Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Wisdom Wednesday - My discovery for this week - Pinterest

Well I am not sure if this fits under Wisdom Wednesday, but I do think it has the potential to fit in this category.  Lately, I had noticed a lot of references to Pinterest and this sparked my interest, however, as usual time limitations had meant I hadn't checked it out.  However, yesterday I was reading through the blog list on Geabloggers and saw a blog by Jana, "Tuesday's Tip - Three Awesome Websites for Genealogy ... Found on Pinterest!   The light bulb started flashing!!! Time to check this out!.

Hitting Google search I googled (so to speak) and found what a was looking for, Amazing!! and sooo pretty :)  I quickly set up an account and started to play.  Oh I could really get hooked on this!!

What is Pinterest?  Basically it is a tool that anyone can use to collect and share things that you find on the web.  You pin these items to your sit or board and there is the option to create a board for any particular topic that you are interested in, for example you can use it to plan a party or wedding, or collecting recipes or travel information. 

The most exciting thing is that you can browse pinboards created by others, making it a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from others who share similar interest.  Also I must point out, that if you are working on a project that you do not want to share you can make your "board" private or just share with a selection of friends.  (great for team work).

I can see great potential for family tree and genealogy research.  You could have separate boards for different branches or surnames in your family tree, boards to collect information about the area they lived in, maps, photos etc.  I am sure there are many researchers who are already using this resource, but I must admit I am quite excited about setting up some "boards" to support my research and share it with others.

I believe the Pinterest Mission says it all

Our goal is to connect everyone in the world through the 'things' they find interesting. We think that a favorite book, toy, or recipe can reveal a common link between two people. With millions of new pins added every week, Pinterest is connecting people all over the world based on shared tastes and interests.

9 comments:

  1. Thanks Diane! I was trying to stay away from Pinterest because I heard how addicting it was (like genealogy's not). After reading your post, and then Jana's, announcing there is genealogy stuff to be found (you guessed it) I had to run right over and check it out. So it looks like I will be adding the virtual bulletin board to my genealogy tool box as well.

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  2. yes we do seem to have a collection of different tools for research. I must admit I don't ever have the time to get the most from them. However, I have found Pinterest to be fun and I think addictive. As yet I have just started to develop it for genealogy use, with a general board for genealogy and another for Women's history which I am particularly interested in. Maybe when I retire I will have the time to really play with these wonderful resources. :)

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  3. I love Pinterest, too. I have mostly used it for discovering recipes and crafting ideas, but it does have it's genealogy uses. I especially love the boards created by Ancestry, the Library of Congress, etc. Lots of links to both genealogy and history sites. I love it!

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  4. I joined Pinterst too and became addicted for awhile. Now I am over the withdrawal pains, but I go to it for a few minutes everyday. I've actually found family history on there (a picture during the depression with my grandfather, and an old picture of Pioche, Nevada about the time a gg grandfather was there). I pin genealogy stuff almost everyday and even have a Pinterest gadget on my blog. Check out my genealogy board on pinterest if you're interested. I admit it's eclectic and has too many pins on it.

    Regards, Grant

    thestephensherwoodletters.blogspot.com

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  5. Wow, you sound like you are an old hand at this. I can see so much potential to use pinterest for genealogy. Hopefully over the coming holiday period I will have more time to actually get some boards set up. I do love the idea of being able to share resources and research with others. I will definitely check our your board. I must get a gadget on my blogs as well.

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  6. So now I have put the Pinterest gadget on my blog. The pressure is now on to develop some interesting boards :)

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  8. Good job on the Pinterest gadget. I have too many gadgets on my blog. I'm following you on interest now. :-)

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