[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] reference file systems

[Klaus-Guenter Leiss]

Am 28 Dec 2012 um 13:53 hat Lloyd Friedrick geschrieben:
> Hello everyone
> 
> My Legacy data files on individuals contain pages of notes that one 
gathers
> from interviews, letters and various snippets of reference material.
> 
> Filing of hard copies of these is a chore for me. I would like to hear 
from
> others as to what sort of filing and cross references systems that you 
use.
> 
> At the present time, I have a series of ring binders with material 
sorted
> with individual names set up alphabetically. But, some of this material
> refers to many other individuals. Also, I have family correspondence, 
maps
> and pictures that are in a haphazard system of storage boxes.
> 
> Helpful suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hello,
I would suggest going electronically with your records. You can scan your
documents and add them as pictures to your Legacy data base. This way
you can reference the same document under different individuals. The main
advantage i see with electronic storage is off site backup. Try to imagine
what it would mean if you would lose your records. How many hours of
work would you need to get them back. Storing hard copies of your records
at another place is often impractical, storing an USB drive in a safe
deposit box or at a family menbers home is a lot easier. Another
possibilty is an online backup service like Backblaze.
http://www.backblaze.com/ 

In your place i would decide which records I might need in hardcopy
original and then store them at a save place. If this documents are dear
to you and not replaceable I would store them in place save from the most 
common catastrophic events. Fire and flooding  have destroyed the 
documents and personal history of many people. A broken water line
or sewer pipe is enough to destroy all records stored in a basement.

Klaus Leiss