Usually, I avoid reading research guides because they are often complex documents written by archivists in a language only they understand. I made an exception yesterday for the Nova Scotia Archives’ new Genealogy Guide, and I am glad I did.
The guide is written in an easy-to-understand language from the point of view of a genealogist who wants to explore the archives, which makes it especially useful.
According to the introduction, “If your ancestors lived in Nova Scotia, the Nova Scotia Archives is your research epicenter. To help you get the most out of the extensive holdings, both online and on-site, this guide outlines basic sources that genealogists use, and provides directions for navigating the material housed at the Archives.”
Soon after reading the introduction, I became distracted, again not because it was confusing, but because it was easy to read and explore the resources. I was so absorbed in the Archives’ holdings, I forgot what I was supposed to be doing.
The guide’s menu “captures the most productive resources for family history available either on this website or onsite at the Nova Scotia Archives.” Click on any menu link to learn more about the resources and find out how to access them.
More than a dozen categories/menu items
Here’s what you will find in the guide’s menu:
• Biography / Genealogy Index Card Catalogue
• Nova Scotia Historical Vital Statistics
• Census and Poll Tax Records
• Church Records
• Cemetery Records
• Probate Records
• Land Records
• Township Records
• Maps
• Newspapers
• Passenger Lists
• Secondary Sources
• County / Community Histories
• Provincial and City Directories
• Our Other Online Databases
• Settlement Patterns / Cultural Diversity
While almost all of the menu items are self-explanatory, it was less obvious what was behind the titles of three items, and they piqued my curiosity.
Secondary Sources is a list of genealogy books available at the Archives.
Our Other Online Databases provides links to small databases and indexes that are useful in family history research: Court for Divorce and Matrimonial Causes, 1759-1960; 1917 Halifax Explosion Remembrance Book; Medical Examiner for Halifax and Dartmouth, 1895-1974; Nova Scotia Mine Fatalities Database, 1838-1992; and List of Bodies and Fatality Reports from the RMS Titanic.
Settlement Patterns provides information, with links and/or books about the Mi’kmaq, Acadians, African Nova Scotians, English and Americans, Foreign Protestants, Scots, Irish, and Industrial Cape Breton.
While other provincial archives provide research guides on their website, I did not find any as good or as user friendly as Nova Scotia Archives’.
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Interesting and helpful post. Thank you for sharing it. I wanted to let you know that I have included it in my NoteWorthy Reads post: http://jahcmft.blogspot.com/2016/01/noteworthy-reads-25.html.