Las Cruces New Mexico FamilySearch Center

The LAS CRUCES FAMILY HISTORY CENTER  is available to serve community members free of charge.

The Center is open to the public. All visitors are welcome.

Center Contacts and Hours
Location Map:


 * Location Map

Address:


 * 2915 E Idaho Ave Las Cruces NM 88001 United States
 * Entrance is at the back of building. Handicap entrance is located there.
 * Please ring the doorbell if you need assistance during routine business hours and someone will meet you at the door.


 * Directors: Ron and Virginia Bybee Assistant Directors: John and Georgetta Smith


 * Languages:
 * English
 * Spanish
 * Portuguese

Phone: 575-202-1700

E-mail: [mailto:FHCHeiners@gmail.com NM_LasCruces@familyhistorymail.org]

Open Hours:


 * The Family History Center is usually CLOSED Thanksgiving and Christmas week.
 * Please adhere to current CDC and local guidance regarding masks and social distancing when visiting the Family History Center.


 * In addition to these hours, you can make an appointment for either the Center or a remote call via email, call, or text.
 * Email #1: thelcfhc@gmail.com
 * Call/text #1: 575-202-1700 (Ron Bybee, Director)
 * Email #2: smithjon1406@hotmail.com
 * Call/text #2: 575-312-5118 (John Smith, Assistant Director)

Upcoming Events
FamilySearch Indexing Made Simple, Thursday, August 25, 2022 starting at 6:30 p.m. This two hour class will be taught by the center's Director, Ron Bybee. He will include step by step instructions on how to index 1950 U.S Census records.

Class Schedule:
If there is a Family History topic you would like to explore, please send your request to [mailto:thelcfhc@gmail.com NM_LasCruces@familyhistorymail.org].

For self-help, please refer to the Family History Guide for basic instructions about FamilySearch, Ancestry, and MyHeritage.

Genealogy instructional videos and training can be found at the RootsTech Website.

Search BYU Family History Library Online Webinars.

Staff Training Meetings
None currently scheduled.

Center Resources

 * "Finding & Merging Duplicate Records in the Family Tree" from BYU Webinar Kathryn Grant. Youtube link.


 * Family Search Catalog: Many of the films and fiche available through the FamilySearch Catalog may be available in our library. Call ahead to have a Staff member check if we have the one you need.
 * Books: A collection of genealogical and historical books.  The Center has a limited number of Family Books by name.  There are some books regarding most of the United States. as well as books on England, Scotland and Ireland, as well as a few European references. [[Media:Las Cruces Family History Center Book Inventory 2022-Final.pdf|Center Book Inventory]]

Databases and Software

 * FamilySearch Center Portal This Center has access to the Family History Center Portal page which gives free access (in the Center only) to premium family history software and websites that generally charge for subscriptions. The Portal is currently DOWN for a scheduled upgrade until further notice. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
 * Sites included are:
 * 9th Century British Library Newspaper Digital Archive
 * Alexander Street Press
 * The American Civil War:
 * Research Database
 * Letters and Diaries
 * Images, Photographs, Posters, and Ephemera
 * Social and Cultural History
 * Women and Social Movements in the United States
 * American Ancestors - Library Rights
 * Ancestry - Institution Versions: U.S., Australia, Canada, Germany, Sweden, United Kingdom
 * ArkivDigital - web-based access (just ignore the username & password prompt and click the "Log in" button. Hit "English" in the upper right corner of the page to view the English version of the site.) Or use the legacy application-based access installed from here.  (Version 1.5.4-rc3-r1114.exe - Updated 4 June 2015)
 * Install one-time only with an account with administrative rights.
 * Launch from the 'ArkivDigital Online' Start Menu icon.
 * ArkivDigital Beta Version 2.0 is not yet available.
 * Findmypast - Institution Version
 * Fold3
 * Geneanet
 * Kinpoint - Premium
 * MyHeritage - Library Edition
 * Newspaper Archive
 * Paper Trail
 * ProQuest Obituary Listings
 * Puzzilla - Premium Services

Hardware and Equipment:

 * 6 all-in-one touch screen computers
 * 8 all-in-one computers
 * Lexmark laser printer with scanner (scans photos directly into FamilySearch Memories or photos can be saved to a USB data thumb drive)
 * Kodak scanner for multiple-feed photo digitizing (please bring USB data thumb drive to save photos)
 * Canon and Kodak flatbed scanners that are ideal for larger photos and documents (not OCR capable)
 * HP Laser Printer - ideal for printing black and white documents
 * 2 Microfilm Readers: Northwest 2020 Reader, Dukane Reader
 * 1 Micron Microfiche Reader
 * 1 Canon microfilm/microfiche reader/printer

Staff Research Specialties

 * Two Spanish Speaking and Mexico research experts
 * Portuguese assistance
 * Basic FamilySearch experts
 * Great Britain research
 * Little known genealogical sites on the web

Resources in the Local Area

 * Branigan Cultural Center, P.O. Box 2000, 501 North Main Street, Las Cruces NM 88004, Facebook
 * Dona Ana County Genealogical Society
 * Dona Ana County, New Mexico Genealogy
 * Rio Grande Historical Collection

Dona Ana County, New Mexico Genealogy
For a great list and description of available sources throughout New Mexico, go to New Mexico Random Acts of Kindness.

Links

 * Las Cruces, New Mexico at Wikipedia
 * Dona Ana County at Wikipedia
 * New Mexico at Wikipedia

Volunteer at the Center
''If you are interested in doing your own family research and helping others learn to do the same, the Center could use more staff members. There is need for early and late afternoon as well as evening staff members. Please call 575-448-1638 or email: [mailto:thelcfhc@gmail.com thelcfhc@gmail.com] if interested in volunteering.''