Volunteer Role
Keeping Unadopted Counties Available
The Orphan Counties Manager helps ensure that counties without a permanent County Coordinator still have a working TXGenWeb presence and remain available to researchers.
Maintain the Orphan County List
The Manager keeps a current list of counties that need a permanent coordinator and makes sure that list is easy for prospective volunteers to find.
- Update the list when a county is adopted, becomes available, or changes location.
- Identify counties that are being fostered by Temporary County Coordinators.
- Keep the orphan county page current so visitors and volunteers have accurate information.
Recruit Temporary County Coordinators
When several counties are without permanent coordinators, the Manager may recruit volunteers to foster them temporarily.
Current County Coordinators may be especially helpful in caring for nearby counties. Temporary service does not automatically transfer ownership of the county; anyone who later wants to adopt it permanently must still be approved through the normal TXGenWeb process.
Help Temporary Coordinators Get Started
Temporary County Coordinators should understand the basic expectations for maintaining an orphaned county. This generally includes:
- keeping the site accessible and repairing broken links;
- maintaining the required TXGenWeb and USGenWeb elements;
- adding surnames, queries, or other county information when appropriate; and
- responding to reasonable questions from visitors.
The Orphan Counties Manager should make sure new temporary volunteers understand what is expected and know where to ask for help.
Maintain Counties Without a Temporary Volunteer
If an orphaned county does not have another Temporary County Coordinator, the Orphan Counties Manager is responsible for making sure that the county site remains functional and meets TXGenWeb's basic requirements.
The county's temporary contact name and email information should be shown on the site's main page so researchers know whom to contact.
Keep Orphan Sites Easy to Manage
Orphan county websites should be kept in a location that TXGenWeb leadership can reliably access and maintain. The current handbook directs orphan sites to the TXGenWeb counties server so they can be easily managed while awaiting adoption.
Basic County Requirements
Every orphaned county should continue to meet the minimum requirements for participation in TXGenWeb and USGenWeb, even when it does not have a permanent coordinator.