Getting iabsi.com modernized, sharing best practices for research

I'm just back from the 20th biennial CGSI Conference in Kansas City, where I did a couple of presentations and a roundtable discussion.   Must say that the attendees did a lot to re-charge my enthusiasm for family/region research.  

I announced that I am beginning a modernization of my 25-year old website, www.iabsi.com.  This site is a free brain-dump of everything that made me successful in my ancestral history quest.  It's focus is on getting you on track with the most productive methods and tools.  It's a learning tool and a quick-reference for the long-time researcher.  My focus initially began looking for my Carpatho-Rusyn family, but expanded to include all of Slovakia, much of Hungary including the Transcarpathia region of Ukraine when I realized most of the same tools and methods apply there. 

In the year 2000, villages didn't have their own web sites, most nations only had embryonic web presence, the LDS was microfilm and microfiche-based operation.  We wrote to archives and other towns by snail-mail and relied on travelers for up to date info.   Much of my site helped researchers deal with these limited options.  Today, many, many resources are available online.   Some portions of my web were created to fill in those gaps.

Even with many remarkable web resources available online, the essence, context and guidance provided by my site remain applicable.   Archive data doesn't change.  What and how we access does.   I am re-reading every single page and updating it.  It's not just about broken links.   It's the integration with new sites and resources, it's the elimination of material that is better presented elsewhere.   It will even get a new web name (URL).  send me your please!

I have hired a pro to create a new layout and navigation.  25 years ago it was much more difficult to create a page.  For me, that thrill is gone.  For me, it's the timeless content that matters.

 This is going to take me a number of months.  I will evaluate the content of each of the over 100 pages and hundreds of images.  Send me your suggestions and comments.  The site will remain free forever. 

In the mean time, please continue to use www.iabsi.com.   Some links don't work right, but the organization is spot-on and the guidance is appropo.    It probably won't be released until spring or summer.   I am also thinking about the best way about making this material available to future generations once I'm no longer around.

My passion is sharing what I know, as it should be for all of us.  It would be a shame for all our work to go with us to the grave.  I want to leave things in a state where someone else can pickup my (or your) work and continue research.

Until then, you'll see various posts from on topics that strike me as I edit content.  You'll probably also see me hanging around at Iveta' monthly call.

Dovidenia,

Bill