Here are a few tips before you make the commitment to travel to undertake family history research
1. Have you contacted the facility to a) make sure that they have the material you seek and b) will be open when you want to visit?
2. Have you asked if there are some particular days to avoid? [I always tell customers not to come during Water Festival. Parking downtown is a bear on most days but it's particularly tough when there are festivals in the Waterfront Park.]
3. Are you clear on any scheduled adjustments to the usual an customary schedule? [Holidays, lunchtime closures for days when there isn't enough staff to cover the desk, hurricane threats, etc.]
4. Have you asked about fees for photocopying items or photographing items from the collections?
5. Do you have all the necessary data you need to bring to make the visit productive? I can't tell you how many people have shown up through the years without the notebook that actually has the details so necessary in tracking down ancestors. One really needs a printed or handwritten of list of people names and dates to get started. Leaving that at home or in the motel room doesn't help the person on staff help you as well as we might have done if you just brought the list with you.
A good place to find a plan is "10 Tips for Planning a Genealogy Research Trip" by Lisa A. Alzo in Family Tree Magazine. CNN offers some timely "Family Tree Travel: How to Create your Own Journey into the Past" advice as well.
Heads up #1: The BDC will be running short of staff for June and perhaps into July. We have 2.5 people to cover 40 hours and one of those people will be out for all of June. If someone gets sick or a family member dies or a hurricane threatens, adjustments may occur without a lot of notice. Be sure to contact us before you finalize your plans to visit our Research Room - just in case we have to adjust our usual and customary schedule: 843-255-6468 or bdc@bcgov.net. If the entire Library system is affected notices will be posted on the Library's homepage: https://www.BeaufortCountyLibrary.org.
Heads up #2: All units of the Beaufort County Library will be closed on Monday, May 27th for Memorial Day. You'll surely not want to plan to visit our Research Room that day!
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