DearMYRTLE - WHY use a FHC?

Providing practical, down-to-earth advice for family historians since 1995, online since 1985.

WHY use a FHC?

DearREADERS,

Lately in my visits to give seminars at other genealogy societies, folks have been asking me if FHC (Family History Centers) are a thing of the past. NOTE: FHCs are 4,000+ branches (worldwide) of the LDS Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Chief reasons for the supposed demise of these FHCs:

internet IGI, Ancestral File at www.familysearch.org
proliferation of useful free websites such as www.ellisislandrecords.org, www.USGenWeb.com and www.WorldGenWeb.org
proliferation of valuable pay-per-view websites such as www.Ancestry.com, www.HeritageQuestOnline.com, www.genealogy.com, www.1837online.com, and www.Scotlandspeople.gov.uk
rumors that the FHL is putting all its microfilm online.
most FHCs seem to have slower, older computers.

FHCs ARE ALIVE & WELL

The FHL just presented our tiny local FHC a new microfilm/fiche reader/printer attached to a new computer for the transfer of digital copies from the film to CD-ROM.
Its going to take them years to copy nearly 3 million rolls of film (at 6 minutes per roll, then more to place on the web.)
Only a small percentage of the microfilming crews currently in the field are using digital cameras.
More US FHCs are updating their computers, and setting up high-speed internet access
More US FHCs are signing up for free use of AncestryPlus (a portion of the Ancestry.com databases.)

Until every record of every courthouse, church, cemetery, military archives and such has been scanned and posted on the internet, we are more than likely going to rely on microfilm copies ordered through our local LDS Family History Centers.

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
6023 26th Street West PMB 352
Bradenton, FL 34207