Thursday, August 20, 2009

Family History Centre - Accessing Salt Lake City Records

Using the Internet, access the largest genealogical library in the World.
This course has been totally re-written for this course to reflect the newest and most advanced search methods possible. Brand new in Nov. 2008 - an early access pilot site helps you identify your ancestors by letting you search millions of indexed records and by letting you browse actual images of records that have not yet been indexed. All this is online, and FREE!!
This course always fills quickly. Pre-registrations are now being accepted for the October 2009 course. Email Pat

Session 1: using an Internet connection and your home computer you will follow the first four emailed lessons that will teach you how to access the World's largest genealogical library, located in Salt Lake City Utah. Following step-by-step detailed instructions, provided by your instructor, you will perform real searches from the 1700's & 1800’s plus a whole lot more. Locate ancestors and their families using a wide variety of record types from numerous localities around the world. If you do not have a home Internet connection you can do this research from a library computer. You will already now have enough knowledge to begin to research your own ancestral and collateral families!
Session 2: the next four lessons take you deeper into the records. You will learn to examine and understand the results of your Session 1 lessons. It is great to find records to search, but it is imperative that you understand: what you have found; where the record came from (i.e. it's source); the reliability of that source; what you can do next; & how to find even more. Following this session, you will receive another four emailed lessons.
Session 3: the next four lessons teach you some SIGNIFICANT research methods that few people know or understand.
Session 4: before our on-site visit to the Regina Family History Centre, you will receive your last set of four emailed lessons that will enable you to use ALL the tools available from the Family History Library web site which catalogues the largest collection of genealogical records in the World. On-site, at the Regina Family History Centre, you will participate in a tour of the facilities. This is a working tour so you will also learn to examine the vast array of resources available at this facility - which is one of 'the best' in this instructor's opinion. You will also locate, view & examine the 'original' records identified in Sessions 1 and 2. In other words, you will be looking at records originally written in the 15, 16, 17 & 1800s!!

All sixteen lessons come with detailed, easy to follow instructions - even if you are not entirely computer literate. You can anticipate spending approximately three to six hours completing each set of lessons.

Following the completion of this course you will be aware of how to open up even more research doors which will allow you to perform combination searches you would never have believed possible! And the best part is that you can do these searches knowledgeably, effectively, and inexpensively - without ever having to leave Regina. Do as much research as possible BEFORE you make that visit to your ancestral home. This will allow you to spend your time and vacation dollars enjoying the sights, sounds, smells, and joys of your homeland, ensuring you are walking in your ancestors footsteps ... and only doing specific research there when and if you choose to.

Having visited Scotland and Northern Ireland for a month in 2007 [and Germany, Austria, Czech Republic in 2006], Pat is glad she followed her own advice and had her research well under control before traveling. She was able to visit her ancestors homelands, locate their personal home addresses, and literally walk in their footsteps. She also saw and experienced the churches where ancestors births and marriages were performed - some back to the late 1600s. Cemeteries were easily located, as were family monuments. There is no feeling to compare this to - and tears were shed, and shared. Pat did manage to spend some time in archives and libraries, and learned how to research the records only available locally. She is excited to share with you the various record types you *should* be looking for - most of which have been filmed by the LDS church. The Family History Library in Salt Lake City:
The Family History Library contains a variety of records that can help with family history and genealogical research. First there are vital records; these include birth, marriage, and death records from both government and church sources. The library collection also includes census returns; court, property, and probate records; cemetery records; emigration and immigration lists; printed genealogies; and family and county histories.
The Family History Library’s computer system also contains several large databases. You can access these databases, which have over 1,000,0000,000 (1 BILLION) names ... using the Internet. The Family History Library’s collection concentrates on records of deceased persons who lived before 1930. All records are obtained legally with the approval and cooperation of the government and local authorities who have jurisdiction over the records.
• The collection includes over 2.5 million rolls of microfilmed genealogical records; 742,000 microfiche; 300,000 books, serials, and other formats; and 4,500 periodicals.
• The Ancestral File database contains approximately 35.6 million names that are linked into families.
• The International Genealogical Index database contains approximately 600 million individual names. An addendum to the International Genealogical Index contains an additional 125 million names.
• The Pedigree Resource File database contains over 36 million names that are linked into families.
• Records available are from the United States, Canada, the British Isles, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa.
• In 2000, the collection increased monthly by an average of 4,100 rolls of film and 700 books.• A majority of the records contain information about persons who lived before 1920.
• Approximately 242 cameras are currently microfilming records in over 40 countries. Records have been filmed in over 110 countries, territories, and possessions.
About 100,000 rolls of microfilm are circulated to Family History Centres each month!
Recently, certain census records are now available to be searched, for FREE, on-line! There are also forms, charts, maps, videos, guides and other research helps available.
The Family History Department maintains a climate-controlled, underground storage facility to safeguard master copies of all it's microfilm records. The storage facility, built literally into a mountainside, is located about 25 miles from downtown Salt Lake City, Utah.
You or your ancestors need NOT be members, current or past, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (often referred to as Mormons), to find records about your ancestors in the FHL. The Church or it's members will never contact you for religious reasons.
This course is an absolute ‘must’ for all genealogists. Class size is very limited and always fills quickly. Prior completion of Unpuzzling Your Past would be MOST beneficial and is strongly encouraged by Pat. Pat Ryan MCCSG
For those registered in Regina - Lessons will be emailed to you Wednesdays: 07, 14, 21, 28 October 2009.
Last class will be onsite at the Regina Family History Centre, 28th October 2009.
Registration fee of $99.00 must be received prior to lessons being sent.
OR
For those registered in Indian Head - Lessons will be emailed to you Tuesdays: 20 Oct, 27 Oct, 03 Nov, 10 Nov. 2009.
Last class will be onsite at the Regina Family History Centre, 10 November 2009.
Registration fee of $99.00 must be received prior to lessons being sent.
You can email Pat at pryan@sasktel.net for additional information.

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