Tag Archives: Family Search

Do You Have Old Messages on FamilySearch.org?

by Roxanne Lowe

FamilySearch.org will introduce a new real-time conversation tool soon (FamilySearch Chat). It will replace the old messaging system.

When FamilySearch Chat fully replaces the old messaging system, messages from years prior to 2022 will not transfer to the new system. However, users can access and backup older messages they wish to keep. If you want to keep old messages DOWNLOAD THEM NOW! All messages older than 2022 will be available at FamilySearch.org/messages until 31 December 2023. 

To save and backup your older messages, FamilySearch.org recommends using one of these methods:

  • Go to FamilySearch.org/messages/download to download a complete .docx or .zip file of all your old messages to your personal device.
  • You can also look through your messages manually at FamilySearch.org/messages and copy and paste the ones you would like to keep. Once you have the messages in a document on your device, you can save the document in your personal files.

To read more about FamilySearch Chat, click here.

Family Search Chat

by Charles Hansen

Interesting, yes, but the big news in this FamilySearch blog post is not in the headline. Sub-head:

Backing Up Your Old Messages

When FamilySearch Chat fully replaces the old messaging system, messages from years prior to 2022 will not transfer to the new system. However, users will be able to access and backup older messages they wish to keep. Here is how that process will work…

In short:

Anything older than 2022 will be available at FamilySearch.org/messages until 31 December 2023. 

To save and backup your older messages, we recommend using one of these methods:

  • Go to FamilySearch.org/messages/download to download a complete .docx or .zip file of all your old messages to your personal device.
  • You can also look through your messages manually at FamilySearch.org/messages and copy and paste the ones you would like to keep. Once you have the messages in a document on your device, you can save the document in your personal files.

 The rest of the post is worth reading as well! https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/new-familysearch-chat?icid=fsm-fs-chat_cta

All the best, 

Valorie

PS: feel free to pass this news along either by forwarding this email, or in your own post. I’ve not seen this news elsewhere. I just downloaded all my old messages with no issues.

Can your library become a Family Search Affiliate Library?

by Charles Hansen

OK so what is a Family Search Affiliate library? Probably all of you have went to a Family Search Center and ordered microfilm to be sent to the Family Search Center, then went back a while later and view the microfilm. Today Family Search has digitized all that microfilm and stopped sending microfilm to the Family Search Centers. Some of those digitized microfilms are restricted to being viewed at only at Salt Lake City, A Family Search Center or an Affiliate Library. Spokane has four Family Search Centers close by, but staffed by volunteers and varying hours, so having the public library with regular hours is better.

In 2018 Spokane passed a bond issue to remodel several libraries and build three new branch libraries. The Special Collections (genealogy is one of them) were put into storage till the remodeling at the Downtown Branch was completed, estimated at 2 years. We closed out our meetings and cut down our collection to only have local reference materials go to storage, a few books went to other libraries, but the biggest amount went to Salt Lake City for digitization. We contacted the head of the Spokane Public Library Special Collections about becoming a Family Search Affiliate library while they were remodeling hoping to have it all in place when the library remodeling was finished (actually they are still working on some of the finishing touches). He was able to get permission from the library to become an Affiliate library, but he knows nothing about genealogy, so he kept wandering around Family Search looking for how to become an Affiliate Library. Central Library opened July 11th with a ribbon cutting, and still not an Affiliate Library. The new historian in the Inland Northwest Special Collections room was now tasked with contacting Salt Lake City to check out what was needed to become an Affiliate Library, she filled out the application waited a few days and was accepted. Next question? Only have the Central Library be an Affiliate Library, or should all the branches also be an Affiliate Library? The Genealogy collection along with a lot of other inland northwest books are at the Central Library, but we are meeting at the Shadle Branch Library for our monthly meetings and the free parking. So I said at least Central and Shadle. The IT department came back saying it was easier to include ALL the branches as Affiliates, so all the open branches now have Family Search, Two branches are still being remodeled and are expected to be done by the New Year. It took the IT department longer to do the connection to Family Search than to do the paperwork and get permission to be a Family Search Affiliate.

Click here to learn how to be a Family Search Affiliate Library.

Note after volunteering at the Downtown library for more than 25 years, I still have trouble calling it the Central Library, but the remodeling was amazing, and the Inland Northwest Special Collections room is wonderful.

Family Search and the 1950 Census

by Charles Hansen
In 2 short months, the 1950 US census will be released and made available through FamilySearch!
Learn More Here are 3 things you can do to be ready:

Join us at RootsTech!
Attend RootsTech to learn more about the 1950 US census. You can also learn about the new FamilySearch Get Involved app. See how indexing the census will be a new and innovative experience.
Find Your Family in the 1950 US Census!
Use the FamilySearch Family Tree or another family tree service to identify which of your family members will be included in the 1950 census. Learn how to find your family in 1950 on FamilySearch.
Spread the Word!
Spread the word about the 1950 US Census Community Project with our downloadable materials.

Unhappy News from FHL

by Charles Hansen

I have a bolt of unhappy news for you. Many of you make trips to Salt Lake City to research in the Family History Library. And many of you trek over to the Church Office Building cafeteria for lunch. It’s everybody’s favorite place and for a long list of reasons. But that privilege is now ended.

David Rencher, head of the FHL, tells us that eating in that cafeteria is an employee benefit of a non-profit corporation. We, as non-employee library patrons, do not qualify. DANG, is what you’re saying, I’m sure. 

Free Family Search Family History Library Classes

by Charles Hansen

Free Family History Library Classes and Webinars for October 2018

Important tool for life for FamilySearch The FamilySearch Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, has announced its free family history classes and webinars for October 2018. Research classes will focus on records from Denmark, Holland, England, Germany, and Wales. One class is offered in Spanish. A class for deaf community indexing is included. The genealogy merit badge is also featured. Participants can attend in person or online. See the calendar below for the complete list of classes. No registration is required.

Select webinars are offered weekly along the following track schedule throughout the month:

Mondays—FamilySearch Catalog at 10:00 a.m. MDT

Tuesdays—FamilySearch.org and Family Tree Classes at 10:00 a.m. MDT

Wednesdays—Indexing Classes at 10:00 a.m. MDT

Thursdays—Research Classes at 1:00 p.m. MDT

If you are unable to attend a class in person or online, most sessions are recorded and can be viewed later online at your convenience at Family History Library classes and webinars. Online classes are noted on the schedule as webinars. Webinar attendees need to click the link next to the class title at the scheduled date and time to attend the class online. Those attending in person simply go to the room noted. Invite your family and friends.

All class times are in mountain daylight time (MDT).

DATE AND TIME CLASS SKILL LEVEL WEBINAR | ROOM
Tuesday, 2 October, 10:00 a.m. What´s New at FamilySearch Beginner Webinar | Main Lab
Thursday, 4 October 10:00 a.m. Indexing Dutch Records (1.5 hours) Beginner Webinar | Main Lab
Thursday, 4 October, 1:00 p.m. Using Archion for German Research Beginner Webinar | Main Lab
Tuesday, 9 October, 10:00 a.m. Starting Family Tree: Overview of FamilySearch Beginner Webinar |

B1 Lab
Thursday, 11 October, 1:00 p.m. United States Research: Pacific Region Beginner Webinar |

Main B
Tuesday, 16 October, 10:00 a.m. Starting Family Tree: Navigating, Adding, Editing, and Standardization of Dates and Places Beginner Webinar | Main Lab
Thursday, 18 October, 1:00 p.m. England and Wales Census Beginner Webinar | Main Lab
Saturday, 20 October, 10:00 a.m. Boy Scout Genealogy Merit Badge (1½ hrs). For Registration. Beginner 2S Lab
Saturday, 20 October, 1:00 p.m. Recursos genealógicos de la emigración Hispanoamericana Beginner Webinar | Main B
Thursday, 25 October, 10:00 a.m. Deaf Community Indexing Training Beginner Webinar | Main Lab
Thursday, 25 October, 1:00 p.m. Using Gazetteers to Determine Jurisdictionsin Denmark Beginner Webinar |

Main Lab
Tuesday, 30 October, 10:00 a.m. Using the FamilySearch Catalog Effectively Beginner Webinar | Main Lab
About FamilySearch

FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch and its predecessors have been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 5,000 family history centers in 129 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Rootstech London 2019

by Charles Hansen

The following announcement was written by FamilySearch, the organizers of RootsTech:

We’re thrilled to announce that the RootsTech conference is expanding to international borders! RootsTech London will take place October 24–26, 2019, at the ExCeL London Convention Centre.

“We are excited to further position RootsTech as a global community for everyone to discover their family and deepen their sense of belonging that we all yearn for,” said Jen Allen, event director.

RootsTech London will not replace the annual conference in Salt Lake City but will serve as an additional event.

Registration Opens February 2019

Registration for RootsTech London will open in late February 2019. To receive the latest updates and announcements, visit rootstech.org/London.

Venue

The ExCel Convention Center is London’s finest exhibition center, located only 5 minutes away from London City Airport. Click here to take an interactive tour of the ExCeL.

https://www.rootstech.org/london

Free Family History Library Webinars for January

by Charles Hansen

Free Family History Library Classes and Webinars for January 2018

If your New Year’s resolutions include free, how-to family history classes, then look no further than the array of webinars and classes offered by the Family History Library starting in January 2018. Participants can attend in person or online. The January schedule includes informative classes for Ireland, Portugal, Germany, United Kingdom, Norway, and United States research, using the FamilySearch Family Tree, learning how to use the FamilySearch tools more effectively, how to index, and other useful tips and instruction. Some classes are available in Spanish. See the full schedule below. Mark your calendars for events you want to join so you don’t forget.

Online classes are noted on the schedule as webinars. Webinar attendees need to click the link next to the class title on the scheduled date and time to attend the class online. Those attending in person simply go to the room noted. Invite your family and friends. All class times are in mountain standard time.

If you are unable to attend a class in person or watch it online at the time it is scheduled, you may be able to watch it later. Most sessions are recorded and can be viewed later online at your convenience. To view these recorded sessions, go to the archive for Family History Library classes and webinars.

Continue reading →

Free Family Search November Webinars

by Charles Hansen

Free Family History Library Classes and Webinars for November 2017

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, has announced its free family history classes and webinars for November 2017. Participants can attend in person or online.
New classes include how-to research Swiss, Norwegian, Canadian, and immigration records. There are also classes on the FamilySearch Family Tree, using the FamilySearch Catalog effectively, learning how to index in much-needed foreign languages such as Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, and French, and searching specific sources for other countries. Some classes are also in Spanish. See the full schedule below. Mark your calendars for events you want to join so you don’t forget.
Online classes are noted on the schedule as webinars. Webinar attendees need to click the link next to the class title at the scheduled date and time to attend the class online. Those attending in person simply go to the room noted. Invite your family and friends. All class times are in Mountain Standard Time (MST).
If you are unable to attend classes in person or online, most sessions are recorded and can be viewed later online at your convenience. To access these, go to the archive for Family History Library classes and webinars.
DATE / TIME
CLASS (SKILL LEVEL)
WEBINAR | ROOM
Thursday, November 2, 11:00 a.m.
Exploring Death Notices in Norway (Beginner)
Saturday, November 4 , 1:00 p.m.
Árbol Familiar para principiantes (Beginner)
Monday, November 6, 10:00 a.m.
Using the FamilySearch Catalog Effectively (Beginner)
Monday, November 6, 11:00 a.m.
Exploring Emigration Records in Norway—Finding Place of Origin (Beginner)
Monday, November 6, 1:00 p.m.
Beginning Swiss Research (Beginner)
Tuesday, November 7, 10:00 a.m.
Overview of FamilySearch (Beginner)
Thursday November 9, 9:00 a.m.
Immigration and Canadian Border Crossing (Beginner)
Thursday, November 9, 11:00 a.m.
Swiss Census Records (Beginner)
Thursday, November 9, 12:30 p.m.
French Language Indexing (1½ hours) (Beginner)
Thursday, November 9, 12:30 p.m.
Italian Language Indexing (1½ hours) (Beginner)
Thursday, November 9, 1:00 p.m.
Reivers and Relatives: Ancestors Along the Anglo-Scottish Border (Intermediate)
Thursday, November 9, 2:30 p.m.
Portuguese Language Indexing (1½ hours) (Beginner)
Thursday, November 9, 2:30 p.m.
Spanish Language Indexing (1½ hours) (Beginner)
Thursday, November 9, 4:30 p.m.
Web Indexing Training (1½ hours) (Beginner)
Thursday, November 9, 6:30 p.m.
Leadership Indexing Training (1½ hours) (Beginner)
| MF A
Monday, November 13, 10:00 a.m.
Using the FamilySearch Catalog Effectively (Beginner)
Tuesday, November 14, 10:00 a.m.
Starting FamilyTree: Navigating, Adding, Standardizing and Printing (Beginner)
Tuesday, November 14, 1:00 p.m.
England Case Study and Research Strategy (Intermediate)
Wednesday, November 15, 10:00 a.m.
Dutch Language Indexing (1½ hours) (Beginner)
Thursday, November 16, 11:00 a.m.
United States Census Records (Beginner)
Thursday, November 16, 1:00 p.m.
Lost in London! Tracing Elusive Ancestry in London and Other Big Cities (Intermediate)
Saturday, November 18, 1:00 p.m.
Getting Started in Mexico? Why You Should Try Ancestry.com (Beginner)
Monday, November 20, 10:00 a.m.
Using the FamilySearch Catalog Effectively (Beginner)
Tuesday, November 21, 10:00 a.m.
Staring Family Tree: Preserving Memories Using Photos and Documents (Beginner)
Wednesday, November 29, 10:00 a.m.
Web Indexing Training (1½ hours) (Beginner)