Should You Include Genealogy Citations in Your Scrapbook? Here's What You Should Know

Devon Noel Lee
May 22
4 min read

When working on a family history project, it can feel like you're juggling two big things: telling a great story and ensuring everything is well-documented. But here's the challenge: how do you share your ancestor's story in an engaging way for your kids and grandkids, without bogging them down with too much technical detail?

After all, you want them to enjoy flipping through the scrapbook, not get lost in footnotes. So, what do you do when you need to include those all-important citations? Here's a question from Vynette that touches on this very issue:

"My cousin and I are writing a story about my great-grandparents raising their children in early Oklahoma. It will be a scrapbook with journaling and photos for our children and grandchildren. Should we include citations?"

Vintage photo collage showing a smiling couple, floral decorations with "My Mother" text, and a woman by a teepee; biographical text included. — Does grandma's scrapbook need genealogy source citations?

Should You Include Source Citations in a Scrapbook?

This is a fantastic question!

I absolutely love the idea of creating a family story scrapbook, especially one that captures such rich, personal history for future generations. If you haven't noticed, I have written about heritage scrapbooking on this blog before, so check out the links at the bottom of this post to get you started.

Regardless, scrapbooking is a meaningful way to share your ancestors' stories creatively and visually. But when it comes to citations… that's a bit trickier, right?

The Dilemma: Citations vs. Storytelling

You want to ensure your story is well-researched, but there's a catch. Scrapbooks are all about storytelling, engagement, and making those personal connections with future generations. If you add long, complicated citations in the middle of your story, you risk losing your audience's attention faster than you can say, "Boomer Sooner." Your children and grandchildren might not appreciate a hefty list of sources interrupting the flow of the narrative.

How do we balance the need for citations with keeping the scrapbook engaging and readable?

Hands typing on a laptop in a bright room with teal accents. Text reads: "Learn to write your family history. Get started."

The Kid-Friendly Citation Solution: A Two-Part Set

Here's my suggestion: Create a two-part book set.

Part One: The Scrapbook

This is where the fun happens—the bright, beautiful storytelling. Keep it light, readable, and visually appealing, with plenty of photos and journaling. These elements are the heart of your project, and you want it to be something your kids and grandkids will flip through and enjoy.

Part Two: The Companion Volume

Now, this is where you can get all the details, citations, and sources in a separate book. In this companion volume, include all the background information, family history, and, of course, your citations. You can reference this book in the scrapbook whenever necessary. A simple line like "See the Notes Book, page 12" can direct readers to the companion volume if they want to dive deeper.

This approach lets you keep the storytelling front and center while still preserving the historical accuracy and research behind the story.

at If You're Not Up for Two Books? Here's Another Option

Okay, maybe a two-book set sounds like more work than you're willing to take on. I hear you! So here's a more compact solution: Leave the last page of the scrapbook blank.

Once the book is printed, you can glue in your citations on this page, which will give you a neat, tidy, and easy-to-reference place for all your sources.

Or, if you're feeling tech-savvy, how about this?

Add a QR code to the last page of the scrapbook. The QR code can link to a public profile on FamilySearch, your family tree, or any other online source you've used. It's a modern, future-proof way to keep your citations accessible without cluttering the main content of the scrapbook.

Why Genealogy Citations Matter in a Family Story Scrapbook

Let's be honest: genealogy citations are important. They validate your research and help future generations understand where the information came from. But they don't have to take center stage in your scrapbook. The focus should be on the narrative—the pictures, the stories, the memories.

By keeping citations separate or tucked away in the back, you ensure that your scrapbook is engaging for a broad audience, from young kids to older generations, while still preserving the integrity of your family history.

Hexagon with a question mark above text asks about adding genealogy citations to a scrapbook. Bookshelf background. Button: Read More. — Save to Pinterest

Let the Story Shine—Tuck the Details Behind the Scenes

In the end, you can absolutely include citations in your family story scrapbook—but it's all about how you include them. Whether you go for the two-part book set, the last-page solution, or the high-tech QR code, remember to keep the focus on the story. Let the narrative shine, and save the technical details for those who want to dive deeper.

💬 Have you ever struggled with how much detail to include in a family keepsake? Please share your thoughts in the comments—I'd love to hear how you've handled this balancing act!

👋 Until next time—Happy Writing!