The 2010 Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference held in Knoxville TN was preceded by a full day of sessions for Librarians by Librarians. And it was wonderful!
Two databases stood out to me:
- http://teva.contentdm.oclc.org Tennessee Virtual Archive, sponsored by the state library system, to provide electronic and searchable access to Tennessee’s rich historical records: founding documents, with all the signatures; Civil War documents and photographs; the legacy of the African-Americans; and agriculture’s steady impact on the development of Tennessee. Music, maps, and even wall hangings are available.
- http://www.aca-dla.org Digital Library of Appalachia collections–archival and cultural materials for the history of Tennessee’s diverse population. Quilts, photographs, documents from member college libraries and archives can be searched by keyword and by library holding the collection. Some interesting contents include old Kentucky fiddlers, the North Carolina Amnesty letters, lists of log structures and their specs with photos, pottery makers, and more. Collections can be submitted free by member institutions. These contributing libraries and archives, include church facilities scattered over Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Virginia.
Please check these two resources out. Genealogists are often so dependent on courthouse records and, since so many courthouses in Appalachia have suffered substantial record loss, their pedigrees are stopped.
By-pass these record losses with records and artifacts that were never stored in the courthouse to begin with. Your favorite Tennessee genealogist, Arlene Eakle. http://arleneeakle.com
PS Personal documents and artifacts are often better and more reliable than court documents. Break your losing streak!