RESEARCH VOLUNTEER
Come Join us!
Do you enjoy helping others search and find their Black Hills and Western South Dakota ancestor(s)? We need you!!!
The Rapid City Society for Genealogical Research (RCSGR) is increasing the size of our volunteer research team to assist individuals who are seeking more information about their ancestors who may have left their mark ”X” in records in the Black Hills and Western South Dakota area.
More about being a volunteer
As a volunteer, you will be contacted by our Research Coordinator who will put you in touch with the party who is requesting information about their ancestor. You will then be asked to make contact with that party by email or phone to develop a research plan to help find their ancestor. From the agreed upon plan you developed, you may be required to access or acquire information from various resources, either on-line or in-person at a local archive such as a church, cemetery, or courthouse. Once all the vital information is obtained, a written report, including the citing all sources, would be prepared to respond to the inquiring party. The report may include copies of any certificates or other related documents obtained in your search. The report will be sent to the requesting party via email by the RCSGR researcher. A copy of the researcher’s report will be maintained by the Research Coordinator. As the RCSGR researcher you understand that the inquiring party’s donation will be made directly to the RCSGR. If the inquiring party wishes to have certified copies, the researcher will provide the contact information, address, fees, etc. to the inquiring party for direct requests.
Conducting research and responding within a reasonable time period is important. If for some reason you are unable to research and respond due to schedule issues (i.e.: on vacation), it is important to notify the Research Coordinator so that reassign of the research can be done so as not not leave the inquiring party without a timely answer.
As a member of the RCSGR Researching Team, you will follow genealogical code of ethics which emphasizes integrity, competency, and respect for privacy and records. Key principles include conducting thorough, well-cited research, accurately representing findings and credentials, maintaining confidentiality for the inquiring party and their information, safeguarding records, and treating all people and institutions with professionalism and respect. Adherence to copyright laws, obtaining proper consent, and avoiding misleading claims are also vital components of the code.
How to get signed up
If you are interested in being a volunteer to research on behalf of the RCSGR, please provide the following information to AskUs@rcgenealogy.com
Name:
Contact information:
Email address:
How long you have been conducting research?
Please list any special areas of expertise, as well as level of expertise, in conducting research (such as Norwegian):
