I received this information from FamilySearch today:
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FamilySearch had nearly 236 million visitors in 2023 from across the world. Visitors were drawn to FamilySearch’s experiences that are designed to foster fun family discoveries and connections.
Free Genealogical Records
If there’s one thing we know well at FamilySearch, it’s that people crave free access to online genealogical records. In 2023, we focused extra effort on increasing record collections from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Luxembourg, Nicaragua, and Uganda. Of course, we continued to expand other collections as well—in more than 70 countries. We also collaborated with the Libraries and Archives Canada and Ancestry to make the 1931 Census of Canada freely available online.
The Collaborative FamilySearch Family Tree
The world’s largest family tree grew by 80 million more people in 2023. Contributors added 450 million sources that help increase collaboration and the accuracy of people in the tree.
FamilySearch Digital Books Online
Who doesn’t like free books? The FamilySearch Digital Library added over 30,000 new books in 2023 and now offers more than 586,000 digital historical publications. The books are full-text searchable—which can really help you discover who—or what—you’re seeking. Many of the 2023 additions were school yearbooks. In addition, the Springfield-Greene County Public Library in Missouri was added as a new contributor and scanning site for local genealogy-relevant books that are in the public domain.
FamilySearch Library and Centers
In 2023, FamilySearch changed the name of its world-renowned Family History Library and related local centers to better align with its global brand. The newly named FamilySearch Library and its network of FamilySearch centers and affiliates help expand the access of FamilySearch’s vast resources, including discovery experiences, free individual family history assistance, and free access to premium websites.
FamilySearch opened 510 new FamilySearch centers in 2023 and now has over 6,200 locations worldwide. FamilySearch centers in Logan, Utah, and Las Vegas, Nevada, were renovated and expanded to offer more patron services. In addition, center online resources can now be accessed globally in meetinghouses for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including those without a FamilySearch center. This will significantly increase the availability of FamilySearch resources to individuals worldwide.
FamilySearch Help was updated to help family history researchers get answers to their ancestral questions. FamilySearch center volunteers and workers received a new resource to better assist guests and create even greater experiences. The new Learning Resources provides comprehensive learning material to help provide guests with individualized attention when using FamilySearch services.
Debbie Gurtler was named the new assistant director of the FamilySearch Library. The library opened its Memories Preservation Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, a free service for guests to bring their personal and family records and artifacts and convert them to digital formats that can be more easily shared and preserved long-term. Using center equipment, visitors can convert family documents, home movies, slides, negatives, video and audio tapes, and other media to digital format. Contact your local FamilySearch center to see what memory preservation equipment might be available near you.
The library offered 75 free webinars this year, and it offers hundreds more on demand in multiple languages, accessible online in its Learning Center.
RootsTech 2023 Quick Facts
RootsTech 2023 inspired and entertained participants from all over the world. Millions more continue to enjoy the free 2023 content online year-round at RootsTech.org.
- Participants were from 236 countries and territories.
- More than 3 million participants attended in person and online.
- More than 500,000 participants made over 5.2M common ancestor connections to other participants through Relatives at RootsTech 2023.
- Over 4,000 young adults attended in person.
In-person keynotes included:
- Jordin Sparks, multi-platinum recording artist and actress.
- Sean Astin, award-winning actor, producer, and director.
- Me Ra Koh, photographer, author, and Sony Artisan of Imagery.
- Steve Rockwood, CEO of FamilySearch International
Kirby Heyborne, popular actor, comedian, and narrator, was the RootsTech 2023 emcee and made many appearances on the main stage.
Virtual Keynotes included:
- Tuti Furlán, a popular Guatemalan psychologist specializing in the science of happiness.
- His highness Sheikh Salem bin Sultan bin Saqr Al-Qasimi
- Mona Magno-Veluz, the National President of the Autism Society Philippines
Other FamilySearch 2023 News
Your Impact
FamilySearch relies heavily on online volunteers to help create the many quality discovery experiences it offers. These volunteers use Get Involved to help FamilySearch visitors make more and more fun family discoveries by making images of historical records easily searchable. The newly introduced Your Impact feature lets these do-gooders see how their contributions are literally helping others expand their family trees. If you would like to help "pay it forward" for others, learn more at FamilySearch Get Involved.
Exceptional Workplace Award 2023
Of all its accomplishments, FamilySearch was particularly happy to receive the 2023 Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award. The honor is awarded to companies who make employees the center of their business strategy by listening to them, measuring results, and consistently trying to improve the workplace. This is the 5th consecutive year FamilySearch has received the award for its professional workplace culture and establishes FamilySearch as a world-class organization that makes a difference for its employees.
Copyright (c) 2023 Randall J. Seaver
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