FamilySearch Centres

FamilySearch is part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints or LDS, also known as the Mormons.

FamilySearch Centre (Center) is the umbrella term used for all of the centre locations. However most are still individually called Family History Centres (Centers)

FamilySearch Centres are local branches of the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City and can be found worldwide. Access to digitised microfilms and microfiche in the Family History Library are available at these centres. However, ordering of microfilms has now ceased (September 2017), to be replaced in time by digitised versions, refer details below. You do not have to be a member of the LDS to use a centre or their resources. Read the FamilySearch Wiki article Introduction to LDS Family History Centers for more details.

Find a Family History Center and FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries. Enter your location details, including country. If you live in a state or county, depending on country it may help to enter the state as the location, then increase the size of the map to see the Centres in the region, and greatly increase the size if you live in area where there may be two or more Centres in the same city (as otherwise the multiple Centres may not display). Alternatively, it may be sufficient to enter city and country. However, it is suggested you always increase the size of the map to check that all Centres are displaying. This link is also available from the FamilySearch Home Page, scroll down to the bottom, but at times the Search may not operate, or provides erratic Search results. If so, leave for a while and try later, or use the "Get Help" facility, see the end of this paragraph. At least some of the Centres do not provide opening times. In most centres the phone is only connected during opening times, so it may be difficult to actually make contact and find out when the Centre is open. In addition, the Centres usually do not have provision for mail enquiries. If necessary clarify with the Library in Salt Lake City. To contact a Librarian, from the Home Page of the Family Search website select "Get Help" (top right hand corner). There is also some information in the FamilySearch Wiki Category:Family History Centers, but not for all Centres, and Affiliate Libraries probably are not listed.

Always confirm opening times prior to a visit, as the website details, even if available, may not be up to date. Also confirm the address. Website details for some Centres do not include the address. (For one Affiliate Library noted, which is known to operate at two different addresses, only one address appears on the FamilySearch web details, which is different to the information appearing on the Affiliate Library's website).

Contents

Photocopy Service from Salt Lake City has now ceased

The previous photocopy service ceased 5 December 2014.

Ordering microfilms service has now ceased/digitised microfilms

The microfilm ordering service has ceased from September 2017. The last day for ordering microfilms was 7 September 2107. Some Centres have retained some microfilms in their own permanent mini collections.

Some microfilms have already been digitised, and are available through the Catalogue Search on FamilySearch, not in the Records section. Click on the camera icon, to see whether the records may be viewed on your home computer, or are available on a restricted basis. All records which originate from the British Library are only available to be viewed on a FamilySearch computer at a FamilySearch Centre, or FamilySearch Affiliate Library. See "Viewing 'Protected' access online books and databases" below.

All microfilms are expected to be digitized and available by 2020. If you have a film you need that has not been digitized, you can reach out to FamilySearch support to express your interest in having that particular film being prioritized earlier in the scanning process, through the "Get Help" tab at the top right hand corner of the webpage, requesting the Historical Records Team.

Note that the digitised microfilm reader may be very sensitive to internet speeds, so if you are viewing digitised microfilms on your home computer, try to pick a time of lower internet demand such as early or late in the day. Personal experience was that 1pm, weekday and Saturday, access was extremely unsatisfactory, early Sunday morning was much better. Unsatisfactory viewing conditions may also be experienced at some Centres - you may wish to enquire about this aspect, and if so, whether any particular day or time is better.

Note that researchers have commented that it is much slower viewing records which have been digitised, compared with the same records on microfilm. This finding is magnified if there are problems with internet speed, so it may be worth enquiring whether any Centres near you, including genealogical societies, have retained a copy of the microfilm you are interested in. For some Centres, this information may be obtained through the FamilySearch Catalog where there is an Availability option in the Search. Unclick the Online option and select your local Family History Centre from the menu available. Always confirm by telephone with your local FHC to ensure information is current.

Viewing 'Protected' access online books and databases

Some online books and databases provided by the Family History Library have a camera icon with a symbol above which advises "this film is viewable with additional restrictions". (previous terminology 'Protected' access status). This means that possibly they may be viewed on home computers by LDS Church members. However, members of the public can view these online books and databases at a FamilySearch Centre on a Family History Library computer. Some microfilms may also be viewed at Affiliate Libraries. Contact your FamilySearch Centre prior to visiting to advise your requirements and to ensure the volunteer librarians are aware of this facility, and, if it is possible, book a suitable computer (after enquiring whether internet image viewing varies by day or time, refer section above). Examples of books which are viewable online with "restrictions" are Christian cemeteries and memorials in Malacca, Christian cemeteries of Penang and Perak and Bencoolen : the Christian Cemetery and the Fort Marlborough Monuments. All FamilySearch records which were available on microfilm, which have since been digitised, and which originate from the British Library in London, including books, are also in this category, as are many other digitised microfilms.

There appear to be at least four different types of restriction wording:

• "Sign in to Familysearch.org as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints".

Note: this wording has not yet been seen on India related digitised microfilms, but if it appears, discuss with you local FamilySearch Centre, whether one of the Centre volunteers can sign you in.

• "Sign in to Familysearch.org as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Access the site at a family history center".
• "Only a limited number of users can view this object at the same time, and viewers must be in the Family History Library, a partner library, or a Family History Center. If you are in one of these locations and are receiving this message, the user limit has been exceeded. Please try again later".
• "Access the site at a family history center. Access the site at a FamilySearch affiliate library".

Affiliate Libraries

Affiliate libraries are known to include some public libraries and libraries of genealogical societies. Should you be unable to access a FamilyHistory Centre to view digitised microfilms which are also viewable at a FamilySearch affiliate library, perhaps you could discuss with your library whether it would be willing to become an affiliate library. if so, ask that FamilySearch be contacted by the library using FamilySearch Contact Us applicable for Government, Business, and other Archives entities.

London, England

• London FamilySearch Centre currently located at the National Archives, Kew.
  • location and hours
• London Family History Centre FamilySearch Wiki

Update 2017 The permanent microfilm collection from the London Family History Centre at Kew has been given to the Society of Genealogists, and was available at SoG for consultation from August 2017. See www.sog.org.uk for address and opening times. For those who are not members, there is a daily or hourly charge for using the Society’s resources. Note some records may be available online, but may be slower to view than the microfilms. Refer comments above, under Ordering microfilms service. Check the FamilySearch catalogue to see those records which you can view on your home computer.

Australia

NSW

For those in or near Sydney, NSW, Australia it is recommended that you attend the LDS Family History Centre at North Parramatta. This Centre holds many India related films of records from the British Library permanently onsite, including all the baptism, marriage and burial indexes, indexes relating to wills, Registers of European Soldiers Services to 1860 and some of the IOR O series records. This will save you a lot of time, as you do not need to order in these films. Currently (November 2009) Thursdays and Saturdays usually have librarians on duty who have a particular interest in India. Details current at November 2009:

Address: 169 Pennant Street

North Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia

(Situated near James Ruse Drive, Parramatta side, and opposite the intersection with Isabella Street))

The Centre is situated towards the rear of the LDS chapel, left hand side, near the parking area. The Centre has its own entrance, so do not try to enter through the LDS chapel.

Public transport: 545 bus from Parramatta station to Chatswood station.

Phone: (02)9683 5849

Opening hours given on the website, (current at September 2017): 10.30am- 2.30pm Tuesdays, Thursdays and 2nd and 3rd Saturdays. Closed School Holidays and Public Holidays.

Phone prior to your visit, when the Centre is open, and book a film reader or computer, depending on what you need to use. Confirm opening times.
No phone messages or mail enquiries. (The phone is disconnected outside of opening hours)

For details currently available on the website, type Parramatta in the Search and click on the icon on the map. Always confirm opening times, (and address) by telephone prior to a visit, as the website details may not be up to date.

Victoria

Melbourne.

• AIGS (Australian Institute of Genealogical Studies) in Melbourne has a large collection of India material including some permanent LDS microfilms. GSV (Genealogy Society of Victoria) also has some microfilms.
• The LDS FHC at Blackburn closed 1 October 2010 . The Centre's collection of India Office Lists 1886-1940 were transferred to the Heidelberg Family History Centre.

Queensland

The Rockhampton Family History Centre in Queensland, Australia has a set of indexes for baptism, marriage and burial in the three presidencies.