My Sanning Project

My Scanning Project Defined

I just thought some of you might like to have a little more detail about my genealogy scanning project. While helping a friend a few years ago, I came across a 4 volume set of books about Massachusetts Genealogy published in 1911. Sadly the books are not in good shape. While the information is valuable for those of us who are interested in Massachusetts genealogy the actual paper is not of value.

So my thought is take advantage of modern technology.  Carefully take apart the books and page by page scan them into the computer and then burn them onto a memory stick or two. Each volume is about 650 pages. So getting that scanned is the first part of my project. I am only in the first of the four volumes.

After I complete that I will work on my personal collection of notes. Please allow me to explain. I have the learning disability of dyslexia, (alpha part). This makes reading very difficult. So over the years when I went into libraries to do research if I thought I had found a connection to my family I would photo copy the pages and take them home to study and see if I was correct. Well in about 48 years this has added up to a lot of paper. Again the actual paper is not of value but the information is. Or it is at least to me.

I also have hand written notes made by my Uncle Dan Post, my dad Harold Shultis and other family members. (some of my own too.)  I plan to take all of these notes and scan them has well.

When I started this project I was simply thinking of reducing the amount of paper in the house. It takes up a lot of space. But of course now I have a different view of the whole thing.  I truly believe that if anyone else in my family is interested in having this information having it on memory sticks will make it easy to share and to store.

I plan to organize my personal notes into two main files, one for my mom’s side of the family and one for my dad’s side of the family. I think this will make it easier to share with my cousins or their children.

One of the nice things about this project is that I can work on it in my bedroom at any hour of the day and not disturb my Mom. So like this morning when I can’t sleep I can scan some pages and then try to get back to sleep.

Now that I am medically retired I can work at my own schedule. No more time clock to punch. Because orgainizing the personal notes will take a lot more thought I am going to get the books done first. I am going to set myself a goal of doing 50 pages over the course of a day.

After I get the genealogy notes scanned then I will work on the family photos and scrapbooking.

I think the scrapbooking will be the most fun but it will take longer to be creative and think of the memories and notes I will want to put on each page.

I believe that having these goals for my self will make the time I have left here on earth more meaningful. It will give me things to look forward to doing and accomplishing.

If any of you have creative ideas for my projects I would love to hear them. Although I think I am fairly creative I always love new ideas. Besides if you send my ideas not only will you help with the actualy project you will encourage me both in the project and in living. 

I know at a time like this many people wish there was something they could do for someone in my shoes. Maybe this will give some of you a way to do that and actually feel like you are helping. Cause you really will be.

It is going on 5:30 am so I think I will try to get some sleep.

Here is where I am at with my project: I have scan the first 250 pages of volume 1 of the Massachusetts Genealogy.

I hope that by midnight of the 6^th of March  2012 to get to page 300. Cheer for me.