FamilySearch Centres

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 most of the microfilms and microfiche in the Family History Library are available at these centres. 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 FamilySearch Centre Near You. 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.

Photocopy Service from Salt Lake City

If you require a copy of a baptism, marriage or death record which you have found on the FamilySearch website,the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City, USA provides a photocopy service. The procedure is set out in the FamilySearch Wiki article Photoduplication Services. This blog provides details of the changes in procedure in early 2013. This service is now free if the information is not generally available for circulation to Family History Centres and has to be emailed to you. (A charge applies for photocopies posted in the mail). The comments under the blog advise the service is limited to 5 requests a person per month and the timeframe for one researcher was four weeks. Note however, it is possible the page you order may not include the name of the church, if the records for the church extend over several pages as the name of the church usually appears either at the beginning, or possibly at the end of the records, included in the words of certification by the chaplain/minuster/priest for the particular church.

The microfilm number and page number must be supplied. If you have found an index record in respect of an India BMD on the FamilySearch website, there will be a microfilm number quoted. Sometimes there is a volume and page number quoted, but generally there is not. Where there is no page number quoted on the FamilySearch record, support@familysearch.org have advised to copy all the information that is quoted on the index record and to attach this to the photocopy application. The Library should be able to locate the image information with this information. To assist the volunteers, using the film number catalogue search, find out the title of the microfilm from which you require a record, which you should advise. Also advise that

• generally in each yearly volume of the India records there are four quarterly returns, and which quarter you expect your record to be in (from the date of the event from the index record); and if the microfilm contains more than one volume of records, which volume you expect your record to be in;
• that there are separate returns for baptisms, marriages and burials (when the microfilm contains more than one type of records) and which category your record is;
• that within each category of return for each quarter, the locations are generally listed alphabetically and your location from the index record is ..., noting that smaller towns near large cities such as Calcutta may well be listed under Calcutta.

Ordering microfilms

The Family Search Wiki article Ordering Microfilm or Microfiche from a Family History Center explains the procedure. You can order a microfilm for two lengths of time: Short-term loan - With this loan, films must be returned within 90 days. A 60-day renewal option is available after your short-term loan expires. Extended loan - The film will remain at the FHC indefinitely. The Family Search Wiki article Introduction to LDS Family History Centers provides more information, including the websites which can be accessed at no cost such as Ancestry and FindMyPast.

When you are advised by the FamilySearch centre that your film has arrived, it may be advisable to book a film reader, (or microfiche reader, if applicable), especially at busy Centres.

Ordering microfilms on-line

Currently applies to residents of the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA, and most other parts of the world.

Residents of these countries must order their films on-line by first opening an account and then signing in to order, using the link provided in Ordering Microfilm previously quoted. This requires the use of your Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card. You will need to nominate a centre to which the films will be sent. A different centre can be nominated for different orders; but once ordered films cannot be transferred from one centre to another. Some centres have better facilities than others, so check opening hours and film reading facilities first. For enquiries, phone when the FHC is open, as there are usually no facilities for phone messages or mail enquiries. If you don't have a FamilySearch Centre near you, you might be able to 'find a friend' who will agree to look at your film if delivered to their nearest centre.

First check what options are available to take a copy of the records you require. Photocopies are usually available.

Viewing 'Protected' access online books and databases

Some online books and databases provided by the Family History Library have a 'Protected' access status. This means that they can only 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. Contact your FamilySearch Centre prior to visiting to advise your requirements and to ensure the volunteer librarians are aware of this facility, and book a suitable computer.

United Kingdom and Ireland

• London Family History Centre includes a search facility for films held onsite at the Centre. Information from FamilySearch Wiki: London Family History Centre
  • location and hours
• UK centres

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.

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

Phone: (02)9683 5849

Hours: Tues, Thurs, Fri 10am-3pm; 1st Sat LDS Members only; 2nd,3rd Sat 12pm-4pm; Closed over Christmas/January for four weeks.(For example, last open day Saturday 19th Dec 2009, re-open Tuesday 19 Jan 2010)

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

Try this link for details currently available on the website. Always confirm opening times 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, as detailed in this India List post
• 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.