How WorldCat can be useful for Family History?
/
If you are researching your family history, then you no doubt want to use as many tools at your disposal as you possibly can. Today there are more ways than ever to find out information regarding your family history, which will not only help you complete a family tree but learn important information regarding births, deaths, marriages, and much more.
One of the most overlooked tools for finding out more about family history is WorldCat. The following is a guide to how you can use WorldCat during your family history and family tree research.
What is WorldCat?
WorldCat is essentially an online library catalog with an international database. WorldCat lets you search records from libraries around the world; almost any library connected to a digital database can be found in WorldCat’s records, so it is one of the best ways to find material present in library catalogs.
The search function on WorldCat is completely free to use, which makes it an invaluable tool for people trying to save money while researching their family history.
How to use WorldCat To Research Family History
If you want to use WorldCat to research your family history and family tree, consider the following best ways to use the system during your research process.
Find books related to your family history
The simplest way to use WorldCat is to look for books that are related to your family history. Depending on your family, these may include books about your local town, local businesses, or even a book about past generations of your family. All you need to do is look for the title or subject of the book using the search function and browse through the results. In the results page, you will see libraries where the book is located. Some of these libraries could be nearby, while others may be too far away to visit.
Connect with other libraries through interlibrary loan
If there are libraries with books or other material relevant to your research that is too far away to visit, you may be able to connect with them using the interlibrary loan system. This allows you to check out books from libraries that aren’t your home library. The rules regarding interlibrary loan can vary, so it’s best to talk with your local librarian about your intentions to see if it’s possible to borrow the book from a different system.
Use the "Similar items" function to find more books for research
If you’ve found the book you’re looking for, you may be able to find related books that can help with your research as well. Simply select the “Similar items” button on the search results for your original search in order to bring up other material that may be relevant to your family history. The other material may include books, public records such as city and church records, and so on.
Remember, preserving your family history is important, so make sure to use all of the tools—including WorldCat—at your disposal.
To Check out WorldCat click here!
Check out our 10 questions to ask your parents before it's too late!
To learn which is the best software for doing a family tree click here.
To learn how to trace holocaust survivors and victims in your family history click here.
To learn whether we should record the lives of our pets click here.
To learn how to research gay family history click here.