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The Value of the local Family History Center

Do you have a local Family History Center by you?
There is a great valuable resource for family history enthusiasts, hidden in the local Family History Centers throughout the world.  According to FamilySearch.org, “As of April 2011, there were more than 4,600 FSCs in 134 countries.”(1)  The Centers are free and most are located in LDS Church houses, but you do not have to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to use the centers.    You may find a local center here:  https://familysearch.org/locations/

 “Family History Centers are locally operated and supervised. The facilities and resources of the centers differ by location, and range from small, ‘Computer-only’ facilities that do not circulate film and are open only a few hours a week, to large centers open typical business hours with dozens of volunteers, computers, digital film readers, scanners, and printers to support the patrons’ use of extensive collections of books, periodicals, maps, microfilm and microfiche.”(2)

Many of the Family History Centers have Wiki pages and they can be accessed here: https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Category:Family_History_Centers
These Wiki pages will give you contact information for the Centers, hours of operation, schedules, and any other useful information pertaining to their local center.   The Center Wiki pages will also describe and have schedules for any classes, training, conferences, seminars and local family history fairs. 
Each center is staffed by volunteers and so the knowledge of the staff will vary extensively.

 “Family History Center staff can show you how to use the center’s resources. To make your visit most effective, collect and organize the information you already have. Bring as much information as you have about the ancestor you wish to research, including available birth, marriage and death information.”(3)
In addition to staff assistance, the centers offer the ability to order microfilm and microfiche.  The

Centers also offer free access to the following subscription websites :(4)
    19th Century British Newspapers
    Newspaper Archives
    Alexander Street Press (American Civil War Collections)
    Ancestry.com (Family History Library Edition)
    ArkivDigital Online
    FindMyPast
    Fold3.com
    The Genealogist
    Godfrey Memorial Library
    HeritageQuest Online
    Historic Map Works (Library Edition)
    Origins.net
    Paper Trail, A Guide to Overland Pioneer Names and Documents
    WorldVitalRecords.com
So rather than traveling to the Salt Lake Family History Library; try your local Family History Center to get started on your family history.

Sources:
(1)    Family Search.org., Wiki, “ Introduction to LDS Family History Centers”, accessed 8/7/2014 online at: https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Introduction_to_LDS_Family_History_Centers
(2)    Family Search.org., Wiki, “ Visiting a FamilySearch Center”, accessed 8/7/2014 online at: https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Introduction_to_LDS_Family_History_Centers
(3)    Family Search.org., Wiki, “ One-on-one assistance”, accessed 8/7/2014 online at: https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Introduction_to_LDS_Family_History_Centers
(4)    Family Search.org., Wiki, “ Genealogical Records”, accessed 8/7/2014 online at: https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Introduction_to_LDS_Family_History_Centers

Comments

  1. AdamApril 22, 2015 at 8:40 PM

    The Family History Center here in Northwest Arkansas just moved, and I made my first visit last week. It is now bigger and has more microfilm machines and a bigger staff. Everyone was very helpful, and I'm excited to make more trips!

    ReplyDelete

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