Research Team Ready to Assist
By Rick Walker, #5653
Chair, MGS Research Team
Did you know that the MGS has a dedicated team of research assistants. It’s made up of seven volunteers who have each been working on their own genealogical journey for many years? Each member of the team has extensive experience searching for genealogical information in Manitoba, and elsewhere.
While our research efforts focus on helping members and non-member explore their roots in Manitoba, we can also provide help using tools like the Ancestry database, Library and Archives Canada’s Census and immigration records and NewspaperArchive’s international newspaper files to assist with finding information beyond our borders.
We all enjoy digging into records to try and help break down the brick walls that our clients have come up against. We are like history detectives, searching for the clues to answer the genealogical puzzles that are in people’s family trees. And we are here to help!
In the last quarter, we received approximately 28 research requests. 14 resulted in paid research and this helped raise approx. $1000 in revenue to support the operating costs of the MGS.
Our team regularly receives an influx of requests for research. The people who reach out to the MGS Research Team for assistance come from all over Canada, the United States and other parts of the world. In the last six months we have had questions from Australia, England, Scotland and Belgium. In the U.S. from California, Montana, Vermont and Minnesota. In Canada we have had questions from Calgary, Edmonton, Victoria, Oakville, Whitby and Kenora. It has been my experience that those people who take advantage of our services are always grateful and impressed with the quality of the work they receive from one of our research assistants.
And our prices cannot be beat! For a full research package ($70 for members and $85 for non-members) we offer a minimum of six hours of research assistance. Often going beyond this minimum allotment to try and find the answers people are searching for. And if you are a new or renewing member, you can take advantage of a further discount within the first three months. During this time, you can get a full research package for only $35.00! Our fees are well below commercial market rates and those charged by professional genealogists.
Finally, every Thursday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.at the MGS Resource Centre at least three research assistants are available to provide help and advise free of charge to members, and non-members for the daily fee of $10.00. I encourage all members, and anyone else, to drop in at the MGS Resource Centre on any given Thursday throughout the year and meet with one of our research assistants to learn about what the Resource Centre has to offer and seek some help with your genealogical research.
So, send us a request (research@mbgenealogy.com) or drop into the MGS Resource Centre (1045 St. James Street, Winnipeg) and let us help you on your genealogical journey.