Preparing to come to Family History library in Salt Lake City

Starting Point
1: All Individuals Your Researching and categorize the importance If you have trouble creating your lists call your ward Genealogy Teacher, or stake genealogy coordinator. Also if you have a Family History Library at one close to you most will help you.

2: Create a list of Cities, States, Country's, your researching.

3: Utilize the site www.familysearch.org If you go to the catalog and create a list of films,books,

and other material needed before you leave this will help.

4: Once at library collect all your films and go to the film scanners save all data to your flash drives, CD, or other methods. Always create a backup disc of this so you do not take a chance at losing anything. If you need anything or any guidance ask the missionary's there, they love to help.

5: On the 3rd floor they have all the books for the US and Canada. Copy all of them at once if the scanner is free and save them.

6: If you have an alphabetical list of who you are searching and a list of states and towns with the cities You will find you obtain more records in shorter times.

7: If your families that you are researching are more then 10 people in that area I would consider copying the index of the birth, marriage, death records for the time periods you know of. You may locate children or parents you were not aware of.

8: When you copy your image make sure you keep a list of film numbers, book numbers where you locate the documents. This way should you need additional films or find at home the image is not as good you can know which film to go to or order again. This is also important for citations, sources, notes.

9: Documents prove of who you have located they may also give you parents names, or spouses name.

10: Do not forget to look into court records, probate, estate, wills. These records will note individuals you may not be aware of. Even finding friends of your ancestors may help lead you to them or their children.

11: The beta site the church has now on the www.familysearch.org is wonderful you can type in a name and approximate birth date, it will then lead you to possibilities and also tell you the film number, page number, document number. If you use this site at home and create your list you will find things are easier and you will obtain more.

TIps, Hints, Tried and True
Personal Notes:

Reward yourself - Take a break every half hour or hour. Have a drink of water, stretch your legs.

Share your good fortune with friends, or even the missionary's that are working there.

Each employee, missionary at the Family History Library have different ideas. There are no bad suggestions, everyone who has touched genealogy has their own ideas of how to research.

Sometimes a fresh pair of eyes helps you see things in a new way. Even professional genealogists do this as we all need our brains to stretch and think in a new way.

Make sure you eat, drink and rest while researching. A 10 minute break or taking a walk helps the oxygen flow and helps us know what steps we want to take next.

Start and stop each genealogical search with prayer. There are no bad days in research.

You took different roads, and you learned something even if you do not think so at this time.

Keep a journal, blog, something so that your descendants will know your journey. This will make it more important as they get older.