FamilySearch to Provide Access to World's Genealogical Records

This is perhaps the most important genealogy announcement of the past few years. The following announcement was written by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:

FamilySearch Unveils Program to Increase Access to World's Genealogical Records

Tidal Wave of Online Databases Will Result

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH-FamilySearch announced today its Records Access program to increase public access to massive genealogy collections worldwide. For the first time ever, FamilySearch will provide free services to archives and other records custodians who wish to digitize, index, publish, and preserve their collections. The program expands FamiliySearch's previously announced decision to digitize and provide online access to over 2 million rolls of copyrighted microfilm preserved in the Granite Mountain Records Vault. A key component of the program allows FamilySearch and archives to team with genealogy websites to provide unprecedented access to microfilm in the vault. The combined results ensure a flood of new record indexes and images online at www.FamilySearch.org and affiliated websites.

The plan combines the assets and experience of the Genealogical Society of Utah with the state-of-the-art technology resources of FamilySearch-all under the single brand name of FamilySearch. The Records Access program allows records custodians to publish their data online by themselves or with the assistance of FamilySearch or affiliate genealogical websites and historical societies.

"Records custodians worldwide are experiencing growing pressure to provide access to their records online while maintaining control and ownership.  At the same time, websites that provide digitizing and publishing services are struggling with the staggering costs," said Wayne Metcalfe, director of Records Services for FamilySearch. "The new Record Access program takes advantage of FamilySearch's resources and creates an economical and effective forum where record custodians and genealogical websites can work together to accomplish their respective objectives," added Metcalfe.

Working with the records custodians, FamilySearch can leverage its extensive microfilm and growing digital image collection to create digital images for affiliate genealogical websites at a fraction of the cost. The affiliate genealogy organization will create indices of the digital images and then publish the images and the indices on its own website, the archive's website, or a jointly published site.  A copy of the index will also be made available for free on the popular FamilySearch website, which will help drive traffic to record images on the custodians' or affiliates' sites. Full, free access to both the indices and images will be provided to family history centers, FamilySearch managed facilities, and the archives. If the record custodian seeks revenue to sustain operations, a small fee may be required to access images outside FamilySearch managed facilities or the archive.

For archives and heritage societies, the new program benefits include:

• Digitally capture, preserve, and publish records online
• Increase access to records while maintaining control and ownership
• Increase patronage and business viability
• Over 100 years of archival and publishing experience

For genealogy websites, the new program helps them:

·     Benefit from the knowledge and relationships of FamilySearch with the archival community      worldwide

·     Significantly lower costs associated with acquiring, preserving, or providing access to data

·     Increase business viability and website traffic

·     Leverage an open platform that develops value-added services around FamilySearch, the world's largest repository of genealogical data.

Under the program, FamilySearch will also provide tools and assistance to records custodians who want to publish parts of their collection using state-of-the-art digital cameras, software, and web-based applications.

The archive can work with an affiliate, historical society, or FamilySearch to index the images or host a website for the records custodian. The index of the record collection will be available for free on FamilySearch, and the records custodian's site will provide access to the images for free or a fee depending on the needs of the archive and those assisting in the digitization.

One example of the tools FamilySearch can provide is FamilySearch Indexing, a web-based application that engages tens of thousands of volunteers worldwide to create searchable indexes linked to the digital images created by FamilySearch. "Through mere word-of-mouth promotions, literally tens of thousands of volunteers are already joining this effort to index the world's records by registering at FamilySearchIndexing.org and donating a few minutes a week online to the effort.  Over 100,000 volunteers are expected to enlist in the initiative by year end with the numbers increasing as more projects-particularly international projects-are added," said Paul Nauta, manager of Public Affairs for FamilySearch.

FamilySearch will announce the first collaborative projects of its new Records Access program during the National Genealogical Society (NGS) Convention in Richmond, Virginia, the week of May 14, 2007. Many more project announcements are expected in the following months.

Record custodians and archives that would like additional information regarding the FamilySearch Records Services can contact Wayne Metcalfe (metcalfewj@gensocietyofutah.org) and genealogy web service providers should contact Dave Harding (hardingdp@ldschurch.org).

FamilySearch (historically known as the Genealogical Society of Utah) is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. FamilySearch maintains the world's largest repository of genealogical resources accessed through FamilySearch.org, the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, and over 4,500 family history centers in 70 countries.

Comments

[Chris Fenner]

I think Family Search need to improve the search facility on their site before adding any more information. At the moment you cannot search for anyone by date until you add a Christian name . If like me you are doing a one-name study and search using surname only you have to trawl through all the entries to see if anyone has been added.

[Peter Calver]

Chris, have you tried entering % as the first name? I think you'll find that gives you the flexibility you're looking for.

[Marilyn]

I have a question that I am not able to answer with confidence when I read the announcement.

If I go to a local Family History Center to search these new affiliate databases through FamilyHistory.org, or if I log into FamilyHistory.org at my home computer--will I have the same level of access? Will there be any difference between my searching FamilyHistory.org on a home computer and my searching FamilyHistory.org on a FHC computer--access, charges, etc.???

Thanks in advance for any light you can shed on this?

[Trish Lewis]

I would also like to know if there is any difference between access from home versus an FHC. I hope they will provide the flexibility to have as much access from home since it's not always viable for many people to get to an FHC when they're open, especially people who work full-time.

[Daniel]

I'm wondering that as well. I know that a lot of films in the European collection have restrictions such as "only available for members of the LDS church"... perhaps this will be extended to those of the LDS faith who are working at home. I suppose we shall have to wait and see.

[Susan Daily]

"If the record custodian seeks revenue to sustain operations, a small fee may be required to access images outside FamilySearch managed facilities or the archive." --> I wonder how that will work? Sounds like you will be able to look at some records for free at a Family History Center, but to look at them at home, you will have to pay a fee or subscription to the owner of the archived material?

In any event, this actually all falls into play with something I posted as my comment to Congress regarding the increase of prices for the, for example, Civil War pension files: "I would suggest that perhaps NARA should start considering a joint mission with the archivists from The Church of Latter Day Saints in Salt Lake City, UT. That as each [Civil war] pension file is requested, that instead of simply photocopying the file, they should be scanned digitally into memory. The labor costs would be offset, since it would be done by trained volunteers from the Church, the Church will begin to obtain some wonderful genealogical material, and the patron who ordered the file will have their choice of receiving it electronically or in paper format. Win-win-win."

Wouldn't that be great?

[Fran Price]

Regarding the restrictions put on some microfilm from the Family History Library. I worked at the FHC for many years. The restrictions are imposed by the "owners" of the documents. They allow anyone to view the films, but only at the FHL in Salt Lake City. The films cannot be circulated.

[Dick Eastman]

---> Sounds like you will be able to look at some records for free at a Family History Center, but to look at them at home, you will have to pay a fee or subscription to the owner of the archived material?

Exactly. That is exactly how Footnote.com will work and I suspect the same is true of the others.

- Dick Eastman

[Carole Bemke]

As a relative newcomer to all of this should I not renew my Ancestry.com subscription? This whole scenario is confusing to people getting started. I will be able to use my FHC so I guess this takes the place of the many subscriptions at least for now.

Carole Bemke

[M McCaw]

I for one am keeping Ancestry.com. The ease with searching and the way they break it down by Census year, social security death index, etc is unsurpassed. I also hope that FamilyFearch changes their format. I wish it were more computer friendly like Ancestry.com and I wish more of it would be available online. What about access online for a nominal fee that you would be able to access from your home computer. I have never been able to use the FamilySearch locations to view tapes in the past 20 years.

[Mary Lee Sloan]

I am crying with JOY !!! I have spent 4 to 8 hours a week for the last 8 years reading microfilm at local FHC site. This was not a computerized microfilm reading site and the work was extremely difficult. I spend many days at the NARA site reading census records. And finally I have spend weeks at court houses reading the OLD books and records. I am famliar with digitized records using new technology. This will be a joy to view. I send a prayer of blessings and thanksgiving to FamilySearch and all the volunteers that will work on this project.

[Albertus LANG]

HI ALL ,what a great site this will be eh,i think it's a step in the right direction for every one thats does GENEALOGY and as one of the other person said about genesrenuited i wiil be staying there as they have been terrific with all my Questions etc see you around,good luck with the site cheers .

[s sher]

Are there any records available for the vitims that were sent to Siberia from Poland?

[Bobbie Coray]

I understand that the Everton Library Collection is involved too. Can you elaborate on that?

[TM Wells]

All are invited to help with the process to make the digital microfilms available. Go to www.familysearchindexing.org to volunteer to help create searchable indexes from the handwritten records on the microfilms. Each 'batch' (ie.. One page from a census, a dozen marriage records, etc) takes 20-60 minutes to type up using the free software provided from the website. A new FamilySearch web site is being developed that with have better search features and enable the digital records to be added as they become available. However, there is no public time table yet for the availability of the new website.

[Tar]

Interfacing with{NFS} - Part One
Lots of good information on New Family Search
http://rzamor1.blogspot.com/2007/09/interfacing-with-nfs-part-one.html

[Albertus Lang]

Hello all,Just remembered I have been to Quite a few FHC and I had to pay every time ,some times $5.00,or $7.OO but it was worth it at the time ,still looking for the site to come up cheers Albertus.

[Sam]

This is just another move by the Mormons to try to control the genealogy world.

Screw them and Ancestry.com too.