We just got a message in our FHL indexing software that the down time we were expecting to get on monday, is for some software changes. They have made it easier yet, to use..with some annoying quirks removed.

They also mentioned that they are removing those lists I posted up there. They are taking away the upcoming and the completed lists. I wonder if they decided to reorder the future lists..or maybe, too many people had some suggestions of their own.

It seems..that they are following a bit along the ancestry lines. You can only see ancestrys current list. Also, some of the software changes are a similar to the software at ancestry.

I sure hope they dont adopt too many other things from them.

Just an update - I went to our local FHL yesterday with my husband - we were pleasently surprised to learn they would like additional volunteers whether a member of the church or not - matter of fact one of the ladies I work with there is not a member - so I am really happy at the moment! We are going to try to figure when I can help versus my work schedule - as I mentioned, it is a drive up I-95 to get there - but it will be worth it! Sadly we learned that there are no records filmed for grandpa Valentino Pannozzo probably as far as birth or death - he was born we think after 1865 (although we might be mistaken) - Val believes he died either 1949 or 1950 based on his own birth and the stories from family of when Valentino (grfr.) died. Nonno was hit by a car while walking home in Itri - supposedly by a fairly well to do person from Rome - no charges filed that we know of - and obviously no damages paid - we have been unable to find the death record via films so will probably have to contact Italy for those but he ws approximately 80 years old at the time. Once I get past that brick wall maybe I will move forward with that branch - but for now I am still going fine on all sorts of collateral relative lines for the DiCrocco side!

A wonderful thing about becoming a volunteer (I started volunteering at 18 years old at my local center) is that you are given keys to the center. I would go at any time that I could back then, often (sadly) spending Saturday nights until 2 or 3 am researching and copying records. Considering the center is about 50 miles from my home it was very convenient to go at my own pace when nobody else was there.

I am also not LDS. I've even taught Italian genealogy classes in the past at the center. It is a rewarding experience on so many levels!

I've thought about volunteering as well but I know that I will burn out too fast since I don't think I can add anything else on my plate right now. But I think it's wonderful if you can do it. Jim has always seemed to enjoy it very much.

Keep us posted!

The only reason I can consider is I just finished my BS. in Business Administration.:) ...allow me to pat this old back of mine...I maintained a 3.8 GPA -for the 4 yr.overall GPA ...so I know you younger ones know that pace! Anywya that means I can possibly do one morning or evening a week definite each week if we can mesh with their schedule!

BonVal wrote:

The only reason I can consider is I just finished my BS. in Business Administration.:) ...allow me to pat this old back of mine...I maintained a 3.8 GPA -for the 4 yr.overall GPA ...

That is amazing! Congrats, you should be very proud of yourself. Going back to school is definitely a challenge. 4.0 GPA? EVEN more incredible.

That is incredible and impressive! I went back to school when I turned 40 and while I had to put in on hold for a bit for various reasons, but I can't wait to go back. You GO GIRL!

Thanks - let me tell you, it was not easy but the personal rewards even if it doeds not translate to better pay mean so much (such timing issues with this economy but I refuse to dwell on that now! LOL!) It becomes the same drive that I am channeling into the genealogy research - even more so now that I have available time to devout that much more time to it!

Could anyone please explain the process of searching for records at an FHC? I live about 5 miles away from one and would very much like to know what to expect and how to go about doing things.

Also I'm currious about what can be copied on to a flash drive (as indicated within this thread) and looked at at home. Any and all information would be greatly appreciated, and please consider that I know absolutely nothing about these centers.

Thanks,

Tony

It kind of depends on the center you go to. Some of the centers are better equipted than others and some do not even have equiptment to make digital copies.
Here is the process. Your first visit to the center bring a print out of the films you want (you will need numbers off the list). Then you order the microfilm by completing a form for each film. Each film rents for between $5.50 and $6.00 for a 1 month period of time. Once you place your order you may want to look around the center to see what they have. Each center has a number of films on "permanent loan".

Cathy - How do I find the films (numbers) that I want?

Go here:

www.familysearch.org/e...umns=*,0,0

Put in the name of the place. When it comes up, click it. There should be a list with the names of the records and the film numbers. You can then print it.

Wow, what a great forum. Being a neophyte indexer (UK-Cheshire Land Tax records), I learned more about the system than I could have gotten from any tutorial on the subject. More hints and advice are welcome.
________________________________________________
I spent my morning at the Orland park FHC researching Cheshire, England baptism records. Now have G-Grandfather's parents names. Also ordered a micro fiche for the Macclesfield, Cheshire area 1793 - 1837. A very nice lady, Irene, was very helpful. Do any Illinois folks know her?

Busy day

abruscino wrote:

Could anyone please explain the process of searching for records at an FHC? I live about 5 miles away from one and would very much like to know what to expect and how to go about doing things. Also I'm currious about what can be copied on to a flash drive (as indicated within this thread) and looked at at home. Any and all information would be greatly appreciated, and please consider that I know absolutely nothing about these centers. Thanks, Tony

Hi Tony! Welcome to Gente. I'm sorry I really haven't been around lately so I'm not really sure your question has been answered completely.

Here is the process for using and saving documents/images to a flash.

The first thing you need to do is order from the Family History Center the films that you are interested in looking at. The FHC will call you when they come in. The films are ordered through Salt Lake City, so no, the Centers do not have all films readily available. They must be ordered. Once you receive your call book an appointment/microfilm reader with them to go and view. You will have one month to look them over, or if you choose to keep them longer, you will need to pay again and they're yours for another month. You have the option to rent them again for the third time at which point they are put on permanent loan at your center.

When you begin to go through them, I suggest looking through all the indici (they could be at the end of each year, or at the beginning of each year, or missing all together.) I talk the film over to the scanner/printer and either use a USB or a CD. In either case, the machine needs to be configured to accept it but a volunteer will help with this. Mine has the directions on how to do it posted beside the machine. Keep in mind, some centers will limit the time you are allowed to use the scanner which is why viewing the indici is important. I then scan each indici and save it to the drive (again, the first times the volunteers will show you how and its really easy). Once you have all the copies you want, close off the files so the images become readable on any computer. Then remove the USB (or CD) go home, pop the drive in your PC and review the images. Make notes of which records might be of interest to you so that when you go back to the FHC you can pop in the film, scroll to the desired record and scan that using the same procedure as above. You can again take your drive home, pop it in the PC and view it. You can clean it up, resize it, print it, upload it, save it to your PC or just look at it...in any case, you will have a permanent copy of the images to look through whenever you need them.

I hope, although long winded, this explains the process a bit better. Let me know if you have any questions.

Note: Billie is writing a tutorial on how to rent the microfilms so keep an eye out for it..

When you find a FHL near you, call first. You sometimes have to call at different times of the day, because they are not always opened. Ask for their hours and ask if they have a scanner. The FHL near me does not have one. Each FHL, it seems has their own rules on using their equipment, also. I have heard that the one by me does not even allow a person to use their copier. All copies have to be made by the volunteer, there. I havent been to my FHL for about 14 years. At that time, I was able to use the copier, myself. But, I recently spoke to someone using the same FHL and apparently, their rules have changed. So, its best if you call to find out what they have and how they allow you to use it.