Guest Resources at the FamilySearch Library

Family History Library Guest Resources at the Family History Library

Guest Resources at the Library

FHL Resources.jpg

• Over 500 public guest computers
• Over 300 microfilm readers
• 36 microfiche readers
• 27 digital microfilm and microfiche copiers (to paper or to flash drive)
• 14 book copiers (to paper or to flash drive)
• 3 HD book scanners
• Seating capacity for 375 at tables
• Webinars and patron classes
• Currently about 30 full-time and part-time professional staff
• Approximately 600 trained volunteers

Research Specialists at the Family History Library

• British Isles Research Specialists
• International Research Specialists
• United States and Canada Research Specialists

To meet with a Research Specialist on the 2nd Floor, B1 Floor, and B2 Floor, visit the Research Assistance desk on each of those floors.

B1 tall desk3.jpg

The reference areas on the B1 International floor, the B2 British floor, and the U.S./Canada 2nd floor have been remodeled.

Need help? Ask someone with a blue lanyard for help with research. Ask someone with a red lanyard for collection questions. Look for these lanyards:

• 

  For research help
• 

  For collection help

To prevent wasting your time standing in line waiting for research assistance, we have implemented a paging system to connect you with the needed expertise. 

HME Pager.jpg

Public computers

The Family History Library has over 500 public guest computers available. Guest computers are located on each floor. Each guest computer is equipped with high speed Internet access, and a USB port accessible from the front of the machine. For more information on USB drives, go to Step-by-Step Using a USB and U3 Flash key.  

Free wireless access

Personal laptops are welcome at the Family History Library. Electrical power outlets are located at each microfilm reader and at many guest tables. Free wireless Internet is available.  All of the subscription websites (see below) are accessible through this wireless network as though you are on one of the guest computers, as long as you are in the Library.

Vending services

While saving images to a flash drive are free, printing services costs $0.05 cents for standard copies and $0.30 cents for colored copies and legal size printouts. Copy cards can be purchased beginning at $2. As an added convenience to our guests, copy cards, 8GB flash drives, lanyards and earphones will be sold in the copy card vending machines on each floor. The vending machines accept cash or credit cards.

Family history software access

Each Family History Library guest computer has access to a variety of family history software programs. Among these include: Ancestral Quest, Legacy Family Trees, Roots Magic, Charting Companion, Genelines, GenSmarts, GENViewer, MagiKey Fa'mily Tree, Map My Family Tree, Personal Historian, and Tree Connect.

Compact disc databases

Hundreds of compact disc databases are available either on the network of our guest computers, or for check out as compact discs. These databases are all described in the FamilySearch Catalog. Those available on guest computers will have a "click here" note in their catalog entry. Those on compact disc only must be obtained at the appropriate Access Services window and used on specially designated computers on each floor.

FamilySearch.org

FamilySearch is the umbrella organization and set of free online databases associated with the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

• Family Tree. A worldwide compiled tree you can edit including names, relationships, birth, marriage, death data, with photos and source documentation. A good place to begin research, but remember to verify the information.

• Memories. Search for or contribute photographs, documents, stories or audio recordings linked to Family Tree.

• Search. Online searches of a variety of sources:
  • Records. Billions of names across hundreds of our collections of worldwide primary records of births, marriages, deaths, census, church, cemetery, wills, military, court, naturalization, voting, land, passenger lists, obituaries, compiled genealogies, and many others.
  • Genealogies. Large static files of lineage-linked family history data from Ancestral File, and the Pedigree Resource File.
  • Books. Over 150,000 digitized online family histories including county and local histories, genealogy magazines, how-to books, gazetteers, and medieval histories, and pedigrees.
  • Wiki. An encyclopedia of how-to-research ancestors often with great hints about local sources.
  • Catalog. Describes the genealogical holdings (3 million microfilms, and 310,000 books) of the Family History Library and a few other repositories. Also, now part of WorldCat online catalog.

• Indexing. Volunteer indexing makes databases available worldwide on the Internet. Over 320,000 contributors added over 1.1 billion new names in 2014. Come learn how you can contribute, too.

Subscription websites avaliable at the Library

Many family history websites that usually need a paid subscription in order to access are available free of charge while visiting the Library. To see a listing of websites currently available click the link Subscriptions websites at the FHL.

Family History Library (FHL); now called, FamilySearch Library (FSL)