I have a weekly calendar entry that reminds me to check out the new records that have been added to the major genealogy websites. When I find something of interest, I investigate it further and if it’s worthwhile I add it to my locality guide(s).
I do this even when I don’t have a subscription to a website. Why? Because I may find that there are enough relevant collections on a website that are worth the cost of a subscription for a little while. Or, I might be able to access the collections through a Family History Center’s subscription. Regardless, it’s always a great idea to keep on top of online records…you never know when one might break down that brick wall.
If you are a subscriber or on the website’s mailing list, you may receive weekly emails that list the newly added records for the previous week. While this is helpful, I’ve found that :
- I am horrible about reading email.
- If I do open the email, it usually takes me off course from what I actually NEED to be doing in that moment.
- They all fly into my inbox at different times.
By blocking off some time each week to go through all of them myself, I’m able to stay up to date, all at once, and during a dedicated time where that is my only focus.
Here are the links to see the listings of new records for the “big 4,” and no you don’t need a subscription to see them:
- Ancestry – Recently Added and Updated Collections
- FamilySearch – Historical Record Collections (sort by last updated to see recent additions)
- Findmypast – What’s New
- MyHeritage – Collection Catalog (sort by last updated to see recent additions)
Will you make this part of your weekly routine? Let me know in the comments.
I already make the rounds every week on both a personal and professional basis (I run the genealogy program as part of my job at my local library)…FindMyPast Friday is always a highlight!!!
Great minds think alike!