Multislacking

Yeah, I said it. Multislacking. I'm not actively researching at the moment (slacking) because I'm trying to get a handle on the stuff I already have! I have done years of research and photo-taking and photo scanning and interviewing John Wayne style... shooting from the hip and barely taking names... Well, after a while, it's tiring being so insane. Trust me.

So I'm going back and retro-actively becoming a bad-booty registrar. I've got my groove from museum managers and archivists, and it feels good! If you have outta control family artifacts and information, drop me a line. This is one of my inspirations: Registration Methods for the Small Museum

So I feel like I'm multi-slacking because there is a lot to do at the same time. I want to feel good about my system, so I'm trying to do it all right. I'm not sitting and watching TV, I'm not going to get mani-pedi's, or doing much house work besides the necessities. I'm actually kind of focused on getting this done so that going FORWARD, it will take care of itself. If I had it all done and current, and then I engaged a new research avenue, I would simply log each source I went to - whether online or in person- and catalog every bit that I get from those sources.

So, in my book, if I went to see my cousin Anne at her home, I would talk with her, scan documents and photos, maybe even photograph some heirlooms. I would detail my SOURCE SHEET first, then catalog the notes or recording of our conversation, catalog each scanned image, and catalog each digital photo so that they all come up under the same source code.

If I got a box from my mom and didn't have the time to go through it all immediately, I'd give it a source code and keep it all together so that when I did get a chance to look through it, I'd have a built in place for it all. I don't even have to do it all at once. I can group family and individual photos first, but keeping them in the same batch, have it all together.

If I have a loan of items, I will know exactly where it all came from due to the catalog number itself. After the catalog number I can put whatever tickler words I want to.

201601 - Ancestry.com - Everything gleaned from the megasite this year
201602 - Facebook.com - Family photos I've downloaded, notes from family postings
201603 - Maggie McDonald - Photos and documents from the Krauser line in WA DC (no, mom, this is a fictitious person, I haven't struck any gold there yet)
201604 - Phil Lowe - Interview and scanned documents and photos (again, fictitious)

201604.01 sound recording of conversation
201604.02 death certificate- Josephine
201604.03 birth certificate- Jacqueline
201604.04 crocheted tablecloth by Josephine
201604.05 detail of tablecloth

etc. etc.

What do you think?