Digitized images like microfilm are copies; even the material in will and deed books are copies, not originals. Microfilm and digitized images are less prone to error in one sense, but are less likely to show alterations that the original document would. Even original documents are not error free. Sources should be evaluated on a number of levels including but not limited to how close to the original they are, how close to the event they were created, the reliability (if ascertainable) of the informant and whether there is supporting evidence in other documents. Barbara Barbara Vines Little, CG PO Box 1273 Orange, VA 22960 phone: 540-832-3473 (evenings) fax: 540-832-5057 [log in to unmask] CG is a service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists®, used under license by board-certified associates who meet genealogical competency standards prescribed for those programs. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Diana Bennett" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Monday, November 01, 2004 9:16 PM Subject: [VA-HIST] Documented Evidence > Dear Listers: > > I just read an article by Elizabeth Shown Mills re citations and > evidence. My question = Can we accept online census images as original > documents? I have found these at libraries with subscriptions to > Heritage Quest. Another site, distantcousin.com, has images of old city > directories. Are these acceptable as original documents? > > Thanks, Diana Kercheval Bennett > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions > at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html