Children as family history detectives

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We've recently purchased a series of educational resources for children, called Branching Out.

They are US produced lessons plans by Jennifer Holik, broken into books with ages groups:
Branching out : genealogy for 1st-3rd grade students;  Branching out : genealogy for 4th-8th grade students ; and Branching out : genealogy for high school students.

Each age group contains 30 lesson plans; and works through the mechanics of step-by-step how to research your family history in an age appropriate way.

This is an exciting new addition to the Central Auckland Research Centre.

We often get children and teens on school visits come into the Research Centre. Family history is often introduced to children via the school curriculum in Year 4 and then later around Year 10; although some schools also do it in other years.


 Getting children interested in family history has fantastic results in terms of teaching them the concept of "history" and also teaching them how to research. It allows them to identify with history in a highly personal way, through their own families.

They learn valuable information seeking skills, how to use different resources, and how to cite their sources.

When they come into our Research Centre, they don't just learn to use our online databases and subscription websites. They learn about microfiche and microfilm; heritage newspapers; and using books and CD-Roms.

We have many other resources to help as well.

We try to teach them to think laterally.

Some of these schools treat family history as a year long project, with a fantastic scrapbook at the end of it.

My plan is to take these resources and adapt them for New Zealand.

I'd love to work more collaboratively with schools, raising awareness of how much we can help them.

And I am also considering developing a school holiday programme.

I think using Family History is a great way to teaching kids how to research and how to use their Library.

If you think your school would be interested, let them know and tell them to give me a call! The best way for us to help classes, if they ring and arrange a suitable time to come in.

Meanwhile, have a look at the photos on our Facebook page. Our wonderful displays team has created a display for Family History Month (August) called Family History for Teens and Children.

Seonaid
 

Evaluating digitisation of Auckland Star & NZ Herald

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Auckland Libraries has worked in partnership with the National Library to digitise the major New Zealand newspapers Auckland Star 1870-1945; & New Zealand Herald 1863-1884 for the PapersPast heritage newspapers website. 


The project is complete now for the Auckland Star, but we want to know what you think of it. Has it helped you much with your research?
 
What was the value to you of putting the New Zealand Herald online? 

Please give us some feedback in the comments below (anonymously if you wish). 

Tell us which publications out of the two, you have used PapersPast for (either or both), how useful it was for your research - and maybe share anecdotes about what you found (if you wish).

Do you think these projects were worthwhile, and do you think that we should continue with the New Zealand Herald maybe up to 1945 as we have with the Star?

Thanks

Seonaid

 PS We've been receiving wonderful feedback about PapersPast, but we are actually asking for specific feedback about the digitisation done to date of the Auckland Star and the New Zealand Herald.

Many thanks

Some recommended social histories

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We are regularly adding to our stock family and local history books in the Central Auckland Research Centre.

Some books you look at the title and think "not my area of interest/thing"; while others just seem to leap off the shelf at you. Two such books arrived recently which I found to be very interesting and thought they may be of interest to some of you.

Ragged London: the life of London's poor

by Michael Fitzgerald
(The History Press, Stroud, Gloucestershire, 2011)
Call number: 4 ENG LOC LON

I found Ragged London enlightening as it is easy to view London's landscape as it is today and forget that it wasn't always that way - many houses in inner London were demolished in the Vistorian era for the building of railways and the underground system. Until the latter part of the century, there was no onus on the developers to provide substitute housing for those who were displaced as it was also seen as a way of clearing the slums. St Giles-in-the-Fields is used as an example in many instances, but the circumstances could easily apply to rookeries elsewhere in London. A wide range of subjects are covered such as food and drink, love and marriage, home life, work and employment, philanthropy etc. Much of the detail given could probably also apply to any other over crowded sections of other cities in Great Britain and it is therefore worthwhile having a look at this fascinating book.

 
by Jennifer Newby
(Pen & Sword, Barnsley, Sth Yorkshire, 2011)
Call number: 4 GBR OCC

This book relates to resources to be found in the UK.  It covers domestic service, factory workers, land work, criminals, middle class and aristocracy so virtually all forms of employment for women are covered.  Each chapter gives brief details of the type of work which may be involved and end with sources of relevance to that subject.  There is a good bibliography and a timeline of key events effecting women at the back of the book.  If you are researching any aspect of the life of one of your female ancestors or women in general then this book is well worth reading.

Another title which is borrowable through the library system is:

by Maureen Waller
(Hodder & Stoughton, London, 2000)
Call number: 942.106 WAL

While this relates to London many of the subjects discussed could apply to people anywhere (especially those living in cities) eg childbirth, death, disease, the home, fashion to name a few.
If you have an interest in London, there are a number of borrowable books available through the library. 

A couple which come to mind are written by Jerry White titled: London in the eighteenth century and also London in the nineteenth century.

I could go on but do have a look at the catalogue as you never know what treasures are lurking there.

Marie

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