Changes Are Coming To the FamilySearch Catalog

Noted genealogist and genea-blogger  James Tanner posted two blog posts in the last month about Changes to the FamilySearch Catalog - see them at The Beginning of the End of the FamilySearch Catalog or another Beginning? (posted 25 October 2024) and Update on the end of the FamilySearch.org Catalog (posted 6 November 2024).  

The existing FamilySearch Catalog is at https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog.

There is also a FamilySearch News item dated 17 October 2024, What's New with the FamilySearch Catalog, which has information about the FamilySearch Catalog.  That article notes that

The most noticeable change with this update is that the Catalog uses the newest FamilySearch place standards. Place standards provide a consistent experience for how place information is organized and presented. Standards must be updated regularly since place names around the world are changing.

It goes on to describe what the changes entail, and how the changes might affect our Catalog searches. 

1)  In the first article, James said:  "Now, there is a new FamilySearch.org Catalog. See https://www.familysearch.org/en/library/our-catalogs."

That page says:

Either catalog can be searched, however it's best to use the new Library Catalog because it's continually being updated. The existing Catalog on FamilySearch.org was last updated September 2022. 

Looking for a microfilm or microfiche? 

Either catalog can be searched, however it's best to use the existing FamilySearch.org Catalog because it includes access to many of the microfilms and microfiche physically located in either the FamilySearch Library or the FamilySearch Archives, along with links to their digital images, if accessible digitally.

2)  The link to "Access the New Catalog" is https://libcat.familysearch.org/?browseCategory=familysearch_new_books which takes you to the New Books page.

There is a Search field at the top of that screen.  On the screen above, I input "Albany County, New York" into the search field and clicked on "Subject" in the Keyword field, kept "in Library Catalog" next to the Keyword field, and clicked on the "Search" button on the far right.  The result was:

There were five items listed, all from microfilm and microfiche. 

I know that the "Old" Catalog had many more entries for Albany County, New York.  So I clicked on the field with "In Library Catalog" and saw more entries in the dropdown menu, and selected "in Library Website."  I clicked "Search" again and saw:

The results show 782 "All Results," of which 703 are "Available at the FamilySearch Library"  and 350 are "Available Online."  Here is the list for "Available at the FamilySearch Library":

I chose the "Best Match" from the drop down list, but there are 9 different options there.  

On the left side of the screen is an opportunity to "Narrow Your Results."

The database entries on the list have links to "Microfilm" and "Online Content."  For the first item on the list above, the "Online Content" link takes me to the search page for the "United States, New York Land Records, 1630-1975" database on FamilySearch.

The Results page has 40 entries at most, so the user needs to click "Next" to see them all (20 pages for the search above).

4)  This "New Catalog" system is much different from the "Old Catalog" system.  The search results are different also.  Note that the results for a locality are NOT in alphabetical subject order.  I'm sure there are many other differences!!

5)  I anticipate that, at some time in the maybe not-too-distant future, that the "Old Catalog" will be retired and the "New Catalog" will be the only option that researchers have to find the "needles in the FamilySearch Catalog" haystack.  

We all need to stay tuned to this "New Catalog" way to do things.

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The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2024/11/changes-to-familysearch-catalog.html

Copyright (c) 2024, Randall J. Seaver

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UPDATE: FamilySearch Digital Records Access Replacing Microfilm

I received this information from FamilySearch yesterday:

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UPDATE: FamilySearch Digital Records Access Replacing Microfilm

Salt Lake City, Utah (30 August 2017), Thursday, September 7, 2017, marks the closing of an 80-year era of historic records access to usher in a new, digital model. FamilySearch is discontinuing its microfilm circulation services in concert with its commitment to make billions of the world’s historic records readily accessible digitally online. (See FamilySearch Digital Records Access Replacing Microfilm). As its remaining microfilms are digitized, FamilySearch has provided additional information to users of its historic microfilm program. Find and share this news announcement easily online in the FamilySearch Newsroom. 

FamilySearch, a global leader in historic records preservation and access, began microfilming historic records in 1938. Advancements in technology have enabled it to be more efficient, making an unbelievable tide of digital images of historic records accessible much quicker online and to a far greater customer base.

FamilySearch released a list of helpful facts and tips to help patrons better navigate the transition from microfilm to digital.

QUICK FACTS AND TIPS

• Patrons can still order microfilms online until Thursday, September 7, 2017.
• After film ordering ends, if customers need access to a particular film yet to be digitized, they can express interest to have it added to the priority digitization list by contacting FamilySearch Support (Toll Free: 1-866-406-1830). 
• All of the microfilm rented by patrons in the past 5 years have now been digitized by FamilySearch—over 1.5 million microfilms (ca. 1.5 billion images).
• The remaining microfilms are being digitally scanned at a rate of 1,000 films per day and are projected to be complete by 2020.
• New digital images are available as they are scanned in the FamilySearch.org Catalog.
• Films currently on loan in family history centers and affiliate libraries are automatically granted extended loan status.
• Affiliate libraries now have access to nearly all of the restricted image collections as family history centers.
• Visitors to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City will still be able to order needed microfilms to use during their research visits.

HOW TO FIND DIGITAL IMAGES ON FAMILYSEARCH

Digital image collections can be accessed today in 3 places on FamilySearch.org, all under Search.

• Catalog. Includes a description of all the microfilms and digital images in the FamilySearch collection. This is where all of FamilySearch's digitized microfilm and new digital images from its global camera operations are being published. A camera icon appears in the Catalog adjacent to a microfilm listing when it is available digitally.
• Records includes collections that have been indexed by name or published with additional waypoints to help browse the unindexed images.
• Books include digital copies of books from the Family History Library and other libraries, including many books that were previously copied to microfilm.

For additional help, see Finding Digital Images of Records on FamilySearch.org, or watch this how-to video “Where are the digitized records on FamilySearch?”

“FamilySearch is committed to meeting customers’ needs as much as possible during this transition to digital access,” said Diane Loosle, FamilySearch’s Director of Patron Services. “We really appreciate the wonderful feedback we have received since the initial announcement. It is helping us better facilitate customer experiences during this next phase.”

Loosle said FamilySearch's over 5,000 family history centers will continue to provide access to relevant technology, premium subscription services, and digital records, including restricted content not available at home. Centers have the option to return microfilm that is available online or otherwise not needed. As more images are published online, centers may reevaluate whether to retain microfilm holdings.

See Frequently Asked Questions: Digital Access Replacing Microfilms for more information.

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Commentary:  This provides another week to order microfilms online.  I have noticed that many of the microfilms that I reviewed at the Family History Library in past years (especially vital, probate and land records) are now in the FamilySearch Catalog with a camera icon.  However, many of these collections can only be viewed online at a FamilySearch Library or Center on their computer systems.  I visit the local FSL every month, and have started a To-Do list for the Catalog items that I cannot view online at home.  

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2017/08/update-familysearch-digital-records.html

Copyright (c) 2017, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

FamilySearch Digital Microfilm Update

During this week's Mondays With Myrt Hangout on Air, Diane Loosle, the Director of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, discussed the current status of the digitization of FHL microfilms.  Some of my takeaways:

*  Digitization is restricted by the contractual agreements that the FHL has with the record repositories.  Some contracts do not permit digitizing, others do but restrict access to the FHL or FSLs, and others permit digital records to be presented on online websites such as FamilySearch.

*  About 25% of the digitized collections will be available only at the Family History Library or local FamilySearch Libraries or Centers because of contractual requirements.

*  They probably will not digitize duplicate record sets - some records are on more than one microfilm set, and they will pick one.

*  Digitization is prioritized by the microfilms ordered in the last five years.  These should be digitized by 2020.

*  Less than 11% of the FHL digital microfilm collection is indexed, so it is important that users learn how to browse the record collections.

*  Urgent requests can be made - stay tuned after 1 September for more information.

*  They are digitizing about 1,000 films a day.  That's amazing, but they have only about 1200 days before the end of 2020, right?

*  They will keep the existing microfilm at the Family History Library. The permanent rental at local FSLs or FSCs can be retained by the local management if desired.

*  Many record sets already digitized are on the FamilySearch Record Collection List.  However, there are many record sets partially digitized that are not on the list.

*  Users can check the status of a specific record set or microfilm by checking in the FamilySearch Catalog.

I will work through the FamilySearch Catalog search process below, in case readers want to review and use the process:

1)  On the FamilySearch Catalog page, I entered "Hilperton" in the search field and selected "England, Wiltshire, Hilperton" from the dropdown menu:

2)  I clicked on the blue "Search" button on the screen above, and saw the list of record types for Hilperton:

3)  When I click on any of the items on the list above, the list expands to show all record sets for that record type.  I clicked on the "England, Wiltshire, Hilperton - Church records (3)" item and saw the three record sets for that record type:

4)  I wanted to see the "Bishop's transcripts for Hilperton, 1622-1880."  I clicked on it, and after signing into FamilySearch, saw the information about the specific record set:

Down at the bottom of the screen above is the Film Notes, including the film number (in this case Film 1279404 items 11-16).  If I was at the FHL, I would go find that film, put it on the microfilm reader, and crank until I found Item 11 for the Hilperton records.

On the far right of the Film Notes information on the screen above, there are two icons under "Format."  The magnifying glass icon is for "Search the Index."  The second icon may be a "film roll" icon or a "camera" icon.  If it's a "film roll" icon, then you have to view the microfilm at the FHL (after 1 September).  If it's a "camera" icon, then it is digitized and available online.

5)  When I click on the "Camera" icon, the set of digitized images opens, as shown below:

There are 2324 images in this "digital microfilm" - but the popup window tells me I have to go to a Family History Center to review it.  Drat - but at least I don't have to travel to SLC, I can see this record set in my local FamilySearch Center on their computer systems and save page images to my flash drive..

I haven't checked for the digitizing status of my "target" microfilms - the ones I have on my "to-do" list when I go each year to the Family History Library.  I will go through my to-do list and summarize the "target" record sets I'm interested in in another post.

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The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2017/08/familysearch-digital-microfilm-update.html

Copyright (c) 2017, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

2011 Visit to the Norwegian-American Genealogical Center in Madison WI -- Post 440 of (Not So) Wordless Wednesday

During our 2011 vacation to Springfield, Illinois and surrounding states, we had one day in Dane County, Wisconsin  in Madison at the historical society and library.  I wrote about it in Day 11 on the Seaver Midwest Genealogy Tour (posted 16 September 2011).

In the afternoon, we went to the Norwegian-American Genealogical Center and Naeseth Library (415 West Main Street in Madison).  My goal here was to find local family history in Dane County for Linda's Leland and Natvig families.  The Center has a very helpful and knowledgeable staff, and a wealth of genealogical material concerning Norwegian records and American records of persons with Norwegian heritage.  I was really impressed!  I obtained copies of transcribed church records, articles from a book of Voss emigrants, and more.  The director worked with my genealogy reports on the families, and looked up material in his 300,000+ person database which included vital records, cemetery records, probate, and more.  I was able to add some dates to my database.  

Here are some of the photos I took while at the Naeseth Library:

1)  I remembered to take a photo f the front of the library, graced by Linda:

2)  I think this is the area in the library with the Norwegian bygdeboks (farm books):

3)  Another area of the library with books and a card file:

4)  Linda with several books about Norwegian-Americans in the United States:

Next week will be photos from the area of Dane County, Wisconsin where the Leland and Natvig families settled, southeast of Madison.

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The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2016/11/2011-visit-to-norwegian-american.html

Copyright (c) 2016, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

2011 Wisconsin State Historical Society Visit - Post 439 of (Not So) Wordless Wednesday

During our 2011 vacation to Springfield, Illinois and surrounding states, we had one day in Dane County, Wisconsin  in Madison at the historical society and library.  I wrote about it in Day 11 on the Seaver Midwest Genealogy Tour (posted 16 September 2011).

Here are some of the photos I took while in the Wisconsin State Historical Society in Madison:

1)  On the 4th floor is the Archives.  I took a photo of the cover of the book for the Wisconsin State Senate Journal that had the name change document for my 2nd great-grandfather, Devier James Lamphear Smith:

2)  And a photo of the page for the Act of the state senate granting the name change:

3)  Also at the Archives, I found a card file for naturalizations for Linda's Norwegian ancestors.  Here is a photo of the card for Elling Erikson Natvik:

4)  I found several pages for the naturalization of Linda's Leland ancestors:

4)  In the afternoon, I worked in the Library Reading Room and in the book stacks.  Google Books was in the process of digitizing books off the shelf in the County History section, much to my chagrin:

5)  Here is the Main Reading Room, that's Linda in the bright blue jacket on the right.  I don't think the guy dozing in the foreground is a genealogist.

Unfortunately, I didn't take a lot of pictures around Madison, the University or the Society.  I was hunting for forebears, not great pictures.  And it was my Canon point-and-shoot camera so lots of images are fuzzy.  Oh well.

Next week will be photos from another library in Madison.

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The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2016/11/2011-wisconsin-state-historical-society.html

Copyright (c) 2016, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Visiting the Beaver Dam (Wis.) Community Library - Post 437 of (Not So) Wordless Wednesday

During our 2011 vacation to Springfield, Illinois and surrounding states, we had one day in Dodge County, Wisconsin  my Ranslow and Devier Smith home area.  I wrote about it in Day 10 on the Seaver Midwest Genealogy Tour (posted 15 September 2011).

Here are more of the photographs I took during our visit:

1)  I had information from a book that there were newspaper articles about my Ranslow Smith family that were in the Dodge County, Wisconsin newspapers, and I had a list of the dates I wanted to see.  Here is the entrance to the Beaver Dam (Wisconsin) Community Library: 

2)  The library had a very well organized bookcase with family history materials:

The shelves in the photo above are labeled as "Beaver Dam and Dodge County Newspaper Indexes," "Dodge County Cemetery Indexes," "Dodge County Plat Maps and Indexes," and "Beaver Dam Telephone Books."

3)  The shelves next to the shelves above were reserved for local historians, and had some of the best resource books:

I was mainly interested in the "Dodge County Citizen Newspaper Index, 1856-1914" on the counter above.

4)  I searched that index book for my Devier and Ranslow Smith:

Unfortunately, these indexes had only vital events plus some probate record events in the index.  

5)  When I came into the library and asked for the genealogy section, a newspaper reporter asked me where I was from and what I was researching, so I told her.  She insisted on taking my picture with the librarian, Anita Streich:

6)  After I got home, the librarian sent the article from the Beaver Dam Daily Citizen newspaper dated 29 September 2011:

This was a pretty successful research visit.  I was able to find some of the articles mentioned in the book I had about my 3rd great-grandfather, Ranslow smith, and his family in the early years of the paper.

When I was leaving, I asked if there was a local historical society in town and Anita gave me directions and a name to the Beaver Dam Historical Society.  I will report on that visit next week.

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The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2016/11/visiting-beaver-dam-wis-community.html

Copyright (c) 2016, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Family History Day is 22 October 2016 at the Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library

The Chula Vista Genealogical Society (CVGS) and the Chula Vista Library are sponsoring a FREE Family History Day at the Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street in Chula Vista) on Saturday, 22 October, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Randy Seaver will give the keynote address, "Be An Ancestor Detective," at 10:30 a.m. in the Auditorium.

At 12 noon, Ceasar Castro will present "Who Is Chula Vista Mayor Mary Casillas Salas?" in the Auditorium, a "Who Do You Think You Are?" style program which will explore the family history of our Mayor with her in attendance.

There are also workshops throughout the day for:

*  How to Build a Family Tree

*  How to Search for Ancestors for Free

*  How to Interest Your Family In Its History

*  Crafts for Children

*  See Your Library's Genealogical Resources

The flyer for this event is:

There is more information on the CVGS website, www.CVGenealogy.org. 

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The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2016/10/family-history-day-is-22-october-2016.html

Copyright (c) 2016, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Tuesday's Tip - Use WorldCat.org to Find the Nearest Repository for a Book

This week's Tuesday's Tip is:  Use WorldCat.org to find the nearest repository for a specific book.

A reader emailed me asking where I found the book:

Dean Crawford Smith and Melinde Lutz Sanborn, The Ancestry of Eva Belle Kempton, 1878-1908 (Boston : New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1996).

I went to www.WorldCat.org, and put the book title in the search box:

 After clicking "Search everything" on the screen above, I saw the results:

I selected the first one from the list, and saw:

Further down the screen, WorldCat provides a list of the repositories that hold this book, listed by distance from your zip code (you need to enter it into the form):
:

There are five pages, about 29 entries, on the list.

The closest repository to me is Fresno County Public Library, about 325 miles away.  I think I read it at  the Family History Library in Salt Lake City many years ago.  I hope my reader is close to one of the listed repositories.

Have you used WorldCat.org to find repositories with genealogy books that you want to read?

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The URL for this post is: http://www.geneamusings.com/2016/08/tuesdays-tip-use-worldcatorg-to-find.html

Copyright (c) 2016, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

How Can I Find What Paper or Microform Information is Kept in a Particular Area?

We had our monthly Chula Vista Genealogical Society program yesterday - it was a Problem Solving Panel answering questions submitted by CVGS members - see a summary at CVGS Program Review - Problem Solving Panel on 26 August 2015.

One of the questions submitted was this one: "When I have exhausted available online data, how can I find out what paper or microfiche information is kept in a particular area?"  It wasn't my question to answer, and Shirley did a good job responding in limited time, but my readers may be interested in what I would have said (given enough time):

1)  Published books, especially town, county and state histories, or compiled genealogies and family history books, can be found in local, public, private, county, university,  state, regional or national libraries, plus local or regional historical societies.  Almost every library has an online catalog, and so a searcher can access it online before visiting the repository.  City directories, business directories, telephone books and other directories may be available in these repositories.  A searcher can find out where a specific book is available by using http://WorldCat.org online.

2)  Genealogy and family history periodicals can also be found in all of the libraries and historical societies noted above.  Most genealogy related periodicals have been collected at Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and can be obtained from that library for a fee.  Use the PERiodical Source Index (PERSI) now on www.FindMyPast.com to search for pertinent articles.

3)  Unpublished manuscripts and/or paper collections, donated by individuals or organizations, can be found at libraries, state archives, national archives, genealogical societies, or historical societies. Many archived collection are indexed at NUCMC (National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collection - http://www.loc.gov/coll/nucmc/) and ArchiveGRID (http://beta.worldcat.org/archivegrid/).  

Some libraries, genealogical societies, and historical societies have unindexed paper collections in file cabinets or on shelves that can only be searched by going to the repository.  Local history and genealogy information can usually be found on the county pages at USGenWeb (http://USGenWeb.org).  In addition, searchers can use the RootsWeb surname or locality message boards (http://boards.rootsweb.com/) and mailing lists (http://lists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/) to determine where a local record might be found.  Searchers could request help from genealogical or historical societies, or professional researchers, to obtain these records.

4)  The Family History Library in Salt Lake City has an extensive collection of over 2.5 million microfilms and over 700,000 microfiche sets that have been imaged over the past 100 years or more.  They include user-contributed books and manuscripts, official court and land records, compiled vital record and cemetery books or manuscripts, etc.  You can access the FamilySearch Catalog at  https://familysearch.org/catalog-search.  If a collection has been digitized and is available online as a historical record collection, there will be a link to the digitized records.  Microfilms and microfiche setts can be ordered online to be sent to a local FamilySearch Center for a fee.

Note that there are many digitized microfilms available on the FamilySearch Historical Record Collections list (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list) that are not every-name indexed, and therefore cannot be searched for.  Searchers can browse them at home - they are digital microfilm (see Dear Randy: What is the Most Important Skill for Finding Digital Records Online?).

Other large repositories (e.g., New England Historic Genealogical Society) may have a collection of microfilms for popular records in their locale.

5)  Vital Records (births, deaths, marriages) can be obtained at a local, county or state vital records office - see  http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w.htm for record availability, access requirements, cost, and where to obtain records for each state.  Searchers can usually request records online, in person, or using a paid researcher.

6)  Official public records such as Court Records (e.g., civil, criminal, family, probate) and Land Records are filed in district or county courts in each state.  Searchers can request these records in person or using a paid researcher.  Check with the Family History Library Catalog first to see if there are microfilm or microfiche records for the record type and period of interest.

7)  The National Archives in Washington DC, and the branches around the country, has a tremendous number of federal records, including presidential, congressional, judicial, census, military, immigration, naturalization, and land.  Visit  http://www.archives.gov/research/genealogy/ to see what can be found.  Many National Archives collections have been digitized or are being digitized already and are available online.

8)  State Archives have information pertaining to the public records, maps, books, papers, documents, etc. of the State's history, political history and geography.  See 
http://www.archives.gov/research/alic/reference/state-archives.html for locations and contact information.

9)  Local business and organization records (e.g., churches, cemeteries, funeral homes, schools, fraternal organizations) may be available in the business or organization offices, or in a local historical society or state archive.  Be sure to check websites, USGenWeb.org, and the FHL Catalog for these records first.

10)  Newspaper records may be available at local libraries and historical societies in paper format or on microfilm.  There may even be an index for articles available.  Or not.  It is very difficult to find articles or notices in a "cold search" of days and weeks of a newspaper that has not been digitized or indexed.  But sometimes that is the only way to find articles about your ancestral families.  Check Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) to determine what newspapers were published in a locality, and check the online newspaper archives list at Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_online_newspaper_archives).

11)  Finally, let's recall the Iceberg chart that indicates that only about 10% of all genealogy records are available on the Internet - the rest are in archives, libraries, courthouses, etc.

Isn't it interesting that we can use online catalogs and websites to help us find genealogy and family history records that are not digitized.  The process of finding records offline has been simplified by having online finding aids to help us.

I'm sure that I've missed some resource types, or glossed over them, in the list above.  What other types of records, and where a searcher can access them, do my readers have to share?

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2015/08/how-can-i-find-what-paper-or-microform.html

Copyright (c) 2015, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.