Florida Memory * Genealogy Storytelling * Tumblr
This week’s Research Notes is focused on the Tumblr blog platform. Why Tumblr? It’s free, easy to learn and a fun way to share the things your family research discovers. It’s part blog and part social network making it possible to connect with family members and your genealogy friends. Today’s Research Notes shows you some of the things you can do with Tumblr and points you to the resources that will help you get started.
Florida Memory is the online “edition” of the State Library and Archives of Florida. Currently the Florida Memory website (https://www.floridamemory.com) is getting a facelift. Considering how coronavirus is interfering with all of us, I’m amazed at the work they have done so far. Right now there are more than 300,000 primary source records digitized and available online at their site. More research goodness is on the way. There is still a lot of work to be done but there is plenty of wonderful things to see.
In addition to the Florida Memory website, you will also find Florida Memory items on Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube and Tumblr. Their updated Tumblr site is fully functional and I found that not only is it delightful, it’s also a great inspiration for those of us looking for creative ways to share our family history.
Post Office at Christmas, Florida
Tumblr is free and easy to use. It supports text posts along with posts containing photos, video and even audio content. Think of it as a digital scrapbook.
In the case of Florida Memory, they are using their Florida Memory Tumblr site to attract viewers and point them to the main Florida Memory website. That works fine for them but most of us are not building a formal archive for our family history. Most of us are more interested in attracting our family’s attention. That’s where Tumblr comes in handy. Not only is it free and easy to learn, it also provides a messaging option so people who visit your site can leave comments, start conversations or ask for more information.
Tumblr posts can contain text, photos, quotes, links and chats, as well as audio and video content. The image you see here is a video post at the Moultrie Creek Gazette Tumblr site.
Tumblr also supports mobile devices. The free Tumblr app is available for both Apple and Android devices. Your mobile phone is a great platform for posting content like photos and videos you have created on your phone. Within seconds, those posts are available to your Tumblr family and friends.
Interested? Want to learn more? Now is a good time to stop by the Tumblr Help Center (https://tumblr.zendesk.com/hc/en-us) and look for the “Getting started on Tumblr” box. Click it and it will take you to the instructions to get set up. The Support On Tumblr blog (https://support.tumblr.com) is full of Tumblr news and tips. The Tumblr edition of Florida Memory (https://floridamemory.tumblr.com/) is full of great ideas for creating eye-catching posts that will grab your family’s attention.
The Storytellers Studio blog on Tumblr also has posts to help you get started with Tumblr and serves as a “community center” for sharing your posts with your fellow SAGS bloggers.
Storytellers Studio blog on Tumblr
That’s enough to get you started. Now let’s get Tumbling!
Final Notes
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