FamilySearch Centres

As of January 2011, Family History Centres are now known as FamilySearch Centres

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.

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 click on this link and then select "Contact FamilySearch" (top right hand corner).

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 FamilySearch Wiki article Photoduplication Services. This service may be the preferred option if you only require a small number of pages from one film, or if a FamilySearch Centre is not geographically convenient for you. 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 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.

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 FamilySearch centre that your film has arrived, it may be advisable to book a film reader, (or microfiche reader), especially at busy Centres.

Ordering microfilms on-line

Currently applies to residents of the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, some regions in the USA, 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 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.

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, 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.

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. 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.