Family Search Website
www.familysearch.org
www.alanmann.com/byu
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4 major sections
 Home
 Search
 Share
 Library
 Also at the top right corner there are
other options. Feedback, Site Map,
Glossary, and Help
Home
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Welcome – This is the Home Page
News – designed to inform you of any features
that have recently been added or changed in
FamilySearch Internet Genealogy Service
Family Search Questions – Has a list of frequent
questions asked
Product support – more answers to your
questions and the products provided
Order/download – you can order any and all
products and supplies that the Church provides
Feedback page
Feedback – you must be signed into
the www.familyhistory.org site to
use this feature
Site Map
This outlines each area of
the website and helps you
know where items are.
You can look up
foreign words
and find their
meaning. There
are many other
words that can
be looked up
here also.
Remember, you
can also use the
“Custom Search”
Help screen
Got a question,
find the answer
here.
Type your question
here
Order and Downloads
Order any products that the
Distribution centers have from
this site and have it shipped
to your home. You will have
to have a user name and
password.
Search
Search for your ancestors – enter names
and search
 Research guidance – helps guide you
through your search with ideas
 Research helps – all publications of the
Family History Library, guides, forms, word
lists and much more
 Web sites – search by place or subject
 Family History Library Catalog – this is the
same as downtown catalog
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Search for Ancestors
If you use exact spelling, you could miss some
matches. Check for different name spellings.
If you want to do a
parent search just fill in
the father and mothers
name (leave out the
maiden name) and do
your search.
If you use “All
Resources”, you run the
risk of missing people and
matches when searching.
You should search each
database separately.
Remember: The more information
you fill in the more it will limit your
search. Put in as little as possible.
Search for Ancestors
This hightlights
each area and
tells you how
many hits there
are. When you
click on an area it
will rescan that
area and give you
the hits found
there.
Search for Ancestors
If you ever see a Batch No:, you
can click on it and then search all
the names that were extracted in
that batch. You might be surprised
to find more family names. After
you click on the Batch number it
takes you back to the input screen.
See next slide.
Batch Number Search
Batch Number Search
There could many pages
to scroll through here.
But listed is every name
that was on that
extraction.
Batch Number Search
Clicking here will take you
to the input screen.
Submission Number Search
Submission Number Search
The submission number Search
in Pedigree Resource File.
Allows you to see every name
submitted by that person in
that single submission.
Research Guidance will tell
you what records exist for
that time period, in that
place and outlines how
you can go about finding
what you are looking for.
You can find research
outlines, guides, forms,
maps and world lists, and
much more.
You could find family websites
and more here.
Do your search from home
for books, films, fiche and
then go to the library and
read those items. This
would help to better
prepare you for your library
visit.
Share
Share your Genealogy – upload GEDCOM’s
 Collaboration with others – Share
information with others
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You can share your GEDCOM, by uploading it
to FamilySearch.org
This collaboration site is not as useful as Rootsweb or
Ancestry’s sites. They will email you when there is an
addition.
Library
Family History library –
 Family History centers – find a library
when you travel
 Family History Library Catalog
 Education – list of all class at the library,
seminars that are coming and much more
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This is the same
catalog that is at the
Library.
When you want to print something from this
area, look to the bottom of the page and where
it will say “For a printable version of this record,
click here.” You will get a better print by doing
this.
Catalog search
To get the microfilm number click on
the “View Film Notes”
Want to take a class or learn
something new about Family History.
There are many classes offered here.
You can also learn of up coming
conferences and seminars. The
Family history library has classes
going all the time. You can get a
calendar of classes by clicking on the
“Family History Library Classes”
GenSmarts program
http://www.gensmarts.com/index.html
Features
To Do lists – what records you should
check
 For records that can be checked online it
gives you links to take you there
 Maintains inventories of places you can
do research, and the records that are
available.
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Reports help you search soundex codes,
alternative spellings, ages calculated to
the census, and other helpful information.
 Price $24.95 at www.Gensmarts.com
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– You can try it for free before buying, to see
how it can help you in your research.