Social Networking for Genealogists

Library Journal

Social networking can be the answer to many a family researcher's prayers. Not only do social tools and sites encourage the sharing of information, they also facilitate locating relatives and like-minded individuals. Still, many genealogists older than the Jon Stewart crowd are not aware of or hesitate to join the online social fray. Smith, Genealib mailing list administrator and costar of the Genealogy Guys Podcast (www.genealogyguys.com), explains the uses and benefits of social networking in easy-to-follow steps. Written in a conversational tone, the book highlights the individual features of tools like RSS, tagging, message boards, podcasts, blogs, and wikis. He also details the genealogical applications of sites like Flickr, LibraryThing, Facebook, Geni, and Delicious—even encouraging researchers to explore the virtual world of Second Life. Each chapter, copiously illustrated with screenshots, concludes with "assignments" to encourage readers to sample that particular social tool or service. BOTTOM LINE While Brad and Debra Schepp's Online Genealogy Handbook (Sterling, 2008) addresses some aspects of social networking, Smith's book covers many more resources that could benefit genealogists in their quest to connect with relatives and fellow researchers.—Elaine M. Kuhn, Kenton Cty. P.L., Covington, KY