Information Skills

Back in the day when I was a Teacher/Librarian we had a big push to teach Information Skills that could be applied to any task which the students undertook. These are life skills that can be applied to everything from making a peanut butter sandwich to breaking down a brick wall in a family tree. 

The Information Skills Process
Information skills in the school P 8.

Since I started my genealogy journey I have been loosely following this process. 

I was recently asked to present a session on "Beginning Family History" for Family History Month. I wanted to encourage attendees to adopt a structure as they carried out research tasks. With the help of ChatGPT I modified that old diagram to produce something similar but different for family historians. 

• I changed the names of the various stages to more everyday language.
• I moved Assessing to the middle of a circle around which the six stages were placed, as I believe assessment and evaluation should be an on-going action at each stage of  the practice.
• I replaced Assessing with a sixth stage "Pass it on" which emphasised a need for us to Preserve and Futureproof our work.
• As my illustrative skills are basic I asked ChatGPT to create a diagram for me.

I uploaded a long brainstormed document to ChatGPT  and had a very long discussion with he/she/it before I asked for a diagram to be produced. 

 The first draft, in the bold colours I requested, was way too bold. It was otherwise fine for my purposes.

I gave some further instructions about fonts and colour and was pleased with what was produced. I used that second and final draft that in my presentation. 

My Research Process

Since delivering that first presentation I have used the diagram in a couple of subsequent presentations. I think it has been well received. It is also a useful tool to keep me on track.  I am currently using it as the basis for a Conference presentation on Social Media. 

Creating this diagram has been on my "To Do" list for ages but I had put it aside because of my lack of design skills. I am so grateful for the opportunities AI tools have given me to edit my work and produce images with a professional appearance.

All Things Bookish - with the SAG

Most Friday afternoons at 4:00pm members of the Society of Australian Genealogists gather for an informal collaborative online Discussion  via Zoom. In each session members discuss a theme suggested by the host for that week.

I am proud to have been one of the volunteer hosts for these sessions since their launch, I hosted my first Friday Hangout with the SAG in April 2020. 

Our theme yesterday was "All Things Bookish". I shared the graphic below, that listed a few discussion points, prior to the event  on social media.

Before the event I was delighted to hear from three members who had something to share. Thanks to Fleur, Jennie, Jennifer, Isaac, Sally, Heather, John, Judy and Danielle who came online with Bookish Bits to share. Thanks also to the many attendees who added to the discussion through posts in a very lively concurrent chat.

As we progressed through the session I gave up on taking notes of the books suggested and promised to share a list here on my blog. Following is a list of books recommended and details of two future events. 

Where possible I am providing a link to bibliographic records from Trove so you can see which libraries hold copies. If these are not yet in the Trove Catalogue I will link to publishers or vendors.

Books

Goodwin, Nathan  The Dover Trunk Murder (Fortress Dover Book 1) August 30 Release 

O'Farrell, Maggie Land 

Burke, Caro Claire Yesteryear

Strout, Elizabeth The Things We Never Say

Leevers, Jo The Museum of Second Chances

Scott, Victoria The Echo of Lost Stories

Holder , Geoff  Edinburgh (Bloody Scottish History)

Hepworth, David  Hope I get old before I die

Slaughter, Karin Will Trent Series

Cummings, Karen  Genealogy Methods and Techniques : a practical guide to research

Parker, Phillip The Royal Puzzle Book

Moore, Gareth  Around the World in 80 murders Puzzle Book

Leonhardt, Lynne  Step up Mrs Dugdale

Sepetys, Ruta  Salt to the Sea

Logan, T M  The Weekend

Bonhomme, Edna History of six plagues around the world

King, Turi  The Secrets of our DNA 

McGue, Julie Ryan  Twice a Daughter

Williams, Sue  The Duke's Secret

McKinty Adrian  The Cold, Cold Ground (Sean Duffy #1)

Lester, Natasha The Mademoiselle Alliance

Stockett, Kathryn  The Calamity Club

Mclean, Paula  The One Remaining

Mason, Meg  Sophie Standing There

Moore, Susan M The Psychology of Genealogy

Moore, Susan et. al. The Psychology of Family History: exploring our genealogy

Trump, Mary L Too Much and Never Enough : how my family created the world's most dangerous man

Bradford, Barbara Taylor  A Woman of Substance

Wright, Michelle Good Boy

Hannah, Kristin   Winter Garden

Simons, Paullina  The Bronze Horseman

Lautrec, Danielle  The Good Genealogist  2nd Ed. Book 1

Lautrec, Danielle The Good Genealogist Book 2 Tools  

Radden Keefe, Patrick  Say Nothing

Roach, Mary  Replaceable You

Garnsey, Heather Unravelled... : the life of Elizabeth Fulloon, superintendent of the Parramatta Female Factory, 1824-1827

Events

9 September 2026 Heather Garnsey Discussing Unravelled at Hawkesbury Family History Group - Register Online to attend via Zoom.

18-20 September 2026 Danielle Lautrec Book Launch - The Good Genealogist NSW/ACT Annual Conference Port Macquarie.

Jill's Recent Sightings

Borrott, Narelle Belonging in Thalaba: Settlers and Their Descendants

Frydenberg, Erica  Do Not Forget Me Street: remembering the Budapesti Schindlers

Purkeljc, Tony From the Mountains to the Plains: The Life of Tony Purkeljc

Metropolitan Memorial Park My Wishes Booklet

Gleeson, Damian John  John Joseph Therry : Irish landlord, merchant, and priest in colonial Australia

Dunn, Cathy  Norfolk Island Marine settlers Atlantic 1791.

NSW History Awards Shortlist

Prime Minister's Literary Awards - Shortlist

National Biography Award 2026 Winners

• Ennis, Helen  Max Dupain : A Portrait
• Sahhar, Micaela  Find me at the Jaffa Gate

Thanks again to all the SAG Members who contributed to yesterday's Hangout. I'm now off to see where I can beg, buy or borrow some of these titles. 

Please let me know of any errors in the list 😉

My Forest of Family Trees

 I often suggest to fellow Genies that they have a "Forest of Family Trees." Why stop at one? Each of my trees serves a slightly different purose. 

Last week when I was about to host a Friday Hangout with the SAG I created a graphical representation of my forest of family trees in Excel. It was a pedestrian but useful document. I uploaded the diagram to ChatGPT and asked this of  the wizards there :

"For my hosting of the SAG Hangout "Where's your Tree" tomorrow I am wondering if you can create a landscape postcard image of my "Forest of Family Trees". On the attached rough diagram I have listed the places where my family trees live. Below each of these products I have noted how I use them. Through using these avenues I aim to record, preserve, share and futureproof my family's data so that is available for generations to come. It would be great if the image could reflect the design of the attached that you designed for me yesterday."

In about two minutes I was rewarded with an image that suited my purpose perfectly.

Having the diagram kept me on track as I discussed my forest. I hoped it helped those present to reflect on their trees. 

I had also enlisted ChatGPT's help with a graphic to advertise the event. My purpose being to assist those at the Hangout with ideas for discussing their trees. 

On reviewing the diagram I realised that I neglected books as a way to preserve a family tree. Perhaps that demonstrates my focus on 21st century tools. 

All is not lost. In next week's Friday Hangout  with the SAG my focus in "All things Bookish" is on BOOKS.

Beginning Family History

 I'm busy prepping for this event in National Family History Month at Hornsby Library.