FamilySearch Centres

Recent change January 2011. These Centres are now known as FamilySearch Centres

Family History Centres (FHCs) 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 FHC or their resources.

Find a Family History Centre Near You

Photocopy Service from Salt Lake City

The LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City, USA provides a photocopy service. The procedure is set out in the Family Search Wiki article Photoduplication Services. This service may be an option if you only require a small number of pages from one film, or if a Family History Centre is not geographically convenient for you.

The microfilm number and page number must be supplied. If you do not know the page number, the instructions on the form to be completed state: "You may request copies from the index of a record. After you receive the index, you may send a second form requesting the specific pages you need" . For all the ecclesiatical records from the British Library, the indexes are on separate microfilms - refer the internal links for each Presidency on the page IGI to find out the relevant microfim numbers. It is not clear how this procedure works in practice. If you have problems, you may need to discuss matters with the Library in Salt Lake City.

Ordering microfilms

The Family Search Wiki article Ordering Microfilm or Microfiche from a Family History Center explains the procedure. The Family Search Wiki article Introduction to LDS Family History Centers states “For Microfilm there is a 60 day loan period. 15 days to send; 30 days to review and 15 day return. The review period can be extended for another 30 days.”

When you are advised by the Family History Centre that your film has arrived, it may be advisable to book a film reader, especially at busy Centres.

Ordering microfilms on-line

Currently applies to residents of the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and some European countries. and perhaps other countries.

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 FHC to which the films will be sent. A different FHC can be nominated for different orders; but once ordered films cannot be transferred from one FHC 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 FHC near you, you might be able to 'find a friend' who will agree to look at your film if delivered to their nearest FHC.

United Kingdom and Ireland

• London Family History Centre includes a search facility for films held onsite at the 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, and Registers of European Soldiers Services to 1860. 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.

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.
No phone messages or mail enquiries. (The phone is disconnected outside of opening hours)

Victoria

Melbourne.

• AIGS (Australian Institute of Genealogical Studies) in Melbourne has a large collection of India material including some permanent LDS microfilms, as detailed in this India List post
• The LDS FHC at Blackburn closed 1 October 2010 . The Cemtre'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.