FAMILYSEARCH CATALOG AND RESEARCH WIKI (LEARN)

©2013 by Donald R. Snow

Sections of the Class Notes This page was last updated 2013-03-26.
Return to the Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group Home Page or Don's Class Listings Page .
    WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION

  1. Instructor is Donald R. Snow ( snowd@math.byu.edu ) of Provo and St. George, Utah.
  2. These notes with the active Internet links are posted on http://uvtagg.org/classes/dons/dons-classes.html
  3. Tips:  (1)  Put an icon on your desktop for this (or any) URL by dragging the icon from in front of the address in the browser to your desktop.  (2)  To keep your place in these notes while going to a link from them hold down the Control key while clicking the link to open the new page in another tab.
  4. Don's classes coming up
    1. Wed 2013-03-27 1-2:30 PM (4th Wed) -- FamilySearch Catalog and Research Wiki -- at FH Update Class, St. George
    2. Sat 2013-04-20 10-11:30 am -- Sources:  Documentation From Start to Finish -- DIG (Dixie Internet Genealogy) class at St. George FamilySearch Library
    3. April FH Update classes - discuss
  5. Report on RootsTech 2013 last week in the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City -- http://rootstech.org/ -- can watch several of the talks online; can also get to it from FamilySearch.org by clicking on RootsTech 2013 Recap (right side of screen)
  6. Today's presentation will discuss the FamilySearch Catalog, formerly called the Family History Library Catalog (FHLC), and Learn (the Research Wiki), and related items.

    7. FAMILYSEARCH WEBSITE

  7. Website is https://familysearch.org -- includes Family Tree, Learn (the Research Wiki), Records, Genealogies, FamilySearch Catalog, Books, Help, What's New, and several other items.
  8. Everything from the "classic" version of the FamilySearch website has been moved to the current site, but if you want to see the old site, it is available on the Wayback Machine on Internet Archive at  http://web.archive.org/web/20111026060614/http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp
  9. Help (upper right corner by the Sign In button)
    • Has tutorials, videos, FAQ's, and other information
    • Example: In the "Ask A Question" box type in "learn about collections of historical records" (without the quotes) -- first result is Knowledgebase Document 105436 explaining how to learn more about any collection of historical records on the FS website
    • Helpful videos under "Video Demonstrations"
  10. Tip:  Clicking on the FamilySearch logo (upper left side) at any time takes you back to the FamilySearch Home Page
  11. Records -- major collections of genealogy records that we have discussed separately

    12. GENEALOGIES ON FAMILYSEARCH

  12. Family Tree -- use your LDS or FamilySearch account to log in -- have discussed separately
  13. Genealogies -- NOT Family Tree
    1. Ancestral File and Pedigree Resource File -- user submitted data
    2. For more info type "user submitted genealogies" (without the quotes) in the Ask a Question box on Help 
    3. Examples of pedigree charts from Ancestral File now -- https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.2.1/M7J2-QD7  and  https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.2.1/M7J3-99B -- Note that the early submissions were on hard copy, have microfilm numbers, and some have good documentation; the films can be viewed at the FHL, BYU, and ordered at FHC's
    4. Example of a pedigree chart from Pedigree Resource Files -- https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.2.1/9HST-NDN -- Note the helpful notes and sources; not all have these
  14. Community Trees -- http://histfam.familysearch.org/index.php
    1. There is no link on FamilySearch to get to this
    2. Collections of contributed family trees from specific periods and localities -- very helpful and large collections, e.g. Knowles Jewish Records
    3. See info at http://histfam.familysearch.org/learnmore.php for list by geographical region  
  15. Extractions from old International Genealogical Index (IGI) -- Go to Records > Browse All Collections > type in IGI -- only linked by one-generation, e.g. husband-wife and parent-child

    16. FAMILYSEARCH CATALOG

  16. Previous name was Family History Library Catalog (FHLC)
  17. https://familysearch.org/catalog-search -- Defaults to search for records by location, but can also search by Last Names, Titles, Author, Subject, Keywords, Book Call Number, or Film Number
  18. Surname search gives articles and books where that surname is prominent, but does not show every book with that name in it
  19. Searching by place gives you several options of the records of that place, e.g. vital records, biographies, etc.
  20. Search results are microfilms, microfiche, hard copy books, etc.
  21. The Books icon gives you search options for any words in any of their 40,000 digitized books -- more being added daily
    1. These are out-of-copyright or permission-granted FH volumes from the FHL, the BYU Library, Allen County FH Library (Fort Wayne, Indiana), other large FH libraries, and some donated by individuals for scanning
    2. FSC shows the words in red: "To view a digital version of this item click here." which takes you to the digitized book
    3. Many can be read and/or downloaded by anyone anywhere -- Examples: Valiant in the Faith: Gardner and Sarah Snow and Their Family, 1990  and A Blanchard Memorial by Arthur William Blanchard, 1935
    4. Others can only be read and/or downloaded in the FHL or FS Libraries, including the St. George FSL -- Example:  The Snow-Estes Ancestry by Nora Emma Snow and Myrtle M. Jillson -- Can be downloaded at the FSL 
    5. Downloading the pdf of the book includes the text layer so they are completely word-searchable for any name, location, date, or word in the entire book -- Not the case with Google books
    6. BYU Library has many related online digital collections helpful for FH including books and photographs -- see http://lib.byu.edu/digital/all.php and http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm/search

    LEARN - THE RESEARCH WIKI

  22. Includes the Research Wiki (how to find info and where to look), Research Courses (to take for free), and Discussion Forums (to ask questions)
  23. Research Wiki has more than 72,000 articles that show you how to find records, about locations, how to use software, how to search -- essentially, how to do almost anything in FH
  24. Can search geographically and then by type of record desired
  25. "Wiki" means it can be changed and edited by anyone signed in so their changes are attached to their account
  26. All changes are saved so you can easily set it back to a previous version, if you think it should
  27. Includes links to many online databases and information about them
  28. Example -- Where can I find information and records of Bunkerville, Lincoln, Nevada?

    CONCLUSIONS

  29. Lots to find and use in the FamilySearch catalog and Learn
  30. Learning about your ancestors and their locations turns your heart to your fathers and makes you more aware of their lives.
Return to the Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group Home Page or Don's Class Listings Page .