Family Discovery Day in Chula Vista/Bonita on Saturday 8 August 2015

A FREE Community Family History Fair will be held on Saturday, August 8, 2015 from, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Chula Vista Stake Center, 1390 East H Street, Chula Vista, California 91913.

Come join us for this FREE Family History Fair and discover who is in your family tree.  Whether you are an experienced genealogist or just wanting to get started, there are classes for you.  These seminars are appropriate for adults and youth ages 12 and up, no child care will be provided, so please make outside arrangements for younger children.  Light refreshments will be provided.  Invite your family and friends!

The Keynote Address will be given by Carlos Yturralde, the President of the Hispanic Heritage Project.

More information:

*  There will be an Open Genealogy Help Lab.

*  Several RootsTech classes will be broadcast in both English and Spanish.

*  There will be live instruction in English and Spanish on a number of topics.

*  There will be free Wireless wi-fi access - bring yhour own laptop or notebook computer.

For additional information, please contact Mark Donnelly at chulavistafamilyhsitory@gmail.com.

LDS FamilySearch Web Site Highlights

As part of the CVGS Beginning Genealogy class this week, I was asked to provide a list of some FREE genealogy web sites that can help researchers find information.

One of the sites I selected was the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) site http://www.familysearch.org/. This web site has significant genealogy resources, including:

1) Family History Library Catalog – Search for Books, Manuscripts, etc in FHL Collection at http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp
This site allows you to search for Surname, Locality and Ethnic/Social Group Books and Manuscripts in their collections. The Microfilm and Microfiche items listed can be ordered at local LDS Family History Centers (FHCs).

2) Online Databases at -- http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp, including --

* 1880 US Census, 1881 Canada Census, 1881 UK Census transcriptions (no images) with Every Name Indices
* Ancestral File – search for submitted family data (error-prone, all member submitted)
* Pedigree Resource File – search for submitted family data (member submitted, edited)
* International Genealogical Index (IGI) -- search for extracted data items (error-prone if member submitted)
* Record Search Pilot Databases - http://search.labs.familysearch.org/recordsearch/. The LDS is currently imaging and indexing many of the microfilms and microfiches in their collection. When image collections and indexes are completed (or partially completed), they are put on this web site for access by anyone.

3) Research Outlines – States, Countries, Special Groups, Topics -- http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/RG/frameset_rhelps.asp. These Research Outlines provide information about the records available for each state, country, group or topic treated. Many are in PDF form and can be downloaded.

FamilySearch Record Search databases

I haven't checked into the LDS Record Search databases recently, so I clicked over to http://search.labs.familysearch.org/recordsearch/ (you do have to register if you have not been there before) and found that the list of indexed and/or browsable databases now includes:

CENSUS AND LISTS

* 1850 United States Census - indexed and browsable, new or updated in last 30 days
* 1850 United States Census (Mortality Schedule) - indexed and browsable, new or updated in last 30 days
* 1850 United States Census (Slave Schedules) - indexed and browsable
* 1855 Massachusetts State Census - indexed and browsable
* 1855 Wisconsin State Census - browsable

* 1865 Massachusetts State Census - indexed
* 1875 Wisconsin State Census - browsable
* 1880 United States Census - indexed
* 1885 Wisconsin State Census (browsable)
* 1895 Wisconsin State Census - browsable, new or updated in last 30 days

* 1895 Argentina Census - indexed
* 1900 United States Census - indexed and browsable
* 1905 Wisconsin State Census - browsable
* 1930 Mexico Census - browsable

COURT AND LEGAL RECORDS

* England, Cheshire, Register of electors, 1842-1900 - indexed
* Freedman Bank Records 1865-1874 - indexed
* Maryland, Cecil county Probate Estate Files 1851-1940 - indexed and browsable

LAND AND PROPERTY

* Vermont Land Records, Early to 1900 - browsable

MIGRATION

* New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island) 1892-1924 - indexed

MILITARY

* United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 - browsable

VITAL RECORDS

* Cheshire, Church of England Burial Records 1538-1907 - indexed
* Cheshire, Church of England Christening Records 1538-1907 - indexed
* Cheshire, Church of England Marriage Records 1538-1907 - indexed
* Freedmen's Bureau Virginia Marriages ca. 1815-1866 - indexes
* Georgia Deaths 1914-1927 - indexed* Ohio Deaths 1908-1953 - indexed

* Ontario Deaths 1869-1947 - indexed
* Texas Death Index 1964-1998 - indexed
* Texas Deaths, 1890-1976 - indexed, new or updated in last 30 days
* U.S. Social Security Index - indexed
* Utah Death Certificates 1904-1956 - Indexed

* Utah, Salt Lake County Death Records, 1908-1949 - indexed
* Washington Death Certificates, 1907-1960 - indexed
* West Virginia Deaths 1853-1970 - indexed
* Czech Republic, Litomerice Regional Archive Church Books 1552-1905 - browsable

* England, Diocese of Durham Bishops Transcripts ca. 1700-1900 - browsable
* France, Coutances Catholic diocese 1802-1907 - browsable
* Germany, Brandenburg and Posen, Civil Transcripts of Parish Registers, 1800-1974 - browsable
* Illinois, Diocese of Belleville, Catholic Parish Records 1729-1956 - browsable
* Spain, Albacete Diocese, Catholic Parish Records 1550-1930 - browsable
* Virginia, Fluvanna County Colbert Funeral Home Records 1929-1976 - browsable

The "indexed" databases can be searched (and many of them are linked to images, but not all of them are) and the "browsable" databases can be searched page by page (they appear to be collected into groups - counties or towns, etc.)From talking to my society colleagues, my impression is that very few casual researchers knows about these FREE databases being available. The LDS people down at the FHC know about them.

FamilySearch Indexing is about a year old now, and has done a tremendous job of indexing these databases, with more in the works. It may take 5 years or more to get all of the US census records online, but it's going to happen. It may take longer to get the vital, deed, probate, tax, town, church and other original sources online, but it's going to happen. I can hardly wait.

Genealogy News for April

Here is the genealogy news for April that I passed to my CVGS colleagues by email today. I usually present this at the monthly Research Group meeting, but I wasn't present last week for the meeting.

1. INTERESTING GENEALOGY WEB SITES

* The FamilySearch Record Search web site has completed imaging and indexing of more databases. You can find these at http://labs.familysearch.org. One only needs to sign in using a valid email address, and then you have always free access to FamilySearch’s. DearMYRTLE has a list of the databases at http://blog.dearmyrtle.com/2008/04/new-records-search-interface-at-labs.html

* Chronicling America (http://www.loc.gov/chroniclingamerica/), is enhancing access to America's historic newspapers. This site allows you to search and view newspaper pages from 1897-1910 for California, District of Columbia, Florida, Kentucky, New York, Utah, and Virginia, and find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present.

* www.germanoriginality.com, a Web site for German American heritage, is brought to you by the German National Tourist Office and the German Information Center USA. www.germanoriginality.com extends an invitation to Americans from all walks of life to come visit and learn about the contribution Americans of German ancestry have made to the social fabric, culture and economy of the United States – and to discover Germany "as it was… and is today."

* UK National Archives has Research Guides at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/gettingstarted/in_depth_guides.htm for Family History, Local History, Latin and Palaeography.

* http://alexanderstreet.com/resources/civilwar.access.htm has free access to some of the most popular Alexander Street Collections. Through April 30, 2008 you can explore three of our Civil War databases with no restrictions. As a bonus, we are also offering free access to two streaming music collections, which contain songs from the Civil War era.

2. NEW GENEALOGY DATABASES

a) at www.Ancestry.com - subscription site (US = $155.40, World = $299.40) - now available for FREE at San Diego FHC (Institution with World databases) or Chula Vista Public Library (Ancestry Library Edition). See new content at http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/recent.aspx. New databases include:

* www.Ancestry.ca, Canada’s leading family history website, today announced the online launch of the fully searchable indexes for the historic Drouin Collection, which contains Quebec records spanning 346 years from 1621 to 1967. Starting with 29 million names for the years 1850 to 1967, the indexes will include 37 million names in baptism, marriage and burial records, and also a compilation of church records from Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and various New England states, when complete in mid-2008.

* Ancestry.co.uk has posted 3 million names of slaves held across the British Empire in the early 19th century, putting hundreds of thousands of pages of searchable information online to help slaves' descendants research their past. The project uses registers that the British government created between 1813 and 1834 in an effort to stamp out the slave trade by ensuring plantation owners did not buy new slaves. Information from about 700 registers from 23 British territories and dependencies include Information available on these records includes: name of owner, parish of residence, name, gender, age, and nationality of slave.

* The U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918, are now available.

* Many South Carolina databases (Charleston County Wills, 1671-1868; SC Naturalization Records, 1783-1850; Will Indexes for SC counties)

* Persons naturalized at the Port of Philadelphia PA, 1800-1819.


* Pennsylvania German passenger arrivals at the port of Philadelphia, 1727-1808.

b) at www.WorldVitalRecords.com - subscription site (US = $49.95 for 2 years, World = $149.95) -- now available for FREE at the San Diego FHC. Over 6,500 databases, 1 billion names. Recent content at http://www.worldvitalrecords.com/recentcontentlisting.aspx. New items FREE at WVR for 10 days. New databases include:

* 1.7 million records from three key partners: British Origins, Eneclann Ltd. New Publications, and the Ryerson Death Index.

* 80 databases from the Godfrey Memorial Library collection and contains family histories, pedigrees and memoirs.


* 87 databases provided by the Genealogical Publishing Company. These databases are excellent resources for people researching immigrants who came to America during its early colonial days and its infancy as a nation. There are also a number of resources for Ireland, Canada, Barbados, Germany and England.

* www.FindMyPast.com , a family history and genealogy website based in London, England, containing over 550 million family history records recently announced its partnership with FamilyLink.com, Inc. to bring UK Censuses online at WorldVitalRecords.com


* Many Family history books added

c) at www.Footnote.com - subscription site ($59.96 annual retail, $7.95 monthly) - now available for FREE at San Diego FHC, they offer 7-day FREE trial. 322 Titles, over 31 million images, 1 million free. Content list at http://www.footnote.com/documents.php. Information added this month includes:.


* Passport applications 1795-1905 from NARA. This series consists of letters and form applications for passports. Included with the typical application are supporting letters and affidavits from friends and relatives concerning the applicant's citizenship, residence, and character. The letter or application also contains information regarding the applicant's immediate family, date and place of birth and (if foreign) of naturalization, occupation or business, and physical characteristics. Images are alphabetical by surname.

* A partnership with SmallTownPapers, Inc. adds millions of pages of historical newspapers to the site. The SmallTownPapers Collection details the lives and histories of people and events across the United States.


* An online interactive photo of the Vietnam War Memorial. In addition to releasing this unique version of the Wall, it enables visitors to search the Wall for people they know and pay tribute by adding photos, comments and stories of those who lost their lives during the Vietnam conflict. The Interactive Viet Nam Veterans Memorial is now visible to everyone at no charge.

d) at www.GenealogyBank.com - subscription site (trial $9.95 for one month, $69.95 for 12 months). It has archives for 2,400 U.S. newspapers in all 50 states, from the 1600s to the present day, with over 224 million family history records, 27 million obituaries, more than 115 million historical newspaper articles, and more than 11,000 historical books. Each article is a single digital image that can be printed and preserved for family scrapbooks.

e) at www.FindMyPast.com - a UK subscription site (30 days 14.95 pounds, 12 months 89.95 pounds, also pay-per-view options) offers England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland databases.


* Completed its project to scan and index the complete set of outbound passenger lists for long-distance voyages from all British ports between 1890 and 1960. Working in association with The National Archives of the United Kingdom, the project scanned 1.1 million full color individual pages In total 24 million passengers are recorded travelling between these dates.

3. GENEALOGY EDUCATION


* The NGS Conference in the States and Family History Fair is being held in Kansas City, Missouri from 14-17 May 2008. To download a full PDF of the conference brochure go to: http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/2008NGSRegistrationbrochure.pdf. Preregistration discounts end March 31.

* The Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree is June 27-29, 2008 in Burbank. See www.scgsgenealogy.com for more information.

* Wholly Genes, Inc., of Columbia, Maryland, the creator of The Master Genealogist software program, announced the lecture series for the 4th annual Genealogy Conference and Cruise, October 26-November 2, 2008, the largest genealogy conference on the seas. See http://www.whollygenes.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?screen=CRUISE


* The RootsMagic cruise is September 28 - October 5, 2008 on the Royal Caribbean Vision of the Seas. The $50 per person early-bird discount on this year's RootsMagic Cruise was extended to the end of April. For more information on this year's RootsMagic Cruise, visit: http://www.RootsMagicCruise.com.

* Jana Sloan Broglin CG has published two books, entitled "Hookers, Crooks, and Kooks," Parts 1 and 2. One of her specialties is focusing on those "other people" in the family tree. You know the ones: those who were not fine, upstanding pillars of the community. We all have such people in our family trees although perhaps our older relatives didn't mention them when we were growing up.


* Roots Television announced Roots Central, a free advertising outlet for genealogical societies and organizations. See http://www.rootstelevision.com/submit-roots-central.php. Through Roots Central, non-profit genealogical organizations can advertise upcoming events, speaking schedules, new projects, and anything else of genealogical interest. Simply submit your information, and any accompanying graphics, to rootscentral@rootstelevision.com.

* ProGenealogists has posted a list of the Top 50 most popular Genealogy related web sites at www.progenealogists.com/top50genealogy2008.htm.


* Family Tree Magazine, Kids Edition. This online magazine (http://kids.familytreemagazine.com/?cpn=wvrnewsletter) children in genealogically-based activities, teaching at a younger age how to start. The basics are the same as for beginning adults, but written for a level that older children can understand.

* The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is currently digitizing selected books from their print collection of over 11 million volumes. See http://illinoisharvest.grainger.uiuc.edu/digitized_books.asp.


4. ANNOUNCEMENTS

* www.Rootsweb.com web pages will be moved into the Ancestry domain. The Generations Network has hosted and funded the RootsWeb online community since June 2000, thereby maintaining RootsWeb as the world’s oldest and largest free genealogy website. This move will not change the RootsWeb experience or alter the ease of navigation to or within RootsWeb. RootsWeb will remain a free online experience. What will be different is that the Web address for all RootsWeb pages will change from www.rootsweb.com to www.rootsweb.ancestry.com. The stated reason was to increase Ancestry domain traffic statistics and thereby increase advertising rates. The RootsWeb experience is not changing. However, many USGenWeb pages have migrated away from the Rootsweb/Ancestry domain.

* www.Ancestry.com recently became aware of three websites purporting to allow family history research: SearchYourGenealogy.com, Ancestry-search.com and Australian-Ancestry.com. The sites claim to have “the largest online genealogical search tool” and promote themselves as the foremost resources for genealogy, but from what we can tell, these sites are nothing more than a series of web pages with links to other services. These sites, in Ancestry's opinion, are clearly fraudulent.


* The Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) (http://apgen.org) has written a position paper (http://apgen.org/publications/press/APG-KGROW.pdf) that makes the case for open vital records, the paper contends that there is no proof that open records significantly contribute to ID theft or terrorism. It also asserts that open records are rarely used by identification thieves and maintains that the benefit of open access to records far outweighs any potential abuse. APG has joined forces with other genealogical organizations in calling on legislators to keep records open.

Free 1900 US Census Index and Images

The Legacy News blog mentioned that the 1900 US Census is available (except for Hawaii and Alaska) at the FamilySearch Labs Record Search web site. Read his post "How good are the Family Search Indexing Indexes?" about his successful search on the site.

You have to be a registered user of this site (it is easy). Once you are signed on, you can search all of the indexed collections or select one of the collections from the list of databases.

I clicked on the 1900 United States Census and put a name in the search box - I used Leroy Thompson, born 1880 in Tennessee (because I can't find him in the 1900 census and wondered if Ancestry and HQO missed him).

The search results came back with 3,900 partial matches, all 3-stars or less (no 4 or 5 stars). It didn't find any Leroy Thompson born in 1880 in Tennessee. I clicked on one of the other 3-star Leroys near the top of the list, and the link took me to a summary page for that person.

I clicked on "View Original Image" and the census page image took a very long time to come up (like three minutes) - I'm wondering if this happens on every image, or just the first one?

There is an image zoom tool in the upper right hand corner, and a thumbnail image in the lower right hand corner that shows the visible portion of the whole page. You can move around on the image by dragging your mouse over the image.

You can navigate to the Next, Previous or any other numbered page in the enumeration district. You can navigate to the Previous or Next match on the list. I saved an image, and it saved as a JPG file (3720 x 3768, 1.240 mb). You can print the image, and you get the full page as a portrait print. Both the Save and Print operations took a long time (like 60 seconds) to work.

This is great news for online researchers. The 1900 US Census is online for FREE, but you'll have to be patient with the system until the bugs are worked out. It will be interesting to see how their servers will react when more people start using this database.

Worldwide Ancestry.com Back at the San Diego FHC

Ancestry and the LDS Family History Library announced two weeks ago that they had agreed to provide the full suite of Ancestry databases at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and at 13 large Family History Centers around the country (including San Diego).

I went to the San Diego FHC on Saturday and tried it out. From all of my testing, it appears that Ancestry Family History Library Edition is the World Deluxe database collection. I was able to access the Canadian and United Kingdom records in addition to all of the USA records. I tried to access Australia, Germany and Italy but it gave me the "we're busy - check back soon" message.

So that is wonderful news. Having the Canada and UK records is a step up for those of us with a US-only subscription. My society colleagues and other San Diego area researchers will be thrilled to have it back after 9 months.

I asked one of the center managers about New FamilySearch and when it might be available to non-LDS members; he said by the end of the year. I also asked him why Ancestry and the FHL agreed to put Ancestry in the FHL and 13 FHCs - he said that it helps both organizations, and that the FamilySearch Indexing projects created both competition and cooperation. I don't know how plugged in he is to the FamilySearch folks, but it was an intriguing comment.

LDS Record Search has more content

On the way home from the FHC yesterday, I thought to myself "I really need to check and see what the LDS FamilySearch Record Search has added recently."

So - here are the databases that I found at http://search.labs.familysearch.org/recordsearch/ :

1) Census Records

* 1850 US Census Population Schedules - partial set of images for 33 states/territories, no index yet.
* 1850 US Census Mortality Schedules - partial set of images for 16 states/territories, no index yet.
* 1850 US Census Slave Schedules - partial set of images for 18 states/territories, no index yet.
* 1880 US Population Schedules - every-name index, but no images available, no family groups either.
* 1895 Argentina Census - every-name index, with images
* 1930 Mexico Census - partial set of images from 31 states, no index yet.

2) Migration

* New York Passenger Arrival Lists (New York), 1892-1924 -- every-name index, links to www.EllisIsland.org images.

3) Military

* World War II Draft Registration Cards (fourth draft, men born 1877-1897) -- partial set of images from 6 states, no index yet.

4) Land and Property

* Vermont Land Records, Early to 1900 -- partial set of images, by county and town, no index yet.

5) Court and Legal Records

* England, Cheshire, Register of Electors (1842-1900) -- every-name index and images complete.
* Freedman's Bank Records, 1866-1874 -- every-name index and images complete.
* Maryland, Cecil County Probate Estate Files, 1851-1940 -- every-name index and images complete.

6) Vital Records

* England, Diocese of Durham Bishops Transcripts, ca 1700-1900 -- images only, no index yet.
* Freedman's Bureau, Virginia Marriages, ca 1815-1866 -- images and index for 5 Virginia counties
* Georgia Deaths, 1914-1927 -- images and every-name index complete
* Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953 -- images and every-name index complete
* Ontario Deaths, 1869-1947 -- every-name index and database, no images.
* Texas Death Index, 1964-1998 -- every-name index and database, no images
* US Social Security Death Index -- every-name index and database, no images
* Utah Death Certificates, 1904-1956 -- every name index and images complete.

You will have to register, for free, to use the FamilySearch Record Search site, but it is well worth the effort.

The image viewer (when there are images) takes a little time to figure out - there is a "Zoom Bar" in the upper right hand corner, and you move around the image by using the "Magic Hand" to move the image up, down, right, left.

There are several new databases on that list that I haven't looked at yet - how about you?

Dear Genea-Man: How do I access this book?

Dear Genea-Man,

I understand the SLC FHL will not lend books. I don't think the Chula Vista Library would have the following book. How do I obtain an interlibrary loan (or find out if it is available re interlibrary loan)? John Mallet, the Huguenot, and Descendants. Author: Anna S. Mallett. Publication: Harrisburg Publishing Company, 1895.

Dear Colleague,

Just ten years ago, Inter-library loan was about your only option, it seemed. Now, there are more options, including:

1) Chula Vista Public Library has an Inter-library loan (ILL) service. You can find out which libraries hold a certain book by using http://worldcat.org/. Scroll down to the Search Box. You can input "john mallett" or "anna s mallett" and find matches for the book you want. Click on one of the matches, and you will get a list of libraries that have the book you want. You could print this off and take it to the CVPL and get an inter-library loan. I don't know what the ILL fee is now, but it's reasonable.

2) Another option is to check the LDS Family History Library Catalog (FHLC) at http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp. I chose an author search, and input "mallett" for the surname and "anna" for the given name in the search box. A page with a list of her single book - the one you want - came up. I clicked on the book title, and got a "Title Detail" page about the book, which is on the shelf at the FHL in Salt Lake City. They also have the book available for loan on a microfilm - click on the "View Film Notes" in the upper right hand corner. The film number for this book is FHL US/CAN Film 0,982,137 Item 3. You can print that page off (use the printable version link), and take it to the FHC down in Mission Valley and order the microfilm for $6.25 rental fee.

3) Some books in the FHLC are now available online. For the John Mallett book, there is a link on the "Title Detail" page that says "To view a digital version of this book, click here." If you click on this, it takes you to a book in the BYU Family History Archive at http://patriot.lib.byu.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/FH16&CISOPTR=41480. This is a digitized version of this book, page by page. You can print the pages on your home printer, or save them to your computer, or just read them online.

4) If you want some pages from a database, book or microform at the LDS Family History Library, you can print out the form here and submit it by mail to the Family History Library. You will need specific pages, book call numbers, microform number and item, but it can be done for a price. Obviously, you can get many microforms at the FHC on rental and copy pages yourself, but for those resources not on microform, this service beats a trip to Salt Lake City. Thanks DearMYRTLE for the suggestion.

5) Google Books (http://books.google.com/ ) has only a "snippet" view of pages from this book. www.Ancestry.com has the complete book on their subscription side. There are other web sites with digitized out-of-copyright books on the Internet.

As we can see, there are several good choices that genealogy researchers can make to find published works, especially those published before 1923.

"Mastering Family History" Videos

I must have missed the announcement of this web site - http://www.masteringfamilyhistory.com/. Or maybe it's been kept a secret for some reason.

The web site has a series of videos (saved as executable files for some reason) that have audio with a Powerpoint presentation on the following subjects:

* FamilySearch Indexing (13 minutes)
* New FamilySearch (15 minutes)
* Introduction to Family History (19 minutes)
* Personal Ancestral File 5.2.18 (30 minutes)
* Compiled Genealogies (5 minutes)
* Pedigree Resource File (9 minutes)
* Ancestral File (15 minutes)
* One World Tree (10 minutes)
* Internet Genealogies (6 minutes)
* Ancestry.com (18 minutes)
* Documenting Research Findings (15 minutes)
* PAF Insight (18 minutes)
* PRFMagnet (32 minutes in 5 segments)
* U.S. Cities Galore (12 minutes)
* Internet Searches (5 minutes)
* Downloading and Importing GEDCOM Files (10 minutes)

While these are oriented to LDS databases and resources, they may be very useful for beginning researchers to understand and learn how to use the LDS databases, and PAF, effectively. You can view the videos online on a small screen, or download the executable file for viewing at a later time.

Thank you to Jennifer at the JacksBox4You blog http://jacksbox4you.blogspot.com/ for the link to her post here. If there was an award for the best background picture on a genealogy blog, I would vote for Jennifer's in a heartbeat. Go look at it - very cool, great imagery!

Hey San Diegans - go to the FHC!

Do not pass GO. Do not collect $200. Just go to the San Diego Family History Center and use the computers to access FamilyLink, Godfrey Memorial Library, Footnote, HeritageQuestOnline and WorldVitalRecords for free.

Yep - these links to the subscription web sites are installed and running well. I was there today to copy more Rhode Island Probate records, and checked the computer as I was about to leave. I stayed for another 30 minutes checking things on WorldVitalRecords.

To access these services, you have to start Internet Explorer, then go to Favorites and click on the "Premium Databases" folder, and then on the "Family History Center Services Online Portal" and that will take you to the FHC-only web site. That site looks like this:

This site indicates that still not available are Genline.com, Genline.se and Kindred Konnections.

I did not ask about the status of this at the FHC today because I figured it was still months down the road here. Wrong! I like being wrong sometimes.

I'm guessing that there has been no publicity at the FHC about it because they don't want a deluge of users and they want the staff to get familiar with using it. So I'm using my little bloghorn here to shout out to my Chula Vista and San Diego area colleagues.

FamilySearch Indexing Progress

Most readers know that the LDS FamilySearch organization is digitizing images from microforms in the Family History Library collection and is indexing them in a project called FamilySearch Indexing. The goal is to digitize and index all of the microforms (over 2 million microfilms and over 1 million microfiches) and provide them for FREE at the http://www.familysearch.org/ web site.

The indexing effort is being performed by volunteers who sign up, receive training and indexing software, and commit to doing some indexing on a regular basis. Some of the indexing of specific records is being done by members of genealogical societies. The indexing procedure requires two separate indexers to evaluate each record, and if they agree then the record is accepted. If they disagree, an arbiter makes the final acceptance decision.

Some databases have already been completed - they can be found on the FamilySearch Records Search Project here. You do have to register in order to access these records.The databases currently being indexed can be found here. The databases that will soon be started are here. As you can see, the major emphasis is on the 1900 United States census at this time. Several genealogy societies are indexing records specific to their local or regional interests.

This indexing effort will take a long time. The more volunteers there are, the less time it will take. The goal is to index census, military, vital, immigration, naturalization, church, probate, land, Bible, tax and other records and link the index to the record image. This is a very ambitious, and worthwhile, effort.

If you are one of the indexers, I applaud your efforts. Please keep them going! If you want to help, they still need volunteers to help - you can volunteer here. You do not have to be an LDS member to volunteer and do the indexing work.

Do you want to keep up-to-date on what is happening with FamilySearch? Check out the FamilySearch Labs web site at http://labs.familysearch.org/. This site has links to their four current projects in work -- Record Search , Indexing, Pedigree Viewer and Life Browser.

The promise of these projects is extremely high. I applaud the vision, goals and results of the FamilySearch staff and leadership, especially the intent to make these records available for FREE to researchers.