The Family History Library
System
http://www.familysearch.org
General information
Education
Research helps
Online catalog
Web site links
PowerPoint created by Joyce A. Brannan, Julia Tutwiler Library, University of
West Alabama, Livingston, Alabama, 2004.
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This is the home page for Family Search, http://www.familysearch.org.
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At the bottom of the home page there is a link to the “conditions for use”
and the “privacy policy.”
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The site is provided for personal use by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
Day Saints.
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Go back to the home page and click on the Library tab.
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Scroll down to see more information about the library.
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The Family History Library is the largest library in the world dedicated to
genealogical research.
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Most towns in the United
States will have a branch
location within a reasonable
distance. There is one in
Meridian, Tuscaloosa, and
Demopolis.
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In the side bar, click on “Frequently asked questions.”
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Select “What kinds of records are in the Family History Library?”
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The collection is not limited to “Mormon” or church sources. Many government
vital records, family Bibles, and personal collections have been microfilmed and
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are available for use in local branch libraries.
Go back to the home page. From the home page, we have access to all
the resources that are available online. Select “How do I get started?”
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This is a guide for getting started. There are many helpful hints even if you
are not a beginner. This page has a link to blank pedigree charts and
family groups sheets.
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Go back to the home page. Select “Family History Forms.”
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There are many free forms and research helps.
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Go back to the home page. Select “Education.”
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Select “family history library publications.”
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Select reference documents.
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Select “sorted by place.”
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You can select the first letter of a state or country. Scroll down.
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More about Alabama.
Still more about Alabama.
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There is a research outline for every state and many countries. Select the
Alabama Research Outline.
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You can look at each item separately or download the whole document
as a PDF file.
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To use PDF files, you must have Adobe Acrobat on your computer. The
reader is available as a free download by clicking on the link provided.
Click on the OK button to continue.
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The first page of the Alabama research outline. It is 44 pages long. To
print a PDF document, you must print from the second tool bar. If you try
to print from “file” or the first toolbar, you will have blank pages.
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Return to the Library page. Select “Family History Centers.”
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In the side bar select, “Frequently asked questions.”
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Notice that this is a different set of questions than those displayed
previously. Select “Are there any fees . . .”
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Fees cover the postage and cost of making another copy if you decide to
keep a film at the branch library indefinitely.
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Return to the library home page. Select “Family History Library Catalog.”
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The catalog can be searched online. Most of the holdings are available as
microfilm that can be borrowed at local Family History Centers.
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Do a place search to find what records are available for the area you are
searching.
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When at first you don’t succeed, think it over and reword your search.
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If Alabama, Sumter was attached to more than one other location, this
screen would list them. Click on the link.
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Lots of results now!
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Scroll down and select vital records.
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Select births.
This is a title record. Local libraries may have a copy or might be able to order
through interlibrary loan services. Click on the “view film” button in the upper
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right corner.
There are 3 films available. These may be ordered at a Family History
Center branch library. Family History Center film numbers are not used
at any other library. Go back to the place search screen.
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Another feature of the place search is the ability to locate all places of the
same name. For example, typing in “Berkeley” . . .
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There are 12 places in the world named Berkeley (at least in this gazetteer).
You can then select any of the locations to see what is available. Select West45
Virginia, Berkeley.
Notice that some screens will include historical notes. This county was
only created in 1772. If your ancestor lived there in 1680, you will not
find him in Berkeley records because it was Frederick!
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Go back to the Library Catalog page and select “Surname Search.”
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I have typed in Holland.
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These titles do not appear to be about the Holland family. The library
includes names of collateral families in the indexing. Scroll to the bottom.
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There were 278 results. Some of these will be films that can be ordered.
Some will be books that your local library MIGHT be able to get via
interlibrary loans, and some will be books that are only available at the Salt
Lake City Library. Select the last item.
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Some information about the family. Scroll down.
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More information about the item and other family names in the record.
Records may contain more names than what is listed. Click on the “Film
Notes” button.
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This book is available as a film that can be ordered for use in a Family
History Center.
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Return to the Family Search home page, select Find other Web sites . . .
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You can browse selected web sites.
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Scroll down and select vital records.
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These are links to web pages maintained by various individuals and
groups. Select cemeteries.
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Select Alabama.
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There are 144 hits. This number may vary day to day. Type Sumter in
the search box.
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There are 2 hits. The second entry is in Barbour Co. but was included
in this search because the word “Sumter” appears. Click on McElvin
Cem.
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If you scroll down, there are all these links, and none of them work!!
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If you have a page where the links do not work or an
address that does not connect, try shortening the
address in the address bar. For example:
The address for the McElvin cemetery that does not
work is:
http://www.rootsweb.com/%7Ealbarbou/mcelvin.htm
Shorten it to:
http://www.rootsweb.com/%7Ealbarbou
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And I get this page where all the links work. The address changed
automatically to an updated address.
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It is suggested that you bookmark web sites that you would
like to remember. Do not trust your memory to find a web
site.
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This has been a brief overview of some of the features of
the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
For information on searching individual names in the
complied database “Search for Ancestors”, see the
presentation “Searching for Your Family in
FamilySearch.org.”
Happy Hunting!
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