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Introduction to the FamilySearch Catalog: Difference between revisions
Introduction to the FamilySearch Catalog (view source)
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=== What Is the FamilySearch Catalog? === | |||
The '''[https://familysearch.org/catalog-search FamilySearch Catalog] '''(formerly '''''Family History Library Catalog''''') describes the genealogical resources held by [http://familysearch.org/search FamilySearch.org], the [[Family History Library]], and other designated FamilySearch Centers or Libraries. | |||
The Catalog is a guide to family histories; birth, marriage, and death records; census records; church registers; books, periodicals and many other records that may contain genealogical information. These records may be in a book, on microfiche or microfilm, searchable online or in a computer file. | The Catalog is a guide to family histories; birth, marriage, and death records; census records; church registers; books, periodicals and many other records that may contain genealogical information. These records may be in a book, on microfiche or microfilm, searchable online or in a computer file. | ||
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Most microfilm and microfiche records can be sent to your nearest [[Introduction to LDS Family History Centers|Family History Center]]. If a particular item is available at another FamilySearch Center besides the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, then a pull-down menu will indicate the locations where the item is available. | Most microfilm and microfiche records can be sent to your nearest [[Introduction to LDS Family History Centers|Family History Center]]. If a particular item is available at another FamilySearch Center besides the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, then a pull-down menu will indicate the locations where the item is available. | ||
=== | === Where is the FamilySearch Catalog Found? === | ||
The [https://familysearch.org/catalog-search FamilySearch Catalog] is available at FamilySearch.org. (Previous versions of the catalog were released on compact disc and on microfiche, but those versions are significantly outdated, and do not list films acquired after the publication date on the disc or microfiche.)<br> | |||
=== Preparation === | |||
Before you use the FamilySearch Catalog, [[Guessing the Easiest to Research Person and Event|choose a person about whom you want to find more information]], and decide what you want to learn about him or her. For example, you may want to find your great-grandmother's death date and place. To do this, you need to [[Guessing a Record Type to Use|decide what types of records are likely to contain that information]]. | Before you use the FamilySearch Catalog, it helps to [[Guessing the Easiest to Research Person and Event|choose a person about whom you want to find more information]], and decide what you want to learn about him or her. For example, you may want to find your great-grandmother's death date and place. To do this, you need to [[Guessing a Record Type to Use|decide what types of records are likely to contain that information]]. | ||
=== Which Catalog Search Should I Try? === | === Which Catalog Search Should I Try? === | ||
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[[Image:{{FSCComSea}}]]You can also combine two or more FamilySearch Catalog searches if a single search alone yields too many results to be practical. For example, you could combine a '''Surnames Search''' and a '''Keywords Search'''. First close all the other search types. Then click the ''Surnames '' and the ''Keywords '' searches. A search for "Smith" in the ''Surnames Search '' yields over 4,000 results. But combined with the ''Keywords Search '' for the phrase "Philadelphia cave" this combination returns only one result.<br><br> | [[Image:{{FSCComSea}}]]You can also combine two or more FamilySearch Catalog searches if a single search alone yields too many results to be practical. For example, you could combine a '''Surnames Search''' and a '''Keywords Search'''. First close all the other search types. Then click the ''Surnames '' and the ''Keywords '' searches. A search for "Smith" in the ''Surnames Search '' yields over 4,000 results. But combined with the ''Keywords Search '' for the phrase "Philadelphia cave" this combination returns only one result.<br><br> | ||
Combining ''Surnames '' and ''Keywords '' searches for a family name and a state where they lived is often a successful strategy. "Smith" in the ''Surnames '' field and combined with "Hawaii" in the ''Keywords '' field will yield a manageable 52 results. | Combining ''Surnames '' and ''Keywords '' searches for a family name and a state where they lived is often a successful strategy. "Smith" in the ''Surnames '' field and combined with "Hawaii" in the ''Keywords '' field will yield a manageable 52 results. | ||
=== When It's Not in the Catalog === | === When It's Not in the Catalog === | ||