Cynthia Keefer Patton

Cynthia Keefer Patton is a professional genealogist from Kansas City, Missouri, a member of the Heartland Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG), and Registrar for the White Alloe Chapter, DAR. She is a BU Certification Program graduate. Cynthia retired from the US Army and has degrees in both Journalism and Political Science. She has presented for numerous historical, genealogical, and civic organizations. On her blog --https://cynthiapatton.blogspot.com  she is currently participating in the #52Ancestors challenge to document the stories of her family line.  

Organizing Your Digital Files-Apps & Tips for your Phone or Laptop

Having trouble finding that death certificate for Grandpa Johnson on your laptop? Can’t remember if you have a copy of a tombstone photo you took last week on your phone? Digital files are wonderful—but naming, filing, organizing, and searching for them can be daunting. 

Whether you use your smart phone or laptop/tablet there are a multitude of apps and programs to make your genealogy research easier. There are applications to scan, decipher, translate, enhance and restore photos, and even take notes. Using your phone’s GPS can help you locate and preserve information about ancestor grave sites.

Using the 3 C’s – color, consistency, and naming conventions along with your new arsenal of apps—you will learn how to tackle the tasks and regain control of your digital files. We will explore cloud storage options, redundant backups, and provide many examples of best practices in organization.