Sharing information with the family

[Mogsmum]

What do people feel is the better way to share all that research we've done, with the rest of the family?

Over the years I've printed out numerous charts for relatives, but they're a bit 'clinical' since they don't always include photographs, nor do they give addresses, occupations and all those other snippets of information which make the people from the past really interesting.

I've noticed that in several of the genealogy programs I've come across there is a facility to create a 'family book' which '.. allows you to publish a book in PDF format to share with people, allowing them to view and/or pint the book even if they do not have family tree software.'

I'd be interested to know if anyone has actually created one of these family books, what they thought of the results, and ... would they recommend it as the best way of sharing the family's information?   

[trish251]

Hi MM

I've  used word to create my own family book & have done one for my Mother's family & one for my FIL. I include the report/s from my gen program, showing all mentioned folks, as an appendix.

I've also done similar, but not in as much detail, for some friends whose families I have researched at their request.

I haven't seen alot of benefit in the "auto" produced books - maybe it is simply that I prefer to control what I include/omit

Trish

[KathMc]

I just received a great presentation from a cousin of types on my husband's side who I have worked with over the past couple years. It focuses on just the one branch, because that's what we share, but she did a great job. She did it in Word and it is very low-tech, with the pictures obviously cut and pasted in, but it was lovely, with a history of the town they came from in Russia, a history of some names, and stories about some of the people. I'm not sure how to start with something like this, because I feel like it is never finished, but maybe I should just get on with the first edition.

Kath

[trish251]

Tis exactly what I did Kath  & I am glad I did, because my Mum passed away not too long after it was finished. I now keep finding errors (cringe) and additions, but it can always be updated. I did both sides of my Mums family in the one book - did a chapter for each of her grandparents & their ancestors & included details of where they came from (some rootschatters took photos of very distant places for me). I also included a chapter on her life and descendants.

Trish

[Berlin-Bob]

Hi MM,

I've collected some topics here, about presenting and sharing family history.
RootsChat Topics: Organising and Presenting your Family History
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,158638.0.html

You can probably find lots of usefuls tips there.  In particular, there are a couple of topics about making a book with your data.

Good luck !

My approach was to program my website so that it prints in a "readable" format, and then print that out (every few years or so) and distribute it to the non-computer users. I also burn it on to a CD and distribute that to the others. The "family" version includes the website plus lots of data and photos younger than my grandparent's generation.

Bob

[KathMc]

Trish,

I am sorry to hear about your mom, and you have motivated me. I am going to get started now, and will start with her branch, as I still have her to enjoy it.

Kath

[trish251]

Thankyou for the kind words Kath - it was a couple of years ago now - but the grief seems to hang about - you will enjoy doing it & your Mum will love to have it (My Mum proceeded to send me a list of her cousins who would like a copy - so I  met again some older family I have lost touch with)

Thanks for the reminder Bob - I usually look there - I will look at other ideas - I still have 2 books left to do.

Trish

[KathMc]

Trish,

My dad died a bit over 3 years ago and I miss him all the time, but am able now to smile at a lot of my memories, and even laugh at some. I just told story of my dad's response to the old myth that if you pull out one gray hair, two more grow back in its place. He said, "I've been trying for years and it doesn't work." (My dad was very balding.) I found my first couple gray hairs the other day. 

I have started the initial story. When one branch of the family came over from Alsace, they settled in Buffalo, NY, so I am now gathering some facts about Buffalo. I will do an Alsatian chapter also, but need to get the the Family Research Library to look at microfilms. I think I have my ggg grandfather's family there, but need to confirm it is who I think it is. I am very excited, so thank you for the push.

Kath

[aghadowey]

Last Christmas I gave my mother her 'family' on CD. She would be a bit interested in hearing about things I find but not inclined to any research. I use Word to type my information anyway and then added a few maps and lots of photographs- many came to me from her mother and she didn't remember seeing them before. For the CD cover I copied the only picture I've ever seen of my grandparents with their 7 surviving children and my mother was thrilled. She was able to tell me when and why the picture was taken, the neighbour who took it, etc. and apparently it was not long afterwards that her father died suddenly.
Just before I posted it to her two 3rd cousins and I got in touch with each other and I now have about 100 more old photos to add to her father's family so I will soon be sneding her the 2nd edition and my father's been hinting about 'his' CD although his side of the family will be more difficult in many respects.