Let’s say you’ve decided you really need help getting your personal history completed or you want someone to produce a personal history of your mother. Where do you find a personal historian? Here are several suggestions that should help you in your search:
- The Association of Personal Historians: an international organization with over 700 members located primarily in North America. You can find out more by clicking here. If you go to their site, you can search for a personal historian in your region. The APH is not a governing body and doesn’t set pricing or professional guidelines so for some guidance refer to my two previous posts, How Much Should You ay A Personal Historian? and Six Questions to Ask Before Hiring A Personal Historian.
- Google search: type in any of the following key word combinations – personal historian, your life story, family stories - and you’ll see an extensive listing of personal historian blogs and web sites.
- Community centers/libraries: A number of personal historians offer workshops and courses on writing your personal history through such places. You might contact your local community center or library to ask if they know of any personal historians in your area.
- Referrals: Most personal historians are happy to refer you to their colleagues. So if you can’t locate a personal historian in your community go the APH site and get the names of several personal historians who live nearest to you. Contact them and ask if they might know a local personal historian.
- Social media: More personal historians are using networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Go to any of these services and search for “personal historian” and you’ll likely find someone.
Photo by Chuck Burgess
