Archives and Libraries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Tracing LDS Ancestors   Archives and Libraries

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 * An archive is a repository where public or historical documents are preserved. A library is where books, manuscripts, and microfilms are kept for research but not for sale. Most archives and libraries collect records about area residents (biographies, family histories, local histories, and histories of Church units), and about nearby places (maps, gazetteers, and place-finding aids). They often compile guides and special indexes to important local sources. In many communities they are a meeting place for a genealogical society. They may be able to provide referrals to people who are willing to search local records for you. Before you visit an archive or a library, contact them to ask about their collection, hours, services, and fees.

When one of these institutions is referred to elsewhere in this outline, return to this section to obtain the address.

The Family History Library has copies of many of the records from the archives and libraries listed below, but most of these repositories will have additional sources.

FamilySearch Library
The FamilySearch Library has the world’s largest collection of genealogical information, including an extensive collection of books and microfilms about LDS Church members. They have a good collection of the membership records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1877-1948 and a few earlier membership records, LDS church censuses, immigration records, and many indexes to a variety records such as the Early Church Information File.

Family History Centers and FamilySearch Centers
Family History Centers (FHCs) are branches of FamilySearch and the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, located all over the world. Their goal is to provide resources to assist you in the research and study of your genealogy and family history by:


 * Giving personal one-on-one assistance to guest visitors
 * Providing access to premium genealogical Internet sites
 * Ordering Microfilm or Microfiche from the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City
 * Offering free how-to classes (varies by location)

NOTE: The large centers, previously called multi-stake or regional centers, are now called FamilySearch Libraries.

To find a FamilySearch Center (branch of the FamilySearch Library) near you click here.

As of September 2014, there are more than 4,700 FHCs in 134 countries. There is no cost to visit a Family History Center or FamilySearch Library. They are open to anyone with an interest in genealogical research. They are operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS).

Church History Library
The Church History Library preserves records, artifacts, and other materials relating to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church History Department does not loan materials to family history centers.

Staff can respond to queries by telephone at 801-240-2272 or e-mail at churchhistorylibrary@ldschurch.org. You can also visit www.churchhistorylibrary.org or the Church History Library, which is located at:


 * 15 East North Temple Street
 * Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3800 USA

Church Library and Archives — The Church History Library has manuscript and microfilmed material that may contain helpful genealogical information. This includes the following types of manuscripts: membership records, meeting minutes, and histories of ward, branches, stakes, and missions. They also have diaries, journals, and other histories of Church leaders.

The Church History Library has published works by and about the LDS Church and its members. This includes biographies, directories, emigration books, Church history, local ward, branch and stake histories, Mormon Battalion histories, newspapers and obituaries, periodicals and indexes, and the Journal History of the Church.
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Other Major Repositories
The following list shows other organizations that have genealogical and historical records about the Church and its members. Their catalogs are often available on the Internet.

Repository Inventories
Guide to Archives and Manuscript Collections in Selected Utah Repositories. Salt Lake City: Utah State Historical Society, 1990. (Family History Library floppy disk no. 4 parts1–4). This is widely available in the ''. ''This inventory lists the author, title, number of volumes, location, and subject headings for each record cited. This emphasizes the Utah State Historical Society more than other repositories. It describes records at the following Utah repositories:


 * American Fork Public Library(American Fork, Utah)
 * Brigham Young University (Provo, Utah)
 * Daughters of the Utah Pioneers (Salt Lake City, Utah)
 * Southern Utah University (Cedar City, Utah)
 * Springville Public Library (Springville, Utah)
 * University of Utah (Salt Lake City)
 * Utah State Archives (Salt Lake City, Utah)
 * Utah State Historical Society (Salt Lake City, Utah)
 * Utah State University (Logan, Utah)
 * Weber State University (Ogden, Utah)

Whittaker, David J. . BYU Studies Monograph. Provo, Utah: BYU Studies, 1995. (Family History Library book 289.30160973 M828m). This covers more repositories but in less detail than the previous inventory. It includes references to the Family History Library and Historical Department.

Howells, Cyndi. LDS and Family History Centers. In Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet [Internet site]. Puyallup, Washington: Cyndi Howells, 8 February 1998 [cited 10 September 1999]. Available at www.cyndislist.com/lds.htm. This site has numerous links for Internet resources for LDS research and websites pertaining to some of the family history centers throughout the world.

Roots-L. In RootsWeb [Internet site]. N.p., 25 May 1999 [cited 10 September 1999]. Available at www.rootsweb.com/roots-l/. This list of sites and resources includes a large, regularly-updated research coordination list.

Ancestry.com ($) For a subscription fee you can search several databases on this Internet site for early Church members. These databases are also available in the described in the LDS Biography wiki article.

Many public libraries, college libraries, and private locations have computer on-line services, networks and bulletin boards, and news groups for family history research. For further details about using these services see the United States Research Outline (30972), Second Edition, "Archives and Libraries" section.