Your research deserves a plan because years of work are easiest to share when someone knows where it is, how it is organized, and where it should go next. A simple legacy plan names a keeper, organizes your files, turns findings into a readable story, and chooses a lasting home for your work.
Choose a Keeper for Your Research
Start with a person, not a plan. Think about which relative or friend cares about the family story and enjoys organizing things. Ask them if they would be willing to be your research keeper, and give them time to answer. Naming a backup keeper, such as a cousin, is a smart extra step.
Then walk your keeper through your files once. Show them where the main tree lives, where the scans are stored, and which projects are in progress. An hour of your time now means they will not have to guess later. Update them whenever you change how you store things.
Organize Files So Someone Else Can Follow Them
Your system makes sense to you, but a newcomer needs signposts. A few small additions make a big difference:
- One top folder with a subfolder for each surname.
- A short readme file that explains how files are named and where sources live.
- A one-page list of your key discoveries.
- A list of open questions, so the next person knows where to pick up.
Write the readme as if for a friendly stranger. Spell out abbreviations and say which tree is the main one. If you use paid websites, note which ones and what you saved from them, since a subscription may end.
Turn Your Findings Into a Finished Narrative
A narrative is the easiest form of research for others to read and keep. The Library of Congress says writing your family history is a good way to preserve it, and suggests a table of contents, an index of names and places, and clear source citations so others can continue your work. It also advises leaving out personal details about living people when you share beyond your family.
You do not need to write a book. A short family history of 20 to 40 pages, with photos and a source list, is a lasting gift. Start with the family line you know best and add chapters over time.
Know What Libraries Will Accept
Libraries are selective, so it helps to know the rules before you offer anything. The Library of Congress explains on its genealogy donation page that it accepts published genealogies and local histories, considers bound unpublished manuscripts case by case, and may take e-books in PDF or EPUB form.
The same page says it does not accept raw research notes, family group sheets, or physical media such as thumb drives and CDs. That is useful guidance for any archive. A finished, readable work has a better chance of finding a home than a box of working papers. Contact the institution first and ask what it wants.
Pick a Home for Your Research Early
A post on the National Genealogical Society’s UpFront blog suggests donating your research while you can arrange it yourself, rather than leaving it to chance. Its author recommends aiming first for the largest repository likely to endure. If that is not possible, choose a place where your material would be a valuable asset, such as a library in the county where your family lived for generations.
Send updates later, too. A local library or historical society may welcome a copy of your finished history, and a few copies shared with relatives add extra safety. Keep a note of where each copy lives.
Write Your One-Page Plan This Month
Open a blank page and write four lines: who your keeper is, where your files live, which finished work you will share, and which library or society you will contact. Put the page in your main research folder, and give a copy to your keeper. Review it once a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is a Genealogy Legacy Plan?
It is a short document that says where your research lives, who looks after it, and where copies should go. It can fit on one page. Update it once a year.
Who Should I Name as My Research Keeper?
Choose someone who is interested, organized, and willing, and ask before you name them. Consider a backup keeper, such as a cousin. Walk them through your files once.
Will a Library Take My Raw Notes?
Often not. The Library of Congress, for example, does not accept raw research notes or family group sheets. A finished narrative or published book is a better fit, and it is wise to contact any institution first.
How Often Should I Update My Plan?
Review it once a year, perhaps around a family holiday. Update the keeper’s name, file locations, and any new donations. Send updated work to the same repository.