I think I mentioned to you guys, that I was doing a lot of indexing on the Trento baptisms. I also mentioned, that I am not fluent in Italian, but know enough to plod thru these documents and get the info needed. I also know, I made many mistakes..sometimes, not realizing them until after I could no longer access the document to make the correction. (Like thinking something was an odd name, when in fact, the word meant newborn or nameless.)

I got this in my email this morning:

Trento Italy Indexing Project
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 2:52 PM
From:
"FCH-InternetIndexing" <FCH-InternetIndexing@ldschurch.org>
Add sender to Contacts
To:
"FCH-InternetIndexing" <FCH-InternetIndexing@ldschurch.org>

Thank you for all your help indexing the Trento, Italy project. We are accomplishing amazing things together.

As you may know, all indexing batches are completed by two people who do not see the other person’s work. If the data they index agrees completely, the batch is sent directly to Headquarters for publication. If there are any differences in the data collected by the two indexers, the batch is sent to an arbitrator for review. Arbitration is a vital step in the indexing process.

Because of your experience indexing the Trento, Italy project, we have extended arbitration rights to you. Arbitrating for you is still optional, but if you decide to contribute, please complete the Arbitration tutorial available on the Help tab of the FamilySearch Indexing Web site. To find the Arbitration tutorial, click here.

As an arbitrator, you will always:

· Index at least one batch from a project before arbitrating any batches for that same project.

· Follow the project instructions on how information is to be entered.

Sincerely,

FamilySearch Indexing Administration


If they are offering this to me, I can only assume, there arent too many Italians out there working on this project. I also wonder if the lack of Italians working on this is the reason that this is the only Italian project on their current and future list.

I will probably give it a shot. If someone is going to make a mess of this, it may as well be an Italian..lol

Wow - good job. I wish I had time to help but I am up to my neck in records from Montalto Uffugo, Tropea and Cortale. Now it seems I need San Benedetto Ullano and about 7 more towns near Tropea. But maybe after I get my Scrugli's figured out I can offer a few hours a week. Can you do that?

Awesome work! What a great job..it sounds like its going to be fun to see what others can come up with. I also registered m=but never seem to have the time or energy to help. I want to index again so much, though.

Ok..I will sit on this info a bit...I need a nap.

Cathy, you can sign up and never do a thing. They dont bother you. I almost deleted this email without reading it. I thought it was junk mail..lol

In the program, to get your records sent to you, there are two buttons. The first one just says download. They send you their choice. The second says download from and clicking that gives you a list to choose from. You can index any record on that list. I often jump around to try a few different things. I find I have my favorites.

Anyway..you can do one record a day..or a month..and even a year. I try to do some every day, but I have missed days in a row, where I did none.

Nuccia..you know I had to try this. I took their little crash course..but, I had viewed it before.

I did 2 batches. Each batch is 3 pages with 6-8 names on a page. I actually like this stuff. I was lucky to get at least one person out of the two to compare, that saw things as I did. The other person, I guarantee..knew no Italian at all (it looked to me)..lol

Eleven, do they let you choose which town you can index?

Poipu04 wrote:

Eleven, do they let you choose which town you can index?

I wanted to ask the same thing 'Eleven'... I would like to look into it further, but I would rather start with some small place than be landed in the middle of some huge, daunting city archive... Added to which, I'm not sure I would be siutable.

The only italian records they have going now is trento baptisms.

For this particular record, they send you 3 sheets. Each sheet has 4-8 names, occasionally about 10. When you complete the last person on the first page, it automatically switches to the next page. If at any time, you get disgusted, you can return the batch. If you dont work on it for a week, they automatically retrieve it.

You can choose any type records in their current list "if" you choose the "download from" button. If, by error, you just click the first download button, which is the one where they send you what they want (usually a 1920 census), you just send it back..and click the other button.

They only send you one page at a time. For censuses..each page has 40 or 50 names, depending on the year. In the "download from" button list, you can ask for 5 sheets at a time, by using the little dropdown arrow thing. I seldom take 5 at a time. I like to do one at a time.

So no matter what you do..you can never mess them up. If you send something back half done, they send it to someone else. If you hold it too long..they take it back.

I have sent back many sheets..when I wasnt in the mood to decipher someones sloppy chicken scratch. They send it to someone else.

Ya know..for a very long time..I was thinking about doing this, but like you guys...I didnt want to be obligated, or get myself into something that maybe I couldnt get out of. Nuccia told me to give it a shot..and that they dont bother you. So, I tried it..and its true. You arent obligated to do anything. And there is nothing that can mess things up for them. Three people are working on the same sheet...so if you make mistakes..someone else catches it.

The sheets dont take long to complete. Once you get the hang of it, you can do a 1920, 50 name census in about 20 minutes. The 1870, 40 name census takes about 10 minutes (less info). The trento baptisims take 20-30 minute, because you have to scroll them over manually (censuses scroll to the side automatically).

The software is automated in a way that some fields repeat automatically, like the family number, line number..and each field remembers the last thing you typed for each letter of the alphabet. Like if I typed Mary..the next time I hit the M in that field, mary will appear. If I dont need mary, I just type over it...Margaret..then it remembers that.

It goes very fast.

By the way..most of their copies are very clear. Some of the writing isnt so hot..but, you can see everything..lol

Carole and Lori..believe me. You two CAN do this.

Go there and sign up..take a look at the software..which is very easy to use. Download a sheet (make sure you use the download from button, so you see the list of places)..look at it..and if you think you cant do it..send it back..and be done with it. But, I know you can do it..and even enjoy it. This stuff is in our blood..lol