WEB INDEXING - Birth, Marriage & Death Records from MEXICO
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DeAnn Cohrs said: INDEXING - MEXICO - BIRTH, MARRIAGE & DEATH RECORDS
I'd like to share some difficulties I experienced when indexing birth records from Mexico (the same would apply to marriage and death records, too). The way that things are currently set up, Web Indexing doesn't allow for complete records to be recorded unless that record is all on one page. The way the 'Registros Civíles' are laid out, there are page overlaps where one record will continue on the next page, and your Web Indexing doesn't allow for a complete record to be recorded because it continues on the next page. Please reconsider the way you break up these records for recording. The current way is a huge disservice to your end users as they aren't getting the complete record.
The second part of this is the way names are laid out in these records. Your web index is trying to fill in the blanks with a record that is written in paragraph form. A lot of information from the record is left out due to the way you're requesting the record to be indexed. For example, in a birth record (acta de nacimiento), a child's name will present with a first & last name, but your form also includes a spot for a second last name. In Mexico, the mother's maiden name is the child's second last name. If your instructions would include some more direction on how to read the record in its entirety, MUCH more of the record could be included - the information is there, so why not include it. Furthermore, we can get the first last name of the father on the record, but sometimes, it's only the first last name listed with the father's first name. But, the father's second last name is in the record when the paternal grandparents are listed because his mother's last name is his second last name. The same applies to the child's mother when maternal grandparents' names are listed.
PLEASE reconsider the way these records are indexed. I personally could only get a portion of my great-grandparents' marriage record because their record carried over to a second page, and that wasn't recorded with the first half of their record.
I'd like to share some difficulties I experienced when indexing birth records from Mexico (the same would apply to marriage and death records, too). The way that things are currently set up, Web Indexing doesn't allow for complete records to be recorded unless that record is all on one page. The way the 'Registros Civíles' are laid out, there are page overlaps where one record will continue on the next page, and your Web Indexing doesn't allow for a complete record to be recorded because it continues on the next page. Please reconsider the way you break up these records for recording. The current way is a huge disservice to your end users as they aren't getting the complete record.
The second part of this is the way names are laid out in these records. Your web index is trying to fill in the blanks with a record that is written in paragraph form. A lot of information from the record is left out due to the way you're requesting the record to be indexed. For example, in a birth record (acta de nacimiento), a child's name will present with a first & last name, but your form also includes a spot for a second last name. In Mexico, the mother's maiden name is the child's second last name. If your instructions would include some more direction on how to read the record in its entirety, MUCH more of the record could be included - the information is there, so why not include it. Furthermore, we can get the first last name of the father on the record, but sometimes, it's only the first last name listed with the father's first name. But, the father's second last name is in the record when the paternal grandparents are listed because his mother's last name is his second last name. The same applies to the child's mother when maternal grandparents' names are listed.
PLEASE reconsider the way these records are indexed. I personally could only get a portion of my great-grandparents' marriage record because their record carried over to a second page, and that wasn't recorded with the first half of their record.
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Juli said: Web indexing *does* allow you to index records that extend over more than one image. The directions for how to handle them can vary by project, but they're generally in line with this example (from the Slovakia Church Books project):
What to Do When Records Span 2 Images or to View Additional Images
* If the first record on an image begins on a previous image, don't index it. The record will be indexed as part of the previous batch. Start indexing at the first complete record.
* If the last record on an image continues to the next image, index the entire record, including what continues to the next image.
* To see the next image while continuing to index information for the current image, do the following:
1. In the vertical toolbar in the top corner of the image window, click the Reference Images icon.
2. Below the screen on the right, click a thumbnail next to the image you are currently indexing.
3. Index the record while viewing both images at the same time.
4. To exit split screen mode, in the vertical toolbar, click the Exit Reference Images icon.
The project directions and field helps should give the information you need about what to index and where; the layout of the records makes no difference in this. As for completeness, keep in mind that this is an index, NOT a transcription. An index is a finding aid: it only includes the most important details, so that researchers can locate the record. The expectation is that researchers will follow through and look at the record.0
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