Cutting Costs

Anyone who knows me knows that reading is a real passion for me. I will read almost anything that I can get my hands on from books and magazines, to websites and blogs, to the back of a small picture or a tiny leaflet. It doesnt matter as long as its something I can learn and absorb. Well, like so many of us in todays world, I have come to feel the pinch in my wallet from the slowing economy. So that means I have to watch my genealogy research money even more closely. I mean, lets face it, in the here and now, we have to save every penny we can. Thats where "Google Books" (http://books.google.com) has really come to the rescue.

I'll be honest, until now, I never really thought much about Google Books. Like many, I used Google for the basic needs such as email, maps, or just a simple search engine. I never thought much about all the "other gadgets" it has to offer. I was rather content to do things the "old fashioned" way--go to the library or bookstore and physically pick up the book or magazine...sit down in a comfy chair and have a great read. Now dont get me wrong, my "Google Book curiosity" had gotten the better of me on more then one occasion but in all fairness...my visits to the site were usually a simple "look over" as I casually moved on to other things. I had a real hard time looking at a book electronically...it seemed so unnatural. Then one day I thought, "I'm gonna see what all the hype is about and give it a fair shake"...and it was that day that I became its biggest fan. My favorite fact of Google Books is that you can download books right to your computer (the ones that will allow you too), read them right online and save the space on your shelf and the leave the money in your wallet. Its absolutely wonderful for simple day to day reading but I have found that using Google Books for genealogy is the best reward.

I was looking for information on a great great uncle one day so I hopped onto Google Books and typed his name in the search. I was impressed when he showed up in a list of books. I didnt even know these books existed. I felt like I had stumbled on my own little "preview" of "forgotten books". As I browsed, I found a particular book that caught my interest and so I decided to take a peak. I got very excited as I waited for it to download onto my screen. When the book finally appeared...my heart sank...it was "limited view"...this was a problem. I sat there starring at my screen--frustrated--I was so close and yet so far away from whatever information was hiding behind that "limited view". Reluctantly, I checked out a few book sites to see how much the cost would be to actually purchase the book. Well, lets just say the price was a tad bit more then what I was willing to pay...I'm sure we have all been there. Well, I sat thinking for a moment--pondering what I was going to do...and then the little man in my head flipped on the light switch. I had an idea...I wrote down the book information, everything that was listed...including the page numbers and called the local library. I asked the librarian if she could get this book in through that wonderful and fabulous "interlibrary loan". Unable to know for sure, she took the books information and mine and said she would call me back. So I waited just a day or so and she called with the news. She said that book was not available to be shipped but that the librarians where the book was housed were willing to make photocopies of the pages I requested--FREE OF CHARGE--and she wanted to know if that was acceptable. Absolutely ecstatic, I immediately told her it was and to please proceed which she did. A few days later, I had my photocopies at no cost to me other then a bit of patience. The story from the book was full of information which has definitely helped and needless to say, I was extremely happy to receive it.

I sent a thank you to the librarian who was kind enough to hunt down the book to begin with and was told that in some cases, there might be a small fee attached to photocopies or a small shipping cost if the book (or books) are actually shipped to the library. I was informed that costs accured or not accured were dependent on the individual library so it might be wise for you to ask the cost prior to shipping a book or requesting copies.

The only regret I have is taking so long to seriously check out Google Books. I will be honest, I have plugged in a few names from my family tree and many of them dont show up but the ones that do...many of their stories offer so much detail about their life...its absolutely wonderful. Not only is there the possibility of finding information about your relatives, but Google Books offers many books to help you paint the picture of your relatives life...to fill in the gaps of what was going on during their time. I have found countless books about the history of England where my family is from and whatever books I havent been able to see due to "limited view", I have been able to request through interlibrary loan or have received photocopies of the articles/book pages at little or no cost to me. It is in my opinion, that Google Books is a great starting point for any genealogist or family historian...it definitely offers a little bit of something for almost everyone.