FamilySearch Wiki:Using the Wiki in FamilySearch Centers

The Research Wiki is an incredible resource for you as you help in a FamilySearch Center. As a director or consultant, you know a great deal about family history. But you can't know how to research everywhere—and as a consultant, you could get a question about research anywhere in the world. This article advises the operation of Family History Centers. If you are looking for information on using a Family History Center as a patron, see Introduction to Family History Centers. To locate a Family History Center near you, see the Family History Center Locator. The Research Wiki will help you with that. It can:


 * Guide you as you help patrons with researching in any area.
 * Let others know about the resources available at your center. List of Family History Centers on the wiki
 * Capture your knowledge so that consultants across the world can benefit from your own experience.
 * Serve as an excellent training tool for FamilySearch Center missionaries and volunteers, so they are all giving patrons the same information.
 * The wiki allows a center to have access to a large amount of information on how to research records in cities, counties, states, and countries without having to have the information on site physically.

Advantages to Using the FamilySearch Wiki [[Image:Personal PC Wiki.png|left|200x150px|Personal PC Wiki.png]]

 * Easy to use
 * Invites collaboration
 * A great place to get free family history research advice
 * Using Place Search—learn more about the place your ancestors lived
 * Accessible from anywhere with a web connection
 * Contains instructions on how to find, use and analyze records that are genealogically useful
 * It has historical definitions of legal terms, occupations and other terms that are useful to genealogists
 * It is instantaneous so there is no need to wait for a publisher to create a new edition or update information


 * Read more about how to do research using the Wiki.

Wiki Success!

 * The following case studies show how researchers used the wiki to lead them to further information about their ancestors. Click on the case you would like to view.


 * Finding Ancestors through Vital Records
 * Finding Ancestors Using Historical Records
 * Finding Ancestors Using Localities
 * Researching in the FamilySearch Wiki


 * Each of these cases involved different research needs, methods of searching, and results. They are good examples of how the wiki can be used to help find information that would lead to the desired results.

Build Your FamilySearch Center Page

 * [[Image:Building family center page.jpg|right|200x150px|Building family center page.jpg]]When patrons search for a center in the Family History Center Locator, there is a "Website" link to your center's wiki page. Be sure to fill in your FamilySearch Center page with information about your center, and remove those sections you don't think you will use.


 * For help in adding details to your Center page, click here.
 * If you would like more help, please send us an email at [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org] with wiki in the title.

Wiki Trainers

 * A valuable tool for a family history center can be your Wiki Trainer. A Wiki Trainer can build your Family History Center page and teach other consultants and patrons how to use the wiki to help them with their research.


 * There are many qualities that could make a good Wiki Trainer. It would help for a Wiki Trainer to be:


 * Comfortable with computers and technology (a background in building websites or involvement with wikis in the past is a plus, but not necessary, since this can be learned)
 * Willing to train others—either individually or in a group setting
 * It would also be helpful if the Wiki Trainer were comfortable with sharing their opinion on how they feel things should be, as it can sometimes be hard to make changes to the Wiki and make decisions if you're not used to sharing your opinion. Your Wiki Trainer could even be someone who is young, or even new to genealogy, and would be a good way for someone new to the work to get involved and learn more about family history.


 * After you have selected a Wiki Trainer, point them to our Wiki Trainers page so they can get started. They can contact [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org] if they have any questions.

About the FamilySearch Wiki

 * Looking for an ancestor? The FamilySearch Wiki has  pages about records, localities, subjects and methods that can help you find your ancestors. Articles are written by community members like you, working together to create an online-library of information which will eventually enable all members of the community to discover precious details about their families. From the novice to the professional, everyone knows something that can help someone else. As we work together, we will find our ancestors!