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'''[https://www.familysearch.org/help/fhcenters/locations/centerlocator 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.
<br>This link is also available from the FamilySearch Home Page, Help tab click on icon marked ? (top right hand of the webpage, then click 'Help Centre', or alternatively 'Contact Us' but at times the Search may not operate, or provides erratic Search results. If so, leave for a while and try later. <br>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 by contacting FamilySearch through 'Helpicon marked ?/ Contact Us' (provide full details of your attempts to date). There is also some information in the FamilySearch Wiki '''[https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Category:Family_History_Centers 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 appeared on the FamilySearch web details, which was different to the information appearing on the Affiliate Library's website, although this has now been corrected.)
When a microfilm has been digitised it is also, in addition to the microfilm number, allocated a '''DGS''' number, referred to as a Digital Folder number. The latter number appears to becoming the main reference number for a record set. (The URL for a record set has the format (at 2020/02) <nowiki>https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/004769478</nowiki> where the last number is the DGS number).
'''Some microfilms have already been digitised, and are available through the Catalogue Search on FamilySearch, not in the Records section. A camera icon (with no other symbol) means the record may be viewed on your home computer, a camera icon with a key above it means the record is available on a restricted basis'''. (See images etc<ref>[http://searchtip.genealogytipoftheday.com/?p=2307 Digital Icons at FamilySearch] searchtip.genealogytipoftheday.com; [https://web.archive.org/web/20190114034622/http://dearmyrtle.com/blog2/index.php/2017/09/24/thank-you-for-the-new-icon-familysearch/ Thank-you for the new icon, FamilySearch] dearmyrtle.com, now archived. [https://www.familysearch.org/ask/salesforce/viewArticle?urlname=Using-film-notes-to-understand-contents-of-microfilms&lang=en What are Notes or Film/Digital Notes in the catalog?] FamilySearch.</ref>.) (Note, you need to be signed in, refer below, or a key or microfilm only, or even no symbol may appear for all records.) For non-LDS church researchers, ''' records which originate from the British Library are available to be viewed on a FamilySearch computer at a FamilySearch Centre''', and additionally some, but not all, are viewable at Affiliate Libraries. See "Viewing 'Protected' access online books and databases" below.
Most microfilms are expected to be digitized and available by 2020. Microfiches will be digitised after the digitisation of microfilms has been completed. However, some may not be available digitally for many years, perhaps decades, due to restrictions in the country of origin of the records, relating to data privacy restrictions, which may be more restrictive for digital images than for microfilms.<ref>Paller
Orvill S. [https://getsatisfaction.com/familysearch/topics/south-africa-dutch-reformed-church-records-stellenbosch-archive-1690-2011#reply_19359305 South Africa, Dutch Reformed Church Records (Stellenbosch Archive), 1690-2011] ''FamilySearch Feedback Forum'' 28 February 2018, 23.59. Retrieved 2 March 2018. </ref>
If you have a film you need that has not been digitised, (as shown by the fact that there is no DGS number), you can reach out to FamilySearch support to express your interest in having that particular film being prioritised earlier in the scanning process,<ref>[https://www.familysearch.org/ask/faq#question06 What if a microfilm I need for my research is not available digitally on FamilySearch.org?] FamilySearch. Currently (2019 October) microfiche cannot be digitised.</ref> through the "Help" or "Get Help" tab 'icon marked ?/Contact us' at the top right hand corner of the webpage, requesting the Historical Records Team.<ref>[https://www.familysearch.org/ask/salesforce/viewArticle?urlname=Requesting-that-FamilySearch-digitize-scan-a-microfilm&lang=en Requesting that FamilySearch digitize (scan) a microfilm] FamilySearch</ref>
<br>You may also request that books from the FamilySearch catalogue be digitised.<ref>[https://www.familysearch.org/ask/salesforce/viewArticle?urlname=Request-to-digitize-a-book-that-is-described-in-the-Family-History-Library-Catalog-1381813305649&lang=en Request to digitize a book on FamilySearch.org] FamilySearch</ref>
==Viewing restricted access online books and databases==
After signing in to FamilySearch, some digitised microfilm databases will display, in the catalogue entry, a camera icon with a key symbol above which advises "this film is viewable with additional restrictions". (If you are not signed in, the a key , or microfilm only, or even no symbol may also appear, even for databases viewable on your home computer). However, members of the public can view these databases at a FamilySearch Centre on a FamilySearch Centre computer. (Access through your own laptop or other device is not possible). Some digital databases may also be viewed at Affiliate Libraries, which may have longer opening hours than a FamilySearch Centre. Contact your FamilySearch Centre prior to visiting to advise your requirements and, if it is possible, '''book a suitable computer''' (after enquiring whether internet image viewing varies by day or time, or there is poor viewing generally, refer section above). For the general public, ''' FamilySearch records which were available on microfilm, which have since been digitised, and which originate from the British Library in London can be viewed at a Family History Centre''' and additionally some, but not all, can also be viewed at an Affiliate Library. LDS church members may have additional access.
A similar restriction may also apply to a limited number of [[Online books#Family History Books| online books]] which are in the FamilySearch Digital Library, (accessible both through the FamilySearch catalogue and by searching in the FamilySearch Digital Library).
