Increase Family History Center Attendance

The following article is by Ralph and Linda Miller, who are Area Advisers in New England.  LIke many of us, they are concerned about FHC attendance!  Here are their suggestions.

“Some people wonder whether family history centers are still needed when so much information is available on the internet.  Actually, family history centers are more important than ever.  In addition to special resources, they offer one-on-one help, a friendly hand that can help sort out the myriad of data and help them map a path and a plan.

Family History Center usage is low in our region – especially by LDS church members.  Some FHC workers or leaders assume that if the people aren’t coming to the center, it is because they are working at home.  But this is generally not the case.  Why?  Because they don’t know what to do, either at home or at the family history center.

So show them.   Many people don’t visit because they don’t have (a) a specific invitation, and (b) an agenda.  Give them a specific invitation for a specific time, and let them know that they aren’t responsible for figuring out what to do when they get there.  That’s what you want to show them.

As a beginning point, schedule ward council members (one at a time or with their family) to come to the family history center.   Family history is a tool that can help the ward council accomplish its goals for the ward.  To be effective, ward council members need to understand what the family history center offers and how it feels to go there.

What do you do with them while they are there? Your family history center staff may want to develop a sample agenda that can be used for visits.  Brainstorm together to come up with a simple, brief introduction that helps members understand how to begin their family history.  You may want to include an introductory video or two.  In addition to technical information, don’t forget the video clips available on the DVD that can be used for the Family History Course.  These clips bring the spirit and give a doctrinal foundation.  You don’t need to show all the clips – select one or two.

Once you come up with one agenda, you may want to develop one or more follow-up agendas.  An agenda for non-members might be useful as well.  This could include an overview of resources as well as a brief explanation of why family history is important and interesting.

Some suggested things to consider for an introductory visit:

• Have them sign in to NFS.  If they haven’t already registered, help them register.

• In NFS, have them look at “see me and my ancestors.”  Does their family pedigree extend back?  Or do they need to link some people in?  If so, help them link some ancestors so the family pedigree is more complete.  If they don’t have the information with them, make a note so you can schedule a follow up visit with them.

• If there are blanks, show them resources available in the Family History Center Portal that can help them.  For instance, see if they can find an ancestor’s family in www.ancestry.com (for example, in the census).

• If they aren’t interested or ready to research, show them some of the videos available from fhc.familysearch.org under “Classes and workshops.”  For a first visit, don’t try a long class – start with a 5-minute genealogy episode or two.  Or from the list on the left, click on “beginner” and see what courses catch your eye.  Watch the videos together – you may learn something too.

• If they are young or work with youth, show them lds.org/familyhistoryyouth and view the modules and videos there.  There are several in each section, and all are different.

• Use other resources available, such as www.familysearch.org to search for more information about family members.

Tip:  Even if NFS shows a checkmark, indicating all temple work is done for a family, it doesn’t necessarily mean all family members in that family are listed in NFS.  Check vital records or censuses to make sure you have all the family members.  Show them how ancestry.com can help them assess whether family members are missing.”

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Family History Software for the Mac computer

Perhaps you own a Mac?  Probably you know someone who owns one?  Perhaps you have been asked what Family History (FH) software is available for the Mac?

There is good family history software for the Mac.  Unfortunately for the LDS family historian there are fewer choices than for the Windows computer user.

As we have written before (see article 5 June 2011 at http://peterfh.wordpress.com/) we encourage everyone to keep their own family history records on their own computer.  These are then my records.  What is on the Internet at sites such as new.familysearch.org are “our” records – where we collaborate with others and share with the world.

It is unnecessary for any Windows computer user to double enter data on their own computer and on new.familysearch.org (nFS).  There are several excellent software choices available that allow data to be moved to and from new familysearch without re-entering the information as well as allowing other interaction with nFS. Even PAF – old as it is – can do this with the help of either Family Insight or Ancestral Quest.  Several good alternatives to PAF can synchronize data with new familysearch such as Rootsmagic, Legacy Family Tree, Family Tree Maker with Family Insight, and Ancestral Quest to name but four.  Family Insight works as an intermediary between just about all the most popular programs and nFS!

What is available for the Mac and what works with the FamilySearch website?

To answer this question go to Familysearch.org, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click on Products (you can get to the same information from the sign in page for nFS  – look for the heading More Great Products).  Here you can see the lists of products certified by FamilySearch – we often call them affiliates.  Many of them are utilities to help with printing or contacting people and some are personal family history record keeping products.  For each of these products there is a list of access features.  There is a long list of web products (18 as of 24 Sep 2011), a long list of Windows products (14) and a very short list for the Mac (5), and an even shorter list for mobile devices (1).  There are only 5 items on the Mac list!  Family Insight is there with a good list of features certified for working with nFS, and Mac FamilyTree with a short list of features for working with nFS.

What is the Mac user to do?

The situation is not quite as bad as it looks.

1. The FamilySearch list does not include Family Tree Maker (FTM) for the Mac which does work with the current Mac version of Family Insight.  But what if you don’t like FTM, or its price? – although remember that the price of FTM often includes several months access to an Ancestry web site.
2. Family Insight are beta testing a version of their product that will work with Mac FamilyTree and deliver a good list of features that work with nFS.  This is important news for many Mac users.
3. Rootsmagic have said that they intend to have a Mac version of their product available – perhaps by the summer of 2012.

Is that all?

One of the most popular Family History products on the Mac is Reunion.  You could export your data as a gedcom and then use Family Insight – but this is cumbersome and  I think unnecessarily complicated.

Are you willing to run a Windows FH program on your Mac?

There are 3 ways to do this and you can very successfully use any Windows FH program on your Mac.

1. Turn your Mac into a Macindow (????) or a Winmac (just joking!) by buying either Parallels and Fusion and then installing a full copy of a Windows operating system – if you don’t own a full copy of Windows you will have to buy one.  I have done this and with a click can move between the Mac and Windows operating systems.  I have PAF, Ancestral Quest, Family Insight for Windows, Rootsmagic, and Legacy Family Tree all working in Windows on my Mac. Files are shared between the 2 operating systems. Besides cost what is the downside of doing this?  You need to learn 2 operating systems, and you need to update 2 operating systems.
2. Every Mac comes with a free copy of a product called Boot Camp.  This will allow you to install a version of Windows – which you would have to own.  Then you can install any Windows FH program.  The downside is that you have to re-boot your computer to move between Windows and Mac operating system, as well as having to know and update 2 operating systems.
3. Install a Windows emulator program on your Mac and then install the Windows FH program of your choice. You do not have to install a copy of Windows and therefore don’t have to own a copy of Windows.  There are several Windows emulator programs available, such as Wine and Crossover Mac.  Some are free and some cost as much as $40.

One of the nicest articles on the ways to run Windows programs on a Mac can be found at Rootsmagic.com under the link to Support then Knowledge Base.  Search for “Mac” and then select Will Rootsmagic Run on a Mac? – go to the bottom of the article where there is a link to more information which gives you access to a table of choices and other information.

Well, that’s how I see things.  I hope this helps.

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Using browser favorites and bookmarks with the new FamilySearch to mark individuals for easy access

The following text is from knowledge document 105107 which is available in the Help Center of nFS:

Internet browsers have highly developed and easy-to-use bookmarking capabilities. Since a browser will always be an integral part of the new FamilySearch, using the browser’s tools can be very beneficial. For example, individuals’ names can be organized into groups or placed on the desktop for easy, one-click access.

To bookmark a person:

1. Find the Person Identifier (PID) of the person (looks like P94P-3R9).
2. Copy the PID, and then use the Search tab to search for the person by number.
3. The person will now be in the main pedigree position.
4. Click Favorites, and then click Add to Favorites from the menu bar in Internet Explorer, or clickBookmarks in Firefox. Enter the name of the favorite or bookmark. For example, you could use the name of the person being marked or the name of the family line. Save the bookmark.

Now, whenever this favorite or bookmark is clicked, the new FamilySearch will open with the individual already in the main position (after you have signed in). There is virtually no limit to the number of individuals you can mark this way, and you can quickly move from one to another by just clicking the corresponding favorite or bookmark.

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Why do we need to use a genealogy program on our computer instead of just using the new.familysearch.org website?

We periodically get asked this question.

We recommend that each of us have our own family history file on our own computer using any of the many excellent recordkeeping programs that interact with new.familysearch.org.

Why keep your own records?  Some of the reasons include:

1. I want to have full detailed records of living family and relatives – this is not the role of nFS – you need your own database
2. I need a place to keep my notes and sources – at least until nFS updates their tools for sources
3. I need a place to keep my records in case someone changes my information on the web site
4. I need a place where I can keep images of documents and photographs linked to my ancestor information

There are more reasons than this!  Knowledge document 105366 gives 8 reasons!  This document discusses the advantages and disadvantages of using nFS instead of personal software on your computer.  Note: most of the advantages given for using nFS can be voided by keeping good backups and giving family members a copy of your data.

Why do some people object to doing this?

1. They don’t want to keep 2 files updated – the one on their computer and the web site – solution:  use products that act as intermediaries with nFS so you can move any data elements to and from nFS with typing them.  If you are a PAF user this would be Family Insight or Ancestral Quest.  If you are not a PAF user then select a product that works with nFS such as (in no particular order) Rootsmagic,  Legacy Family Tree, Ancestral Quest, Family Treemaker (Windows or Mac) with Family Insight – several of which are free (see Products link at bottom of page at FamilySearch.org)
2. They don’t want to type all the information into a new file – solution – you don’t have to type all the information into a new file – you can either download data from nFS using the free program Get My Ancestors or use one of the products listed at the end of #1 above which will add names to your file for you.  Of course if you download from nFS and don’t know the source of the information you will need to verify the validity of the information i.e. do some research – which you will have to do anyway if you are beginning.

Remember the purposes of nFS include: prepare names for the temple,  build one pedigree chart for mankind, clean up records (as much as we can), and collaborating on  Family History.

See knowledge document 100317 for the purposes for nFS

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Has the problem with Western Candadian place names in nFS been fixed?

For some (long) time  standardized place names for Western Canada have been including a census division number so that Calgary, Alberta, Canada has been showing as Calgary, Division no 6, Alberta, Canada.

I know many of you have joined us in using Feedback to ask for this to be corrected.

Today there has been an update to nFS and I tried the place name problem – and it seems to be fixed!  Please try it and let us know if there is still a problem with place names.

I was so excited that I had to send you this notice so you can help me check to see that the problem is resolved!

By the way the What New link on nFS has been moved to the top left of the Welcome page – that is the page that appears after you sign in (used to be on the Sign in page).  I cannot find a What’s New document for this update – so it might be that it was just a few minor items – like standardized place names!

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Recent Changes at FamilySearch

 

1. There is now one help centre shared by FamilySearch.org and new.FamilySearch.org.
   1. Learn to use the new Help Centre!  – go to nFS then Help Center (or FamilySearch.org and click on Help) – then Especially for new.FamilySearch.org then See the Whole List – then “Using this new Help Center”
   2. For Tutorials and Guides for nFS scroll down to the section Especially for new.familysearch.org and click on See the Whole List
   3. Some of the training resources have been moved to the updated Consultant.familysearch.org website (see #2 below)
   4. How do I view My Cases?  Go to Help then select Contact FamilySearch (on right of screen) and then View My Cases.
2. Consultant.familysearch.org has been updated so the site does more than allow you to register
   1. If you are a new FH Consultant register at consultant.familysearch.org
   2. Sign in when you first go to the site and you have 2 choices:
      1. Training – for online training and other resources that you used to access under the Training and Resources tab at the old Help Center
      2. Preferences – can edit your profile – such as updating your email address, telephone number, calling
3. new.FamilySearch has been updated
   1. Now at version .994 and there will be some public access.  Basically they are testing the public access interface with a few people.
   2. There are 2 versions of the What’s New document for this update:    (1) Using the link under News and Updates on the sign in page shows a getting started document written for new public users.  (2) Use the new link to What’s New at the top left on the nFS home page (that is the page that appears after you sign in and has Welcome and your name).  If you go to the Help Center then Especially for new.FamilySearch.org and then See Whole List, you will see both What’s New documents!  One is for LDS and one for the public!
   3. On the sign in page is a message “Your contact preferences have been reset to show your contact name and e-mail address only. To change your contact preferences, click Update My Profile and Preferences on the Home page.”  In other words, in preparation for public use of the site they have reset the preferences so that only contact names and email addresses show.  As far as I am concerned that is all you should be showing!  Putting up your street address and telephone number is, in my opinion, not a good idea. Please continue to teach people only to share their contact name and email address.
   4. Change in link Sign in to Help Someone Else – default is for helping a member of the public (only asks for contact name and helper access number) – to help a member you need to click on “use a full name and birth date instead of the contact name” otherwise you won’t be able to sign in to help a member.

I probably missed some changes  . . .  and reserve the right to tell you as soon as I find them!

This changes every handout and every presentation we have!

I assume that we will get an email from FamilySearch telling us about these things  . . .  but I didn’t want to wait.

 

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Area FH Newsletter February 2011

1. Ancestry.com. If you notice that your FHCentre Director has a larger smile than normal . . . perhaps it is at least partly due to the announcement that the library edition of Ancestry.com is available in all FHCs!!!  The announcement was sent out on Feb 8.  Ancestry.com is available in the FHC Portal under Premium Subscription services.
2. Leader’s Guide to Temple and Family History – Turn the Hearts The guide is available on lds.org.  Go to Menu then Serving in the Church then Melchizedek Priesthood then Leader Resources then scroll down.  The guide will be officially printed and distributed with a DVD in a few months.  Lots of wonderful information in the guide – and for those of you graphically inclined – there are lots of pictures and quotes! You will also notice as you go to the Leader’s Guide on the lds.org web site that there is an online interactive version of the new Handbook 2 Administering the Church.
3. nFS Training Site Please remember not to put test, trial or ficticious information to nFS.  When you want to use try out features or teach, then use the training.familysearch.org web site which has only ficticious information.  Treat it as your sandbox!
4. nFS Reference Manual Did you know there is a 71 page reference manual for nFS?  You can find it if you go to the Help Center, then Training and Resources then click on More in the area titled Training and Other Helpful Resources.   On the title page it says “This manual is intended to be used with the new FamilySearch User’s Guide and information available in the Help Center.”    The Reference Manual is considerably shorter than the User Guide. There is a link for Feedback. MIA
5. How do you find PAF on new version of familysearch.org? Click on Learn at top of screen and search for Software.  Look for item PAF and Other Genealogy Software (usually number 3 on the list of results).  At the end of the first paragraph in the article there is a link (Click Here) to get the download.
6. Indexing Please continue to encourage indexing.  Great progress was made last year, but there is much more to be done. The scanning of microfilms is ahead of the indexing.  Great to invite your friends and neighbours to do!  Did my first batch on a Mac this past week.  Worked just fine.
7. Webinars There are lots of really good webinars available to help us learn.  Recently I came across some on the Legacy Family Tree site to help with Indexing! If you are new to indexing, please watch Jim Ericson’s introductory webinar first at http://www.millenniacorp.com/_videos/webinars/20101006fsindexing/indexing.html.  if you go to  http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/Webinars.asp, to see the archived webinars you will find one which includes tips and tricks for experienced indexers.  There are more webinars at http://rootsmagic.com/Webinars/ on Rootsmagic topics . . . and the list goes on.  Do you have any favourite webinar sites for FH?  Please share.
8. How do you find online FH courses through FamilySearch.org? Go to Learn at top of screen and search for Online Courses. First item in results is How-To Genealogy Learning Online with links to FamilySearch courses, BYU courses, NGS course, National Institute for Genealogical Studies and more.

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Be careful what you wish for

Our Christmas wish list for FamilySearch  is already out of date!  We will have to think of some new wishes!

1.  beta.familysearch.org replaced content familysearch.org this morning! At the very bottom of the page in small print is a link “Use the previous version of Familysearch.org.”  So  . . .  stop going to beta.familysearch.org as it is now familysearch.org and use the link  if you need something from the old site

2.  there has been an update to nFS!  Notifications are there.  On the sign in page to nFS remember to go to to News and Updates to get the 2 page pdf document telling about notifications and  the other features in this December 2010 update

Christmas came early!

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Season’s Greetings

It is the time of the year when our hearts and minds turn to a remembrance of the birth of our Savior.  We hope you have a joyful Christmas and a happy New Year.  This will be the last article for 2010!  We will return on the second Sunday of 2011!

There is still time for FamilySearch to give us some gifts for Christmas this year:

1. beta.familysearch.org may replace familysearch.org before the end of the year.  The US Social Security Death Index was added on 9 December.  The Pedigree Resource File has not been added to beta.familysearch.org yet . We expect a link added so you can go back to what may be called the “Classic” view (i.e. current familysearch.org) so you can get to Pedigree Resource File if it isn’t moved in time.
2. An update to new.familysearch.org which will include a notification feature that will allow you to “watch” individuals in your family tree and receive an e-mail notification when information about them changes.  ”For now, the notification identifies the following types of changes:

• Someone changes the individual’s summary.

• Someone starts a new discussion or adds a comment to an existing discussion.

• Someone combines an individual that you are watching with another record.

• Someone separates a record from an individual that you are watching.

The notification e-mail will eventually list more types of changes.”

We also hope that someone will give Macintosh users a FH program that gives at least the same tools and integration with nFS as Windows users have!  This will happen . . .  We hope it is soon.

Thank you for all your dedication and hard work in 2010

Every best wish to you and your family.

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What’s available at the FH Centre for free!

By Bill Buchanan (who has also kindly shared his opinions on some of these sites and software).

Why go to the Family History Centre?  Accessing the following for free is a good reason!

Here is a list of the subscription websites that are available for free at FHCs and my current impressions … always subject to change.

19th Century British Library Newspapers site, maybe I needed to look for
more prominent people.

FamilyHistoryLink seems similar to free online forums such as RootsWeb or GenForum or sites that allow you to upload gedcoms.

FindMyPast.com I especially love the 1841-1911 census for England and Wales. I usually save the digital images of the pages that have my people. Their passenger information is wonderful too!

Footnote.com had few census records (1860 & 1930). Their historic newspapers show a lot of promise. Ordinary people may be mentioned in Canada and US newspapers.

TheGenealogist.co.uk has a BMD (births-marriages-deaths) index for England and Wales that is inferior to the FreeBMD index for 1837 – 1983, at least up to the 1920s. But its strength is that it covers years that FreeBMD does not cover, and for 1984-2005 it is excellent! It also has an incomplete version of the census.

Genline.com allows you to search digitized images of church books in Sweden. Knowing Swedish would be a big help!

Godfrey Memorial Library – not always a lot of depth, but the breadth is almost overwhelming.

HeritageQuest – The US census index and images is the big thing here! Books and periodicals (PERSI) has some potential. Also Revolutionary War and Freedman’s Bank, and U.S. Serial Set.

Historic Map Works – Coverage seems to be hit-or-miss, but can be excellent.

World Vital Records has potential, but I haven’t found anything specific yet.

Alexander Street Press – American Civil War records – seems to have potential.

Ancestry Institution version for the 1916 Canada Census

The list of software that can be used for free in a FHC includes:
Ancestral Quest 12.1 – which can replace PAF or be used as a PAF utility.  This is full-blown software that can synchronize your data with new FamilySearch. There is very little learning curve for PAF users. Some little things are missing but more has been added.

RootsMagic 4 impresses me as very nice genealogy software that can synch your database with nFS. You can import PAF files directly.

MagiKey is genealogy software that can synch with nFS. It uses GEDCOM as its native file format. The census tracker and the timeline looked interesting, but AQ and RM impressed me more.

Charting Companion for nFS. Very similar to PAF Companion and the other Charting Companion software, from the same company.

FamilyInsight can be thought of as the nFS version of PAF Insight, but with the ability to synch your PAF data with nFS. It includes these programs which can also be useed as stand-alone programs:

Get My Ancestors – allows you to download family trees from nFS (less the ordinances, notes and sources).

Ordinance Tracker – a more visual way of managing your temple submissions.

Genline can be accessed via the software or via the website.

Map My Family Tree puts pins on an outline map in every location referenced in your database.

NOTE: The software that can synch with nFS can also reserve and manage ordinances.  See the link in the bottom right hand corner of the sign in page for nFS for more information.

(pd comments – please let us know if you see any of your favourites that are available for free and are missing from this list – use the comments.  If you are not sure how to access any of the above then ask your FH Centre Director or their staff or call 1-866-406-1830 and ask for FH Centre support.  Thank you, Bill)

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