ArchiveGrid – New, Detailed Web Site Offers Fast Path to Family Roots

ArchiveGrid (archivegrid.org/welcome) is RLG's new international Web site for researching primary sources including historical documents, personal papers and family histories held in archives around the world. People researching family genealogy can learn about the contents of these collections and contact archives or institutions to find out more about their family histories. This information gives people a better understanding about their ancestors than just a birth or death record. Researchers can find letters, artifacts and photos in these files to truly understand their ancestors and what they did.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (PRWEB) March 8, 2006 -- RLG, an international, not-for-profit membership organization of over 150 research institutions, today announced its new product offering, ArchiveGrid, a Web site with nearly one million descriptions of historical collections. The Web site is especially useful for genealogists and family historians looking to find historical documents that are the keys to unlocking family heritage, and complements other sources of vital records. ArchiveGrid is a simple yet comprehensive search tool for both professional and amateur genealogists and offers a highly efficient method of compiling records and information.

“ArchiveGrid provides genealogists and family historians with hard-to-find information in a fast, concise and economical manner,” stated Karen Carbonnet, director of marketing and sales for RLG. “Prior to ArchiveGrid, those seeking family history information located in dispersed archives would have to sift through hundreds, sometimes thousands, of online search pages to find a usable nugget of information. Now with a simple search in ArchiveGrid, pertinent information is available instantly that tells researchers where documents are located within the archives themselves – down to the specific shelf and box where the historical information is stored.”

In a June 2005 study conducted by the national research and consulting firm, Market Strategies, Inc., 73 percent of Americans are interested in discovering their family history. Yet, searching the Web has its difficulties. Much of the information that pops up on general Web search engines can be misleading or inaccurate. In addition, general search engines don’t often find archives and other important historical collections.

“Until now, if someone wanted to research their family genealogy online they would log onto a general search engine and scan through page after page of search link results,” stated Ricky Erway, manager of digital resources for RLG. “An alternative would be to hire an established and reputable professional genealogist. However, this can become expensive, depending on how much information you want.”

ArchiveGrid compiles important historical information from a host of prominent institutions into a worldwide database and presents it to the searcher on a single screen. This rifle-shot approach eliminates time-consuming searches through unnecessary links commonly found on general Web search offerings and reduces non-essential travel. ArchiveGrid is so simple to use anyone with internet access can easily conduct family historical searches to discover their ancestral heritage. And ArchiveGrid is available free of charge for a three-month introductory period.

With ArchiveGrid, a simple search at www.archivegrid.org/welcome allows keyword, name, place and date range searching. The results are listed with a summary of archives and archive locations. The description of each collection includes a title, a name of the archive and a detailed summary of the collection contents. Searchers who want even more information about an archive or who to contact simply click on the name of the archive to be connected to that institution. With nearly one million collection descriptions, ArchiveGrid offers a unique, detailed Web site to assist those who truly want to know their heritage.

With ArchiveGrid, professional genealogists now have a way to be more effective and efficient – they can better serve their customers by offering more complete results in a considerably faster time frame; amateur genealogists have a tool that elevates their searches to a professional level without the associated costs for such work.

For more information about ArchiveGrid, please go to: www.archivegrid.org/welcome. For more information about RLG, please go to: www.rlg.org.

About RLG
RLG, www.rlg.org, is an international, not-for-profit membership organization of over 150 research libraries, archives, museums and other cultural memory institutions. Founded and incorporated in 1975 by the New York Public Library and Columbia, Harvard and Yale universities, RLG provides solutions to the challenges presented by information access and management in the digital era.

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