Indexing Projects - US, Maine Vital Records 1892-1907Edit This Page

Project Description

Sample Images 

• Birth
• Marriage
• Death

Skill Level: Intermediate

• This project is recommended for volunteers who are familiar with the indexing process and comfortable using various system features. It is also helpful if volunteers understand the various documents that relate to births, marriages, and deaths.

Characteristics of This Project

• This project includes records of births, marriages, and deaths.
• Each image has one record.
• There are up to 20 images per batch, and a batch often includes all three record types.

Description of the Records

• Records were handwritten or typed on preprinted forms.
• Marriage records have two sides to each form and both sides have information to be indexed.
• Death records have two sides to each form, but the back has no information to be indexed, so it will be marked No Extractable Data Image.
   

Basic Indexing How-to's

See the Basic Indexing Help for information to make your indexing easier and more accurate, along with helpful, short, how-to videos.
 

Project Specific Indexing Instructions

Different Types of Forms

• Births - All information for birth records was recorded on a single image. Each image contains a single record.

Birth Record

• Marriages - Information for marriage records was recorded on two sides of a form, and each side appears on a separate image.

1. Most of the Information about the marriage is on front of the form.
2. Information about the groom's and bride's parents are on the back of the form.
3. Index each image as though it were a separate record.
4. Do not try to combine the information into the fields of one image.
5. Each indexed record will have only part of the information for the marriage, and the remainder of the fields will be blank.

Front of Marriage Record

Back of Marriage Record

• Deaths - Information for death records was recorded on two sides of a form, and each side appears on a separate image.

1. Only the image of the front has information to be indexed.
2. Mark the image of the back as: No Extractable Data Image.

Front of Death Record

Back of Death Record

Number of Records per Image

• The data-entry area is set at one record per image. If you encounter an image with more than one record, you will need to add additional entry lines to match the actual number of records on the image. To do this:

1. On the menu bar, click Tools.
2. Click Records per Image...
3. In the box next to Number of Records, type the actual number of records on the image.
4. Click OK.

Highlights

• Because of the different forms found in this project, highlights are not available.

Handwriting Helps

• Many of these records are handwritten. The handwriting help available on the data entry screen may help you decipher handwriting.
• To access this help, on the toolbar just above the data entry area, click on the Handwriting Help icon (which looks like an inkwell with an orange feather quill).