- I had to order a copy of a Missouri birth certificate on short notice recently. I ordered it through VitalChek. Now the trick is not to order birth certificates from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services in Jefferson City, which is the main repository. Instead, order them from Kansas City or St Louis, which both have statewide records. I picked Kansas City. I was told that processing time at the agency would be 3-5 business days before shipping. In this case, I also opted for UPS air delivery. I placed the order on Tuesday, April 20, and had the birth certificate in my hands before 3:00 pm on Thursday, April 22. Now that’s service!
- I found a federal criminal case from the late 1930s in Arizona. I consulted Ron Arons’ recent book, Wanted!, which disclosed that the case file should be found at NARA’s Pacific Region at Laguna Nigel (now actually Riverside). I called NARA and chatted with some of the most pleasant people I’ve run across. They found the file, took my credit card number ($15.00 to copy and ship this file) and I had it in a matter of days! No muss, no fuss. Thanks to the archivists and support staff at NARA Pacific!
Tag Archive for Kudos
Genealogical Customer Service Kudos
Shades of the Departed Magazine Earns Kudos
Tamura Jones has given the Best Looking Magazine award to Shades of the Departed Magazine! It’s part of his 2009 GeneaBlog Awards over at Modern Software Experience. He says the November debut issue “looks better than any other genealogy related magazine I’ve seen.”
I’m privilieged to be part of footnoteMaven’s band of merry contributors at Shades the Magazine–and even so, I can’t wait for the holiday edition, which will be out tomorrow. I’ve only seen my own article for this month and the way fM laid it out is spectacular! I’m so exicted about what the rest must look like!
Visit Modern Software Experience to see the other 2009 award winners (a list I completely agree with). Then be at Shades on Sunday, December 5, 2009, for a memorable Holiday Edition of Shades of the Departed Magazine!
I Try to Kiss & Make Up with Caddo’s Clerk
Awhile ago, in a fit of technologically self-righteous pique, I vented my spleen over the process to access Caddo Parish, Louisiana, records online. Perhaps I was too harsh.
Less than a week ago, I sent to Caddo Parish by snail mail a request for some certified copies of certain records. Today, I have the records in my hands and have commenced analysis of them. Amazingly excellent service! Hats off to the folks in the Marriage Unit of the Caddo Clerk’s office! Thank you!
Kudos
Once again, in our Credit-where-Credit-is-Due Department:
1. Congratulations to Missouri, whose State Archives has now added images for the year 1935 to its Death Records project. This project is rapidly closing its gaps!
2. Thanks to the Local History Department of the Corpus Christi Public Libraries, which outdid its usual great service by responding to my request for a scanned copy of an obituary in an incredible twelve hours! I don’t imagine they can do that all the time, but I appreciated this week.
3. And since I’m up and about to an extent I really didn’t expect this soon, kudos to my doctors and the hospital staff for a job well done!
Thanks Again, Missouri
I really believe in giving credit where credit is due.
On May 20, 2007, I wrote to the Missouri State Archives to request copies of the original log of death certificates concerning Eliza Jane Long (died 1885) and Pauline Long (died 1886).
My requests were received on May 24, 2007. On June 4, 2007, I received a notice from the Archives that acknowledged receipt of my requests and stated that processing could take up to eight weeks.
On June 7, 2007, I received the requested materials.
Thanks, Missouri! You consistently come through.
Kudos: Milam County (Tex.) Clerk’s Office
I like to recognize good service by those who support our research and without whom, our work would be infinitely more difficult, if not impossible. Today’s honors go to the Milam County Clerk’s Office in Cameron, Texas.
I requested copies of two probate files. The files arrived promptly and in great condition (they are over ninety years old). The clerk charged $1.00 per page for copying, and Milam County picked up the $1.83 postage. The entire transaction was smooth and rapid. Many thanks to Laverne Soefje and her terrific staff.
