How to Deal with Distant Repositories

December 22, 2009

This post is about Planning Research, Research.

It is inevitable that, at some point, you will have to deal with an out-of-state or out-of-province archives or other records repository. The simple aim of this article is to make it as painless on you and the archives as possible, while helping you to get the best results out of your efforts when you interact with them.

Stage 1: Stalk Them Online

This advice will apply mostly to repositories that hold more than one kind of source and also to archives that have some sort of web presence. If you are dealing with a group that doesn’t have an extensive website, try searching any written material you have on them, talking to people who have knowledge of the place, or, as a last resort, phoning the institution yourself to ask for the information you would normally glean from the website.

Assuming they have a website, scour it. Your first goal is to learn about the repository itself. Note down their phone number, address, and time zone. Next, look at the information they have on the records you’re interested in: what timeframe and location they cover, how the records or stored and accessed, if and how they are indexed, if any of them are restricted and if so what those restrictions are. Then, broaden your horizons a little: scan the rest of their records collections or fonds to see what other goodies they may have in store for you. I once went to an archive looking only for homestead applications and Cummins maps…then I found out they also carried newspaper archives and photograph collections.

Once you have determined what records are available, go back to your genealogy database and see who might appear in those records. This includes people you might not actively be researching as well as your current focus individuals. Gather those names and dates, and do any online searches the repository offers. Mark down any potential hits. Then find out as much as you can about the sorts of fees and payment methods offered by the repository to access and/or reproduce the records for you.

Stage 2: Make A List, Check It Twice

Grab a pencil and paper, or a keyboard, and make a detailed list of any questions you weren’t able to answer from above. Make a list of the super-promising hits for your focus individual. Include any questions you have about the sources, and make a note to double check the fees for research and photocopying. Also make a note to ask about turnaround time, and how up to date the website is. (You’d be surprised. Often the task of updating the website is left to one person, who is overworked and doing 20 other tasks no one else wants to do, too.)

Stage 3: Harass Them…

Check the repository’s hours and, accounting for time zones, call them by phone. Yes, I know this probably means long distance fees for you, but here’s why you should phone: the immediacy means they have to deal with you right away. If you use snail mail, the response time can be incredible due to the wonders of the post office. If you email them, you’ll probably never hear back. Most institutions have figured out they should have an email address, but many of them aren’t quite sure how to use it. Phoning also creates an immediate connection and rapport with the person on the other end — we’ll discuss this more in stage 4.

You also want to consider when to phone. If possible, you want to phone during a slower time of the day, probably just after opening or just after lunch. You also want to try, although it might not be possible, to phone during a slower time of the month or year. An archivist who’s stressed about the upcoming conference or planned media event will have less of their attention to focus on you. Similarly, you want to phone during off-peak hours to ensure the librarian isn’t too busy to help you, isn’t daydreaming about getting home for the weekend, isn’t too tired or worn out from their meeting about budget cuts, and so on. Calling during a lull means that not only will there be less lead time for any preliminary research they need to do, but they might have the time and energy to more than they normally would.

Stage 4: …Politely

Most people probably don’t need the guidance in this section, but having worked in the service industry for a number of years I feel compelled to include it anyways. When you are on the phone, the first thing you should say is something like “Hi, my name is Gina Lojee and I’m a family historian from My Town, USA.” This lets them know who you are, get a rough idea as to why you are calling, and informs them you may be paying long distance.

The next thing you should say is something like “I was looking at your website and have a few questions. Do you have a moment?” This lets them know that yes, people do actually visit their website! It also gives them a chance to tell you if the website is out of date, and it warns them that you have a list of questions. If they are actually busy, they can suggest a better time to call.

At that point, you can launch into your questions. I would start with general ones about the archives first, as you may find out there’s additional material you want to search for specific ancestors. If they are a smaller repository, you might be surprised at what they’ll do for you right over the phone, or how much they can prep for you if you can come visit. Most people like to be helpful if they can; librarians are no exception. Be friendly and nice to them and they will repay you many times over.

Take notes as you talk. If you miss something, say “I’m sorry, I’m taking notes as we go; do you mind repeating that?” And most importantly, remember to say THANK YOU at the end. The general public thinks archives are boring or, worse, useless, but we know better. Take time to thank the people who make your family history research possible!

Stage 5: The Aftermath

After you have ended the call, send in any forms, payment, information, etc. that is required and wait to get your stuff. If you are sending a letter, try to make it clear, concise, and spelled somewhat correctly. Include all relevant information, but don’t go off on tangents. (I guess you shouldn’t use my posts as a model, huh.)

If the archive does the searches for you, don’t batch your records searches into large chunks without asking if it’s okay first! It’s impolite to dump a ton of work on someone, and your convenience does not trump them having to manage the rest of their workload. If the records are restricted, you should definitely limit your request to the focus person, unless your phone conversation indicates they’re okay with more. In fact, you should mention roughly how many names you’re looking for when you phone them — throw out a ballpark number if necessary. Because you made sure to call during a slow time, they will often do a quick spot check over the phone based solely on the surname and give you a rough estimate of the quantity of material available. Alternately, they can arrange to have the search done in batches, or suggest a better time to dump the work on them, or at least be warned it’s coming.

Stage 6: The Postman Brought Me Goodies!

After a wait of varying length, you will receive your records. Although it’s not strictly necessary in all circumstances, it’s a good idea to send a quick note of thanks back to the archives that mentions both the organization in general and any specific person who helped you. If you asked them for more than three or four records, this becomes a requirement instead of a nice extra. Sending a thank you note serves a few purposes. First, it lets the employees or volunteers know you really do appreciate their time and work. Second, it lets their bosses know you appreciate their underlings and can impact things like reviews and raises. And third, such material is often useful in the never-ending fight for funding, when an insitution has to take their cause to a higher power that has the money to help them, but not the will.

Conclusion

The above has been a detailed guide to dealing with recordskeepers who are not near you geographically. If you found it helpful or have anything to add, please don’t hesitate to let me know. In fact, if you have any stories about dealing with a distant archives — good or bad — I’d love to hear about it through email.

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One Response to “How to Deal with Distant Repositories”

  1. Melanie says:
    January 5, 2010 at 8:07 am

    I thought I’d comment on my experience dealing with distant repositories. I agree that phoning can be advantageous, but since I work full time, my chances for calling at a good time are slim. I mostly email. Here are a few tips (some of which overlap with your suggestions):

    1. Don’t expect much from a repository during the month of December. Too much going on. Best to ask after the holidays.

    2. Yes, you will often be ignored when you email. I find it is helpful to wait three or four weeks and then send a followup email. I say something like, “Hello, I am following up on an email I sent you on X date. I have not heard back, so I thought I’d write again and make sure you received the email. Would you please verify that I am using the correct email address? Thanks very much for your time and help. I look forward to hearing from you soon.” I most often hear back, unless, of course, no one is really checking the email. Most times I am told the email must have been lost in “email la la land” and receive a promise to look into it right away.

    3. When emailing a distant repository, you might want to consider including either the state or city/state where you live. Also include thanks for their help and acknowledge that you know that they are busy and appreciate their time on your behalf. Tell them you would like to do the research yourself but are unable to because of distance. A word of caution: some repositories will respond positively if they know you are writing from far away and will try very hard to help. This will mostly be smaller libraries. “Wow! Someone in Florida is interested in my library in North Dakota!” Other libraries (especially larger libraries or those who see a lot of genealogical research traffic) may say that they are unable to spend a lot of time on users who are outside their service area. Use your best judgment.

    4. Take time to thank the person at the repository at each and every step in the process, for each and every effort they make on your behalf. Acknowledge their emails just as you expect them to acknowledge your emails. Try to put a little more thought into your appreciation than the ever-popular, “Thanks!” It’s amazing how much better you feel when you receive something as simple as, “Thank you SO much for your help. My family has been looking for this information for a long time. I know that Great Aunt Mabel will be very excited when I tell her about it!” I have also been known to send a commendation letter now and again to a library/repository director when one of their employees gives me especially wonderful service. Again, use your common sense here. Don’t say, “Ms. Sheila put all of her other work aside and spent five hours helping me with my genealogy.” Instead say, “Ms. Sheila was so helpful and professional. She really knows the courthouse records inside and out and was able to locate my ancestor’s record without a hitch! You are fortunate to have such a wonderful employee!”

    I’m sure there are more, but alas, I have to go to work again! I’m actually a librarian so have seen both sides of the coin!

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