of previous research conducted (provided by the client)
- development of a research plan
- identification and location of records
- composition of a written report of findings with recommendations fo next steps
- creation of a source citation for each document
- creation of PDFs for deliverables
Q: Do you conduct online research?
A: ABSOLUTELY. It is far more efficient for me (and cost effective for you) to pull document images from e-sources than drive 70 miles to a repository to pull the actual document. I hold active subscriptions, and therefore full access to over half a dozen for-fee websites including Ancestry, Fold3, Newspapers, etc., as well as accounts on major free websites.
Q: Once a research block is complete, what will I receive?
A: You will receive:
- a formal sited research report with next-step recommendations
- source cited images of pertinent documents
- a research log
- an invoice for services (which is due upon receipt)
Q: How will I receive these documents?
A: All deliverables are conveyed in PDF form. Extremely LARGE reports may have to be conveyed via Google Drive due to email size limitations.
Q: Will you help me find my living relatives?
A: No. I only deal with the dead.
Image credit: Gold water drop by Maria del Rocio Flores Vega from Pixabay.com.