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Blazing Digital Trails at FamilySearch (view source)
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Have you ever wondered where the records on FamilySearch come from? Are you curious about why a certain collection is available, but another one you want is not yet there? FamilySearch is very motivated to make as many genealogical records available as fast as we can. In this presentation we will review how we make records available, what is available today, and how you can see what is currently being worked on. You will also learn how to influence what we do and how you can help make records available even faster. | Have you ever wondered where the records on FamilySearch come from? Are you curious about why a certain collection is available, but another one you want is not yet there? FamilySearch is very motivated to make as many genealogical records available as fast as we can. In this presentation we will review how we make records available, what is available today, and how you can see what is currently being worked on. You will also learn how to influence what we do and how you can help make records available even faster. | ||
== YOU CAN FIND EVIDENCE OF YOUR ANCESTORS <br> == | == YOU CAN FIND EVIDENCE OF YOUR ANCESTORS <br> == | ||
FamilySearch is focused on making more genealogical records available to more people faster, but we are not doing this work alone. There is a great community out there that works very hard to make this happen. We are a major player in the community and will continue making more genealogical information available for a long time to come. That is good news for you and everyone who wants to learn about their family history. <br> | FamilySearch is focused on making more genealogical records available to more people faster, but we are not doing this work alone. There is a great community out there that works very hard to make this happen. We are a major player in the community and will continue making more genealogical information available for a long time to come. That is good news for you and everyone who wants to learn about their family history. <br> | ||
You can find your ancestors by searching for them at FamilySearch.org because: <br> | You can find your ancestors by searching for them at FamilySearch.org because: <br> | ||
#FamilySearch has experts searching throughout the world for records that identify important events in the lives of people, including birth, marriage, death, and other information of genealogical importance.<br> | #FamilySearch has experts searching throughout the world for records that identify important events in the lives of people, including birth, marriage, death, and other information of genealogical importance.<br> | ||
#Images are captured in archives or transferred from film to digital images. Volunteers and affiliates help capture, describe, and transcribe the images to make them easier to find.<br> | #Images are captured in archives or transferred from film to digital images. Volunteers and affiliates help capture, describe, and transcribe the images to make them easier to find.<br> | ||
#All the images, indexes, and record information are published on FamilySearch.org and partner affiliate Web sites so you can view the images and search the information over the Internet right from the comfort of your home. | #All the images, indexes, and record information are published on FamilySearch.org and partner affiliate Web sites so you can view the images and search the information over the Internet right from the comfort of your home. | ||
== HOW IT IS ALL DONE == | == HOW IT IS ALL DONE == | ||
=== Finding the Records <br> === | === Finding the Records <br> === | ||
FamilySearch has a team of collection managers whose goal is to find records that cover a certain geographic location for each period of time. These collection managers consider record types, event types, dates, sample images, and record counts. <br> | FamilySearch has a team of collection managers whose goal is to find records that cover a certain geographic location for each period of time. These collection managers consider record types, event types, dates, sample images, and record counts. <br> | ||
Experts and volunteers from the genealogical community can help by identifying areas that are not currently covered and discovering unknown collections. It is very common for new records and collections to be discovered or rediscovered. <br> | Experts and volunteers from the genealogical community can help by identifying areas that are not currently covered and discovering unknown collections. It is very common for new records and collections to be discovered or rediscovered. <br> | ||
Once the records are identified, an agreement must be reached between FamilySearch and the record custodian to capture the collections. | Once the records are identified, an agreement must be reached between FamilySearch and the record custodian to capture the collections. | ||
=== Digitizing the Records <br> === | === Digitizing the Records <br> === | ||
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been microfilming records of genealogical importance for over 70 years, first under the Genealogical Society of Utah and now through FamilySearch. This effort has resulted in over 2.4 million rolls of microfilm that are stored in the Granite Mountain Records Vault near Salt Lake City, Utah. <br> | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been microfilming records of genealogical importance for over 70 years, first under the Genealogical Society of Utah and now through FamilySearch. This effort has resulted in over 2.4 million rolls of microfilm that are stored in the Granite Mountain Records Vault near Salt Lake City, Utah. <br> | ||
Today, those microfilms are being converted to digital images. In addition, new cameras and software are being used to capture original records in archives in digital format. The images are processed for publishing, and an exact copy version is preserved for the future. It is estimated that in the next 15 years, FamilySearch will have over 100 petabytes of information. | Today, those microfilms are being converted to digital images. In addition, new cameras and software are being used to capture original records in archives in digital format. The images are processed for publishing, and an exact copy version is preserved for the future. It is estimated that in the next 15 years, FamilySearch will have over 100 petabytes of information. | ||
{| | {| width="700" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1" | ||
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'''How Big Is a Petabyte? '''<br> | '''How Big Is a Petabyte? '''<br> | ||
A '''petabyte''' (derived from the SI prefix peta- ) is a unit of information or computer storage equal to one quadrillion bytes (short scale), or 1000 terabytes, or 1,000,000 gigabytes. It is abbreviated '''PB'''. The prefix peta- (P) indicates a power of 1000: <br> | A '''petabyte''' (derived from the SI prefix peta- ) is a unit of information or computer storage equal to one quadrillion bytes (short scale), or 1000 terabytes, or 1,000,000 gigabytes. It is abbreviated '''PB'''. The prefix peta- (P) indicates a power of 1000: <br> | ||
1 PB = 1,000,000,000,000,000 B = 10005 B = 1015 bytes. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petabyte<br><br> | 1 PB = 1,000,000,000,000,000 B = 10005 B = 1015 bytes. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petabyte<br><br> | ||
|} | |} | ||
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=== Describing and Indexing the Records === | === Describing and Indexing the Records === | ||
==== Describe <br> ==== | ==== Describe <br> ==== | ||
Records are described as they are found and as we learn more about them. | Records are described as they are found and as we learn more about them. | ||
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*Come back to FamilySearch often to see what has been added. Also come back to see if there are areas where you can help others by contributing your time and what you know to make more information available. | *Come back to FamilySearch often to see what has been added. Also come back to see if there are areas where you can help others by contributing your time and what you know to make more information available. | ||
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[[Category: | [[Category:FamilySearch_Ditital_Trails]][[Category:FamilySearch_Digital_Trails]] | ||