Offline sources allowed?
Someone removed my sources because they "didn't have a link." I did most of my genealogy with real world sources. And I still like citing those even when the same information is here or on other websites. Things like visiting cemeteries in person instead of copying find a grave, courthouses, libraries, and books I purchased (yes I know some books aren't good). If the powers that be here have a policy that only online sources are allowed, I will comply. But I am definitely not redoing all my research (and won't live long enough to do that if I wanted to), so I may just quit adding anything if only online counts.
Answers
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That "someone" is mistaken.
Offline sources are allowed, if properly cited, etc.7 -
@CMichael7 - offline sources are, as stated above, most definitely allowed. If they weren't, the validation would have rejected a URL-less source. (Always a good thing to bear in mind, if the system lets you do it, nobody has a right to reject it)
The other thing is, a source might be online, with a URL link, but if you don't have a subscription to the site in question (assuming that it's behind a paywall) then it's no better than an offline source as far as you are concerned - so on or off line is the wrong question.
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Maybe if you can send a chat to the user who removed them and include this article https://ancestralfindings.com/genealogy-records-online-myth/ you can get the person to stop this very foolish practice of removing valid sources. This article discusses the estimate that only about 20% of all family history sources are online. That means that on average if we are doing expert, thorough research 80% of the sources we add to family tree will not have a URL because there isn't one.
In addition, there is no guarantee, no matter what any website may claim, even FamilySearch, that URLs will stay functional for more than a few years as archives update their databases and collection access permissions change.
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When I attach an external source, I try to include an extract of the details in the notes. For example, if I attach a baptismal record from FindMyPast, I copy the extract of that record and paste it into the Notes field of the source.
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I appreciate all the responses. This one incident is resolved - I reattached the sources last night after Nyx773 responded. I don't want to upset the other person because we did work together to get a family fixed. And hopefully can find our common ancestors of the oldest ones.
Aine, I do that too but one of these was a 30 page probate file that's not easy to summarize. It's also online here so I looked it up and added some links too. I wish more people would include the critical data whenever possible - not just tell us where but what. I can't access a lot of these other sites people are citing. And we need to see if the data is valid or just recycled myth.
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Attaching external link to familysearch ancestor is done from the /Source\ tab on their profile…
Add a link to a source in Family Tree • FamilySearch
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@williamraysharpe1 and @Áine.ní.Donnghaile
The OP is not inquiring about external digital online sources available via a computer linking to a website.
They are inquiring about analog offline actual paper records (photocopies, books, etc.).2 -
I had no doubt, @Nyx773.
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