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Private Holdings: Incorporating Evidence Explained Source Elements

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I've been slowly converting my citations to be more in-line with Mills' Evidence Explained, which is also making me more of a "lumper." As I've been working through my privately held sources, I've been using the Repository element for the name of the collection, the Repository Address for its location, and the Repository Memo for the "Privately held by. . ." portion of the citation.

 

Now, however, I'm re-thinking this.

 

It occurs to me that I might have different collections within my own, personal, "repository." I've considered adding a Collection element to a little-used element group, but haven't yet done so.

 

Has anyone else wrestled with the same problem? If so, what solutions did you come up with?

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While you could add a custom source element, I'd suggest you use the Repository Reference element - it's intended to record information about how to find the source within the Repository. The data is entered on the screen you use to attach the Repository to the source.

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Terry, are you saying use the Repository Reference element for the Collection? I started out using that for what Mills calls the "last known owner" but ran into problems with the character number limitations.

 

Right now, I'm using the Repository element for my Collection, the Repository Memo element for the last known owner, and the Repository Address for the current location. Which is more in-line with what I see as the original intention of the repository group.

 

Now I'm wondering about ways I could show different collections at the same location. I suppose the easiest way would be to just create different repositories. I don't know, maybe this is a non-issue.

 

Mostly, I'm curious if others have wrestled with this same problem and what solutions they came up with.

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Yes, I'm suggesting using the Repository Reference for the Collection. That's pretty much what it's for - to show where to find that source in that repository. Like a manuscript number in an archive, for example. That assumes the "collection" is more like a holding place in your files. But that may not be the best approach if the "collection" is a group of items you got from a common donor, and you need to say something about that group as a whole.

 

You may have three levels you are dealing with:

1. A specific item.

2. A collection you received from someone, like the box of papers from grandma's attic.

3. The repository - your files

 

If that's what you are thinking of, I can see the problem. I actually use two methods deal with that, which may not be the most consistent approach:

 

A. For minor items in the mess that I cite once or twice: I make the collection my Source, and identify the specific item in the CD when I cite it.

 

B. For items that need explanation, I make the item the source, and put in the Comments field how I got it and any notes about the nature of it I think are required. Thus they show only in the first footnote.

 

In both cases the Repostitory is my files, which I do not further break down.

 

I'd think you could also do this as you suggest by having multiple Repostitories. Make the Repostitory "Grandma's box of stuff" in your files. When you do that, the history of how you got it, etc., would appear in the first footnote for each Source you cite from that collection. I'm not sure that's the best outcome, especially if you have lots of items that are each cited only once or twice.

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I'd think you could also do this as you suggest by having multiple Repostitories. Make the Repostitory "Grandma's box of stuff" in your files. When you do that, the history of how you got it, etc., would appear in the first footnote for each Source you cite from that collection. I'm not sure that's the best outcome, especially if you have lots of items that are each cited only once or twice.

 

Hmm. I see where you are going with this. Most of my citations that need a Repository are set up in the "usual" way, but I'm sorting through less conventional stuff now, so am coming up against the Private Holdings portion of Mills' book.

 

I've also been trying to use the Collection as the lead element for the bibliography as often as possible. The more I think on this, the more I think having multiple repositories would be the simplest solution.

 

That way, I have, in a sense, an extra tier:

 

The Collection

 

The files or folder or group within the collection

 

The Item(s) in the file or folder

 

The subject of the item.

 

Then, either the folder or the item can be the main footnote, while the subject would probably end up in a Citation Detail. (Part of the new "lumpy" me).

 

Apologies if I'm not clear. It's getting toward Saturday evening here in Italy, and I'm halfway through my second Margarita. :cheers:

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I am not all that concerned about conforming to EE as long as the source type works for me, so having said that, you might want to ignore my suggestions.

 

This is how I have handled it.

 

Birth Registration: State Level (when the document is found at a state archives and the photocopy is in my possession or is in the possession of another person.

[NAME OF PERSON], [RECORD TYPE]<, Record Number [FILE NUMBER]><, [CD]>< (dated [FILE DATE])><, [VOLUME]><, [PAGE]><. Original copy can be found in [REPOSITORY INFO]><. [PRESENT OWNER]><. Hereinafter cited as [sHORT TITLE]><: [FILE REFERENCE]><, [sOURCE NUMBER]>.

 

Which prints: John Gee, Birth Certificate, Record Number 1428, dated 14 Jan 1880, Record of Births Volume 1, Page 42. Original copy can be found in Rutherford County TN Record of Births Volumes 1-2, 1879-1914, Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, TN. Photocopy in possession of author....

 

Birth Registration: Person Repository Changed (when it was owned my one person but the paper's have changed hands.

I use this for when someone has several certified copies of their family's births, marriages, etc and they have died, and those documents are now in the possession of another family member.

 

[NAME OF PERSON], [RECORD TYPE]<, Record Number [FILE NUMBER]><, [CD]>< (dated [FILE DATE])><, [VOLUME]><,PAGE]><. This document was in the possession of [PREVIOUS OWNER]><. Original copy is now in the possession of [REPOSITORY INFO]><. Hereinafter cited as [sHORT TITLE]><: [FILE REFERENCE]><, [sOURCE NUMBER]>.

 

John Gee, Birth Certificate, Record Number, 1428, dated 14 Jan 1880, Record of Births Volume 1, Page 42. This document was in the possession of James Gee. Original copy is now in the possession of Sarah Smith, 1549 Gee Hollow Road, Murfreesboro, TN....

 

Note: In the first example, I use the microfilm roll (where the original is microfilmed) as the repository. Not many users do this, but I find it very helpful when doing research mostly in microfilm.

Edited by GenerationGoneBy

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I am not all that concerned about conforming to EE as long as the source type works for me, so having said that, you might want to ignore my suggestions.

 

 

Thanks, Teresa, I appreciate the feedback.

 

My database is in a real state of transition. Before the publication of EE, I found myself to be a "splitter" but about the time EE came out, I started "lumping" my citations - at least as far as the bibliography went. Using EE's format has been an easy way for me to make the (gradual) transition.

 

Your way makes a lot of sense, but just looking at it, I could see myself making a lot of your elements into "cd's" in order to have a single bibliographical entry. I'm assuming your example was for the initial footnote/endnote when I say this.

 

Here's my version of your example:

 

Bibliography:

[bIB JURISDICTION]. < [AGENCY].> [CD6].< [bIB FORMAT].>< [CD8].> [REPOSITORY], [REPOSITORY ADDRESS]< : [CD7]>.

 

Full Footnote:

[JURISDICTION],< [AGENCY]> [CD1]< ([CD2])>, [CD3];< [FORMAT],>< [CD8],> [REPOSITORY], [REPOSITORY ADDRESS]< : accessed [CD4]>.

 

Short Footnote:

[JURISDICTION], [CD5]< ([CD2])>, [CD3].

 

Where "Bib Jurisdiction" is a custom element (in Volumes) that puts Mills' Jurisdiction element into proper bibliographical format, CD1 is the certificate type and number, CD2 is the certificate year (if it's not a part of the certificate number), CD3 is the person(s) of interest, the format is a custom element I put in "record type", and CD4 is the full access date for online information. CD5 is the same as CD1, only abbreviated, CD6 is the series (birth certificates, death certificates, etc.), CD7 is the access year for online (digital) images, and CD8 is the FHL micropublication number, if any.

 

Doing it this way has given me more flexibility, while reducing my bibliography size. It is also sometimes easier to use the "CD" than to come up with custom elements to fit Mills' citations.

 

Bedtime on this side of the world now. Will check back tomorrow.

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Heh, Teresa.

 

By the time I finished my post, you'd edited yours.

 

If you'd like, I can provide an example of the way mine prints. Just let me know.

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Yeah you can do that.

 

I am not a lumper. I put the data you are putting into the CD into source elements. To me that makes way more sense, since I only have to type the information once. I don't use the Bibliography output though so I don't have to deal with that issue.

 

I also prefer to start all my sources with the person or household of interest. I know that changed between Evidence and EE, but I just prefer to do it that way.

 

I started putting the information about the deed book, will book, or roll of microfilm into the repository and I really like it. I only have to type the information one time and can use that same roll of film hundreds of times. I don't worry about the number of sources I have, actually have a goal to hit 3000 by the end of the year.

 

I understand if you make great use of the bibliography then you'd want to limit the number of sources so that you could have a little more control over the bibliography. By not using it, it definitely frees me up.

 

I don't have a real issue with using custom source types though and like your use of the BIB JURISDICTION and a regular JURISDICTION element. That was pretty smart to get the formatting you want, and a cleaner Bibliography too.

 

Ultimately it boils down to can I find your source and can you find it again. If so, I don't think it's a real issue how we store it in TMG. We have to each figure out a method that works for us. In EE, Elizabeth abbreviates words like Volume, Page, Edition. That is fine if you are writing for a technical journal.

 

I write for my cousins, many of whom only have high school diplomas. I try and write as if I am writing to someone who has never written or read a research type paper. I spell those words out because it's clearer to my reader. If they want to get a copy of great grandma's marriage certificate they can take my source citation to the state archives and in seconds go straight to the right roll of film and then the correct document. That to me is your ultimate goal.

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ALso another thing you can do is just type the information into the source output templates as you want it to read and not use the source element data fields at all.

When you open the Master Source LIst, Add your source.

On the OUTPUT FORM Tab, just type in exactly what you want to source to say. That will override the source template. No need to worry about source elements, or style guides.

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ALso another thing you can do is just type the information into the source output templates as you want it to read and not use the source element data fields at all.

When you open the Master Source LIst, Add your source.

On the OUTPUT FORM Tab, just type in exactly what you want to source to say. That will override the source template. No need to worry about source elements, or style guides.

 

 

That's right, I'd forgotten that. I override my sentences that way all the time.

 

Thanks, Teresa.

 

As you surmised, I'm giving the bibliography priority as I work through my citations. While my example above had CD elements in the bib, many of my new source types do not. I'm hoping that the result will be a reduction in the size of the bibliography, while still having sources adequately represented. Since EE seems to work from general to specific in the citations, I've been going with that.

 

The biggest change I've found, for me, has been when I'm looking at my Master Source List. Instead of seeing my sources grouped around an individual (my old way) they are grouped more around the website, book, or - in the case of censuses - the state or country.

 

Learning to use the CD elements was hard, until v7 came along. Then I could plug in all the explanations into the Notes. When I'm going through a bunch of information from the same data set I end up with one bibliographical entry (for the data set) and the CD elements provide the variations for the individual citations.

 

*scratches head* Am I making sense?

 

As far as custom elements go, I've also added FORMAT and BIB FORMAT for the same reasons. I started running into trouble when EE had three or more date formats for the same source. That was when I started relying more heavily on the citation details.

 

Thanks for all your feedback. It's nice to be able to bounce ideas off of others once in a while.

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I basically use the abbreviation field to sort them in the source list the way I want:

 

I use

YEAR COUNTY STATE for census.

BIRTH, MARRIAGE, WILLS, FGS, etc for other types of documents. So if I know I am looking for the will of John Gee, I go first to the Wills section, and then to Gee, John. I don't print the abbreviation, so I can make it anything I want.

 

But if I printed them they would be grouped alphabetically by the person's first name since I start the majority of my sources with the person first name, last name.

 

I agree with you about the reminders, even using the source elements, they are helpful, since I set them up for what made sense with the first document of that type I found and I usually don't remember anything about that source later.

 

Once I have a good source type, I create one for each of the major repositories I use. The TN archives has everything on microfilm. The KY archives is mostly microfilm, but the Simpson County, KY archives which is where my husband's family is from has the actual documents in file folders. BY setting the templates up for the archives I am using (you could even do this for ancestry and footnote) I can conform the data to their data standards.

So I have Birth Registration TSLA, Birth Registration KDLA, Birth Registration Old Jail (the Simpson County archives).

 

You could set one up for Ancestry and one for Footnote if you used their records a lot. My templates are usually very similar, but if I ever decide that one archives or another needs a new element field, I can add it just to those source templates, and keep the others clean. I know that may sound like over kill, but it works for me and my need to compartmentalize.

 

Like you said, it's good to bounce ideas off each other. It not only helps us to understand how others think, but I usually can organize my own thoughts better that way.

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