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Explore the New Family History Library Website

The Family History Library in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, just launched its new Family History Library webpage. As the brick-and-mortar flagship of FamilySearch International, the library offers much that is available on FamilySearch.org. But the library also has unique resources that are featured on the new Family History Library website along with access to library records.

The webpage allows for real-time library updates to information about operation hours, special events, library news, and new and expanded services. Among those services, patrons worldwide can schedule 20-minutes appointments for free personal online research consultations with family history experts, a service that is available in multiple languages.

The new webpage is still growing. David Rencher, the chief genealogical officer for FamilySearch and director of the Family History Library, says this resource is just the beginning of plans for the library’s updated web presence. The website will grow and expand.

“Moving forward, we will build out the webpage with a global reach to help our patrons’ and guests’ expanding needs. The Family History Library offers the largest collection of genealogical materials in one place, making it a premier destination for family history resources and genealogical expertise,” Rencher said. “Its mission is constantly expanding to meet the evolving needs of guests throughout the world—and at no charge.”

The Family History Library is currently closed due to the worldwide pandemic, but through the website, worldwide guests can participate in discovering their heritage and families. The website is currently available in German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Chinese. Japanese and Italian will be added soon.

When pandemic conditions allow, the library will again host a variety of in-person experiences, such as one-on-one help in-person at the library, heritage and discovery experiences, and more. Meanwhile, many such experiences can be accessed through the website.

Learn about Your Heritage

The Family History Library offers discovery experiences to help visitors understand their own family’s stories.  You may find some of your ancestors on our worldwide tree!

two women looking at ipad in Family History Library discovery center

Sign Up for Free Online Consultations

From the homepage, you can schedule online personal research consultations with Family History Library experts. These consultations are available in multiple languages and accommodate worldwide time zones. The consultations are currently offered in English, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese, with more languages to be added.

Explore the Learning Center

Go to our Learning Center, and select from hundreds of the library’s previously recorded research helps—from tips and tricks to full-length seminars. Watch them on your own schedule! Guests will again be able to attend free in-library and online classes when the Family History Library reopens.

learning center screenshot

Save Your Family Treasures

Records, certificates, and other memorabilia can be fragile through time. The library offers free access to on-site equipment to help guests preserve pictures, memories, and stories to save and share with family.

View the Collections

The Family History Library has the largest collection of genealogically important records in the world, and the collection is ever expanding! Currently, the library houses more than 340,000 genealogically unique books, 1.3 million microfilms, 190,000 microfiche, and a collection of 18,460 maps from around the world. The goal is to make all Family History Library materials available to people throughout the world. However, some items and digital materials are contractually restricted and available only at the Family History Library. Many are also available through family history centers, regional centers, and affiliate libraries worldwide. The library will soon offer free look-up services. The library layout is included online to help you plan your visit.

Access a Center Near You

More than 5,100 family history centers and libraries affiliated with FamilySearch dot the earth.  The library website will soon offer a portal to the various centers, where the centers can provide information about their services adapted to their area and facilities. As pandemic restrictions lift, people can again go to these centers for in-person services.

Receive Family History Help

The objective of FamilySearch is to help people find joy as they discover, gather, and connect their families—wherever records can be found. Assistance includes support for other organizations and facilities engaged in family history. The Chief Genealogical Office of the Family History Library reaches out to support family organizations, genealogical societies large and small, affiliated libraries, and others wherever they are located. They offer services, equipment, and other support as needed.

The library gathers, preserves, and shares important records from around the world and provides copies of the preserved records back with the source. Using those records, the library supports the efforts of FamilySearch to develop a sound, crowdsourced, worldwide family tree.

Source: Family Search

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