Genealogy Museum Getting Few Visitors

I wrote several articles a year or two ago about the 82,000-piece Everton genealogy library being donated to the city of Logan, Utah. The city hoped to create a major genealogy research facility to attract visitors. Now an article on KSL Television's web site says that the new library isn't being used very much. Fewer than 200 people visited between the opening, Oct. 10, and the end of 2006.

City officials are wondering if the benefits were exaggerated when they agreed to display the Everton Collection in an empty courtroom in the Justice Building. "Maybe it's too early to tell, but it doesn't seem to be panning out from the projections," Councilwoman Tami Pyfer said. "I think it validates our initial concern with accepting this donation."

You can read the full story at http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=986491.

My thanks to Matt Misbach for telling me about this story.

Comments

[JUSTIN L DINGMAN]

IN MY OPINION, IT DOESN'T PAY TO DRIVE TO LOGAN, UTAH. MORE PEOPLE LIKE GOING TO SALT LAKE CITY TO DO THEIR GENEALOGY. WITH THE PRICE OF GAS, WHO WANT TO DRIVE TO LOGAN, UTAH. SORRY IT JUST ISN'T ONE OF MY PLACES TO DRIVE TO.

[Bev Anderson]

While I'm the first to admit to loving libraries (I once said that if reincarnation were a reality I want to spend my time between lives in a library and reading all their books; I still have the largest private library of anyone I know), with internet technology money would be better spent following the examples of Denmark and Norway. Put the documented information online, either in transcribed and/or image formats, make the search engine as easy as the Digitalarkivet web site in Norway, and I notice Denmark has followed suit with an easy search engine on their DDD web site recently (multiple alternate spellings on names through the centuries; I always use the 'starts with' search option). And, like Denmark and Norway, make it free to everyone who uses the web site. (And, no ads or other distracting nonsense.)

Accolades to the overwhelming numbers of people who do put info online for free on various web sites in this country, and the volunteers do a valuable service by making the information available and for free. Those of us who do genealogy research daily (or help others with their genealogy) appreciate their efforts more than words can say. But for information-only web sites, ease of search criteria (and often bilingual, except for the actual records, of course), I still have to give prizes for organizational ability to the Norwegians and Danes for practicality and for putting such a vast amount of information online, keeping it updated weekly, for easy search criteria, and all for free to anyone who uses their web sites (their governments foot the bill for the costs).

If I lived in Utah I might travel to Logan or elsewhere, but in my particular case, travel to those libraries is an impossibility (and it's over a thousand miles from where I live and I don't know anyone in Utah and have no reason to go there). The Everton collection is valuable, but if it's not easily and freely accessible to genealogy researchers, it's not practical.

[Peg Buckman]

Many of genealogy researchers are Senior Citizens on limited income. Traveling distances is currently very expensive for many of us. While I would love to visit the Everton Library, my first choice in Utah (when I can afford it) would be to Salt Lake City, unfortunately. Hope enough people can get to the Everton to support it. Thanks.

[Rod]

Our annual tour groups used to take a bus to Logan from Salt Lake City, for a day's research at the Everton library (then in their offices). Without marketing, who knows where Logan is, much less that there's a terrific genealogy library there? Genealogists might go to Logan if the materials were available when the Salt Lake LDS library is closed.
The Everton collection really does have some material not available elsewhere.

[Lisa Deason]

I agree with the others, and add a few additional points.
1. I live in Utah and am an active genealogist. I don't think Logan has promoted this collection. Without that, no one will even know it's there. I just went to their website and could not find any mention of it. Same with the Cache Valley Chamber of Commerce website.
2. In order for people to drive the 80 miles from Salt Lake they've got to know FOR SURE that there is something there that they can't get anywhere else. That means it's got to be thoroughly cataloged and the catalog information online for people to access. Even still, that's a long way to drive.

[Shell]

Why did the Everton collection end up in Logan? Why is it not at the FHL in SLC - the crossroads of thousands of genealogists? Did they not want it? Also, a clear understanding of what the collection contains would be helpful. Is it indexed in any way?

[Kelly]

I think "under utilized" is a correct description for many genealogy libraries. Internet research is what is promoted the most and it has provided easier access to some data. There is still a treasure trove of information at the library. Hopefully this library in Logan will be promoted more and is still in the development stages. Everton itself is getting better all the time. They are really producing a good quality magazine and their databases for research are improving.

[Mary Grindol]

If Logan doesn't want it, send it to Central Florida! We need something like that around here!

Personally, if I were to travel to Utah, I'd rather spend my time in Salt Lake City at the FHL. I suppose that most of the books in the Everton collection would duplicate what is already at the FHL. All the years that Everton published the magazine, the only way to get a book reviewed was to send them a copy. In addition, Logan must have all the family group sheets and databases for the RootsCeller that they published for years. That database could probably be accessible online (and perhaps it is or was).

[Sally Mahoney]

I live 900 miles from Salt Lake City, which I drive to at least once a year. But I only go in April or September (when schools are in session and most vacationers along the way are back home, as do most retiree-genealogists who don't live in Utah). I don't want to spend the winter, i.e. October, November, December, etc., in a snowbank somewhere between the west coast and SLC, however how charming SLC is in the snow. As I plan to arrive in SLC on Sunday and leave the following Sunday a.m., Logan at 80 miles from SLC and a convoluted 30 miles or so off I-84 coming from the north makes no sense for me. Particularly does it make no sense as it's apparently in a courthouse that probably is open only Monday-Friday 8-5. The FHL is more important to me, with all six days spent there and with no added expense for an extra two days in Logan to look at books, many of which I probably already have seen either at the FHL, or in the major genealogical collection at my area's large public library or in my genealogical society's large collection. Logan is too inconvenient/expensive for me!

[Veniece]

The Logan City officials would do well to remember that the current trend in genealogical research is "online."
Put your Everton Collection online, even if at a pay-per-view rate, and watch the interest grow. People do not want to travel to genealogical repositories when they can access so much information online. Don't hide your treasure - share it!

[Dana]

Google Genealogy Museum in the Advanced search, and add Utah in the 'all words' section and see what you get. Mostly Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter references! Not a mention of what it is or where it is -- and no web site of its own. I didn't want to wade through pages and pages of Google references -- maybe it's there, but who will ever find it? Add Everton's to the search terms -- still no web site. They need to learn about marketing. And then the 160 mile round trip from Salt Lake -- that's a whole other problem!!