WikiProject:Adding County Collections to County Headings

Current Projects page

Adding County Collections to County Headings

Purpose

Add County collections that contain numerous record types to the correct headings with corresponding dates.

Task List

• Task List

Instructions

Step 1: Create the Link

1. Go to the Task List and choose a tab containing a historical records collection to add to counties in the indicated state.

2. Click the first county listed on the task list to open the Wiki page.

3. Go back to the task list and inn column B, row 1, click on the link to open the historical records collection page.

4. On the historical records collection page, click on the "Browse All #### Images" button. A list of counties will appear.

5. From this list of counties, click on the first county you are working on. If the county is not included in this collection, make a note in the Notes column (column D) on the Task List.

6. Once you click on a county, you will see an extensive list of records that have been digitized for the county.

7. Return to the Task List and begin comparing the record types listed in the column headings and begin to put the beginning and ending dates for each record type.

Guidelines:

• Locate the first date found for the record type. It doesn't matter if it is an index or actual record, pick the earliest date.
• Locate the ending date found for the record types. It doesn't matter if it is an index or actual record, pick the latest date.

8. Once you have reviewed all of the record types and added the dates to the Task List, you are ready to create the database link.

9. Copy the following template to create the link.

*'''DATE-DATE''' {{RecordSearch|COLLECTION NUMBER|TITLE OF COLLECTION}} at FamilySearch — [[TITLE OF HISTORICAL RECORDS WIKI PAGE|How to Use this Collection]]; images

10. Go back to the county Wiki page and go to the very first header on the task list (such as, Births)

11. Paste the template you copied directly under the Header. You will create the database link and then move it to the correct spot in the list of databases (if there are any).

12. Now replace the information in all CAPS with information from the task list.

Guidelines:

• Use the dates you located in the collection at the beginning of the link. Do not replace the collection dates in the title.
• The TITLE OF COLLECTION should be the original title of the database found on the task list in Column B, Row 1.
• In addition to the original title, in parenthesis add the title of the record type. Try to keep it short but informative. Examples of titles:
  

Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 (Birth Records)

Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 (Land Records)

Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 (Probate Records)

Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 (Voting Records)

• We will only use "images" even if there are indexes on the images. "Indexes" lead the user to expect a search screen to enter a name, which is currently unavailable.

Example of completed link:

*'''1894-1942''' {{RecordSearch|1910364|Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 (Birth Records)}} at FamilySearch — [[Washington, County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; images

Step 2: Placing the Link

1. Once you have the link created for a particular record type, move it to the correct spot under heading on the county page.

2. Check to see if the link is already there. If it is there, replace the link with your version.

3. Place the link in chronological order with the rest of the databases.

Guidelines:

• Do not format other collections in the list of databases if they use an old format. Other projects will be done to fix these links.
• If there are no other database links under the heading, place it under the heading and any template listed (if it is there).
• Do not add any extra titles, such as, School Records Indexes and Records. Only some headings have this phrase and they are added in another project.

4. Once you have added the link to the heading, put the date you added it to the right of the dates listed on the Task List.

5. Continue with each record type on the Task List and when you are done, add the date in column C.

6. You can now continue to the next county in the state.

To access available information, first log into FamilySearch.