Building on this strong foundation, the library advertised through
its newsletter, the local newspaper, word-of-mouth, and presentations
to organizations such as the county genealogical society. The Family
History Index was a well-used collection and one of the best sources
for obituaries for the area, so the library was able to to draw in
volunteers who did not live in the Chelsea district itself. Volunteers
filed standard application forms, which covered basic contact
information, times available for work, and special skills. The initial
group of about three dozen volunteers received training at one of two
sessions set up in early February 2006, after which additional
volunteers received training one-on-one or in small groups as they
signed on. Later, existing volunteers would train new recruits. Over
the course of the project, nearly 50 volunteers contributed to various
aspects of the project.