Magazine publishes annual list of best genealogy websites

Family Tree Magazine has published its annual selection of the “101 Best Websites” for genealogists.

In its July/August issue, on newsstands now, the magazine lists many websites that are well known to all genealogists, but also highlights some that are new or more obscure. Seventeen sites are listed for the first time, including:

• Blacksheepancestors.com, which might trigger you to look for relatives who were pirates or locked away in asylums.
• Olivetreegenealogy.com, which contains nearly 2,000 pages of essays on a number of research topics.
• GenealogyGuys.com, which includes podcasts and a blog by George G. Morgan and Drew Smith, well-known speakers. The site features helpful lectures on many topics.
• TheLifewriter.com, a fee-based site that offers help for people trying to write their family history. This could help you get started.
• Genealogytrails.com, which has transcriptions of all sorts of records and could lead to new sources.
• Behindthename.com, which has information about the meaning of first names, including variations, with a separate area for surnames. Sometimes when you are missing folks in the census or other records, knowing alternative spellings and nicknames is important.

Georgia library openings, access online

While lockdowns continue, Georgia libraries with genealogy collections are getting creative. The Genealogy Room at the Gainesville/Hall County Library System (hallcountylibrary.org) had already moved temporarily to the North Hall Technology Center at 4175 Nopone Road, Gainesville and is now offering visits by reservation once a week, Mondays and Tuesdays only, under strict guidelines. Call 770-532-3311 ext. 181 or nhtc@hallcountylibrary.org to arrange.

The Georgia Room at the Switzer/Main Library in Cobb County/Marietta is closed and packed up until next February. The Genealogy Room at Macon’s Washington Memorial Library will copy for a fee if an exact reference is provided for the staff to look up, digitize and email. Go to mgrlgh@bibblib.org.

North Carolina digitized records