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Message from agilchrest (transferred from Zotero group)
This message was copied over from the Baker Genealogy Exercises group in Zotero before the discussion forum there was turned off.
------------From agilchrest-----------------------------
I am curious as to how everyone is starting to input data.
I have started with inputting all my genealogy books. Both physical and electronic. I have been adding a few tags here and there. I am still trying to figure out what tags to use.
I absolutely love the "Related" tab. This is going to be extremely helpful.
Donna wrote in her book that she adds a note if she has the item in her personal library. I like the idea of making a notation of when I have a copy of something. I started using the Archive field entering Personal Library of Ann C Gilchrest or Personal Library of Ann C Gilchrest +PDF or Personal Library of Ann C Gilchrest PDF or Personal Library of Ann C Gilchrest Document. The + means I have both a physical copy and an electronic copy.
Don't know how this will work long term and I suspect I will be taking some of this out of a generated citation but I like seeing the information up front.
I do have to say if it wasn't for the ability to click on the connector in google to autoload information I don't think I would be doing this! In just a few days I have been able to add almost 300 books, PDF's and documents. I suspect that will slow down once I start on the paper files.
I haven't started on all the rolls of microfilm I have scanned not exactly sure how to go about those. I have scanned entire parish registers from Germany. I also have an actual roll of microfilm from New York Public Library. Which I have scanned. This one has 7 manuscripts on it. Not sure if I should use one entry with 7 notes or 7 entries and then relate them to each other. Any thoughts?
Thanks, Ann
It was the connector that sold me, too, Ann. I abandoned a home-grown Access database I had been growing for years in graduate school and let Zotero carry me through to the finish line. Letting the add-on create my footnotes and bibliography in my dissertation must have saved me months.
I haven't used the Related tab much yet, but I'm glad you're finding it valuable.
You might find that you can add some of the microfilm and papers using the connector, too, if they've been entered into a library catalog.
For the last question, I think I'd create each manuscript as its own record.
It sounds like you're making incredible progress, Ann!
Thanks, Donna!
The microfilm with the 7 manuscripts is really 7 journals done by Dr. Asa Fitch. The related tab is extremely helpful for these items. Related items include 4 volumes of a gazetteer done on the journals. The gazetteer is an expanded index. Three of the original volumes have been transcribed although there are some errors in the transcriptions. A number of the entries in the journals have been published in a couple of books. I own all of them. The microfilm is only available in three libraries all in New York. Being able to quickly access all of the related items is going to be helpful especially if I add notes about what each contains in relation to the original.
Wonderful resource! Thanks so much for the feedback, Ann. I can see that I need to get us another forum site ready asap. While I have been checking daily for new discussions, I could.not tell you had replied to annexisting one, until you emailed me. Thank you! Perhaps I will use Facebook, but I know some do not use it. We will find a solution soon.
Wonderful resource! Thanks so much for the feedback, Ann. I can see that I need to get us another forum site ready asap. While I have been checking daily for new discussions, I could.not tell you had replied to annexisting one, until you emailed me. Thank you! Perhaps I will use Facebook, but I know some do not use it. We will find a solution soon.
