Taylorsville Salt Lake Community College FamilySearch Center





GREAT NEWS 9/26/2022: We have installed two new scanners: 1) CZUR Aura Pro book scanner with foot pedal, 2) Plustek A3 (11" x 17") OS 1180 flatbed scanner which replaces our Kodak 8.5" x 14" flatbed scanner that died two weeks ago.

Welcome to the Taylorsville Utah Family History Center at the Salt Lake Community College's Institute of Religion (Redwood campus). We have twenty 23-inch solid-state-drive PC's (8GB), a Lexmark MX611 printer/scanner, 12 awesome desks/tables. We added an HP color printer/scanner Mar 2017, a Kodak PS80 high-speed photo scanner Dec 2017, the Swedish Death Records 1860-2016 program Aug 2018, a slide scanners July 2019: Wolverine F2D Titan manual-slide with negative scanning, and home movies digitization equipment March 2022 (for VHS, VHS-C, 8mm reels, Super-8 reels, and camcorder tapes). Please bring only one cassette or reel per visit (to David Miller Tuesday evenings). The leaders are Jon & Cheryl Thomas since May 2016. We opened 9/1/2016.

COVID-19 Policy
SLCC is a "mask-friendly" campus (masks optional). With that said, SLCC encourages everyone to wear a face covering while on campus. We have an air sanitizer running in our center, and we use sanitizer wet-wipes to clean all keyboards & mice & desk surfaces at the start or end of each shift. Currently, anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms (which now includes fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, muscle aches and chills, or decreased sense of smell or taste) should be tested for COVID-19. If you are experiencing symptoms and awaiting testing:


 * Stay home if you are sick
 * Self-quarantine/self-isolate
 * Contact your primary care provider or visit the Coronavirus.Utah.gov testing location locator

Why Use a Family History Center?
Why do your family history work at an FHC instead of just at home? --> 1) Our staff are available to help with any questions or assistance. They are well trained and have been doing this for a long time. 2) FamilySearch maintains our FHC Portal in operational status. So if you come to view special sources' raw images that are only available to be viewed at a Family History Center or FamilySearch library, you will see more than you can view at home. Example special source: "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Church Census Records (Worldwide), 1914-1960" - which has 97% of its rich detail in the raw image; very little info is contained in the publicly-viewable "indexed" info. 3) At this official FamilySearch sponsored FHC, everyone can use Premium Sites. See Family History Center Portal. 4) We have lots of equipment in operational status (with staff trained to use), more than you have at home.





Center Contacts and Hours

 * Language: English


 * Address: 4554 So 2025 W, Taylorsville UT 84129
 * Off of Community Blvd, a.k.a Bruin Blvd.
 * The Institute building is the last building on the southwest corner of the main Redwood campus. (Just immediately west of the new SLCC administration building)
 * Sometimes while school is not in session, most doors may be locked except for the east or southeast doors. So plan to use those doors.
 * The Family History Center is in Room 107 (west end of the south hallway).

Location Map



 * See Google Map

Schedule

 * 10 AM to 2 PM Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday
 * 6 PM to 9 PM Tuesday and Thursday
 * The SLCC Campus is mask-friendly (so wearing a mask is optional). We clean the keyboards and mice before and/or after each shift. We have installed an air purifier.
 * If you want to call to make an appointment at other times, we can schedule up to two hours with you. Call 801-590-7838 (or text to 801-718-9772)
 * To see our current appointments & shift schedules, see  Our Google Calendar  (but you may need to sign in to your Google account first)
 * Closure Dates:
 * All State and U.S. Holidays (or anytime SLCC is closed),  and in addition: 
 * Thursday Oct 20, 2022 for SLCC Fall Break
 * Monday Oct 31, 2022 for Halloween
 * Wed-Thu Nov 23-24, 2022 for Thanksgiving
 * Mon Dec 12, 2022 thru Thursday January 5, 2023. Then we re-open Monday January 9, 2023.

Parking



 * Parking Instructions for Patrons as of 10/22/2022:
 * Weekdays before 4:00 PM: Park in any of the 5 Institute Faculty blue-lined parking stalls on the far east side under the big trees --> 3 spaces before or 2 spaces after the well-marked crosswalk leading from the Institute to the SLCC Administration building. Click on both photos to the right, to expand the view of where those 5 stalls are. We periodically monitor cars in those stalls to check if they are patrons using our center (and coordinate with the Institute office administrative assistants).
 * If the stalls are filled when you arrive, we (or the Institute east window office) has a form you can fill out to register your plate# with Parking Services for the day.
 * No parking tickets will be issued the first two weeks while starting any new SLCC term. See [Https://www.slcc.edu/academiccalendar/docs/academic-calendar.pdf SLCC Academic Calendar] or call 801-957-4011.
 * If you still get a ticket on your car, bring the ticket to the Family History Center leader or call the Center at 801-590-7838 (which is forwarded to a leader's phone off-hours). We will resolve it with you.
 * If arriving after 4:00 PM, no worries -- no ticketing after 4PM (unless parked illegally such as in a handicap stall without a handicap sticker). Just park in any yellow-lined student stall or blue-lined Institute faculty stall in lot E (south or east side of institute).

Contact Info

 * Phone: 
 * Family History Center: 801-590-7838
 * Taylorsville Utah (Redwood campus) Institute of Religion office: 801-964-3064
 * North America FamilySearch missionary support help-line: 866-406-1830 (Mon-Sat 8am-8pm, Sun 1pm-8pm Mountain Time)


 * E-mail: ut_taylorsvilleSLCC@familyhistorymail.org
 * Facebook: "Friends of Taylorsville Family History Center"

Upcoming Events: (Mostly Discover-Gather-Connect)

 * >>> To Schedule a Date for Your Group (no more than 12), please have your Family History Leader call Rick Francom at 801-810-4419 (must schedule at least 3 weeks in advance). Wednesday nights are preferred for evening groups larger than 5.
 * To see upcoming events / appointments & shift schedules, see  Our Google Calendar  (but you may need to sign in to your Google account first)

Past Group Events (Mostly Discover-Gather-Connect)

 * List of past group events, grouped by unit -- Taylorsville SLCC FHC Past Events
 * see  Our Google Calendar 

Class Schedule

 * None yet, except those recommended below.
 * Encouraging staff & patrons to do training on their own schedules, such as:
 * click thru desired lessons at The Family History Guide online
 * attend classes at Riverton FH Library
 * attend / watch classes / webinars at SLC FHL
 * attend / watch RootsTech lectures / presentations
 * watch BYU FHL Webinars
 * watch Ancestry.com training videos at youtube.com/user/AncestryCom

Staff Training Meetings

 * Each 4th or 5th Sunday of each month at 3:00 PM - Hybrid Zoom / in-person @the FHC as you choose. Next one is October 23, 2022 (none for March - watch Rootstech).
 * The public is welcome to attend; not restricted to just staff consultants. Our 23 chairs fill up fast when typically 2/3 of our 28 staff show up, so join via Zoom here

Collections

 * FamilySearch Catalog: - search may show record images available to view here that you might not be able to view at home.
 * NEW: Swedish Death Records database 1860-2016 ("Sveriges Dödbok") program on PC #7

Databases and Software

 * NEW May 2022: WinX DVD Ripper: converts a home-movie DVD (if Costco had converted for you prior) into a .MP4 file. Subscription license on PC's #18-20.
 * Then upload to your Google YouTube account. Then enter the link into a WORD file, then save as PDF & upload the PDF as a Memories Document.
 * NEW Feb 2019: PaperScan Pro software on PC # 8, so scans from Kodak 8 1/2" X 14" Flatbed can be OCR-converted into a Text-Searchable PDF file.
 * Chrome Extensions installed on all PC's Chrome browser:
 * RecordSeek: reliably attach a source to FamilySearch from any web page such as an obituary (including from Ancestry). You can download too from here.
 * Eternal Reminder: you add a PID into your account, and it sends you a reminder when that PID reaches 110 years from that person's birth date
 * FamilySearch Premium Content which verifies authorization (by building) to access restricted source images and premium websites. See instructions here.
 * FHC Portal This center had access to the Family History Center Portal page until FamilySearch took it down for maintenance overhaul summer 2021. It gives free access in the center to premium family history software and websites that generally charge for subscriptions. Click FHC Portal for a list of those premium databases you can access for free while at our center.
 * Microsoft Office 2007
 * Ancestral Quest (latest FHC version) - can read your old PAF, then can sync with FamilySearch Family Tree! You can download too from here (trial or purchase).
 * Roots Magic (latest FHC version) - also sync's your own private database tree with FamilySearch Family Tree. You can download too from here (trial or purchase).
 * IrfanView (latest version) - fastest editor / viewer of your downloaded photos or on your USB thumb drive. You can download too from here.

Hardware and Equipment



 * 20 Dell 23-inch touch-screen all-in-one desktop computers installed August 2016. Each has 8GB RAM and a Solid State Drive (SSD).
 * Lexmark MX611dhe black & white laser printer (with color scanner) installed August 2016. We charge 5 cents ($0.05) per page (per side) AFTER THE FIRST 10 PAGES printed (the first 10 are free per patron per visit).
 * HP OfficeJet 8715 color printer (with OCR scanner into text-searchable PDFs) installed March 2017. We charge 15 cents ($0.15) per page (per side) printed AFTER THE FIRST 3 PAGES printed (the first 3 are free per patron per visit).
 * Kodak PS80 high-speed photo scanner (with legal flatbed scanner) installed Dec 2017.
 * The photo auto-feed scanner can also feed 8.5-inch sheets. But if anything has ragged edges or is very old, use the flatbed.
 * There are two programs that use these scanners interchangeably: The Kodak JPG Scanner, and the PaperScan PDF Scanner. And each program can add pages from either scanner during the same use.
 * The Kodak JPG Scanner uses a "Perfect Touch" algorithm that improves the sharpness and color contrast of each photo. It saves each photo as a separate .JPG file (even if multiple are on the flatbed).
 * The PaperScan PDF Scanner uses an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) algorithm to convert printed text to searchable or drag-and-drop text.
 * To view current reservations, click here: Google Drive for TayFHC Kodak Reservations Weekly Excel Sheets
 * Ceiling projector with large pull-down screen. (+New audio/video mixers & HDMI cabling installed Oct 2018)
 * Projector upgraded 16 May 2019 to brighter, sharper, wireless Epson EX9220 that can do wireless screen mirroring from most smartphones.


 * Two slide scanners:
 * PowerSlide X from Pacific Image Electronics with 50-slot slide tray.
 * Scans directly to PC # 4 using the CyberViewX program.
 * Can do super high-resolution (usually slow, but automatically advances to next slide).
 * Has been moved into storage due to its unreliability (slides jam up).
 * Wolverine F2D Titan slide scanner for multiple slide sizes.
 * Four slides per tray, or manual feed using a larger-format single-hole tray.
 * Can convert negatives (either black & white, or color) to beautiful JPEG files.
 * More reliable than the PowerSlide X, but requires continuous manual operation.
 * Has a "Send to USB" menu to make saved photos appear on PC #5, so you can transfer your JPEG photos to your USB thumb drive.
 * Home movies digitization equipment (new May 2022):
 * ClearClick Video to Digital Converter 2.0: Digitizes home movies into .mp4 files on an SD card (then you xfer SD to your USB on a PC);
 * Connects via component audio/video cable from our VHS tape player or from a Camcorder;
 * Donated VHS player (used in above scenario);
 * VHS adapter for VHS-C camcorder tapes (used in above scenario);
 * Donated Camcorders to play back digital video tapes (used in above scenario) from either 8mm video cassette or mini-DV cassette;
 * Wolverine 8mm & Super-8 reels to .mp4 file on an SD card (then you xfer SD to your USB on a PC).
 * Note: Please bring only one cassette or reel per visit, to be converted onto your USB thumb drive.
 * Note: Then you upload the .MP4 file to your Google YouTube account. Then enter the link into a WORD file, then save as PDF & upload the PDF as a Memories Document.

Staff Specialties

 * Japanese speaking / reading staff: Sherm Anderson (Mon-Thur 11:ish-2pm)
 * Swedish sources: Sherm Anderson (Mon-Thur 11:ish-2pm)
 * Spanish speaking staff: James Payne (Tuesdays 10am-2pm), Scott Jones (Thursdays 6pm-9pm) - semi-fluent.
 * Indexing: Mon 10-2: Pat Newton & Lori Merritt; Mon 10-2: Michael Butler; Tue 10-2: Kay Cherrington; Wed 10-2: Kathy DeJong; Thu 10-2 & 6-8: Bill Juszcak; Thu 6-8: Leslee Petrick & Scott Jones.
 * Copy old diskette data to a USB thumb drive: Jon Thomas 801-718-9772.
 * Danish Research / Translation: Cheryl Thomas 801-718-9675.
 * Brazilian / Portuguese / some German Translation/Research: Bill Juszcak Thu 10-2 & 6-8.
 * Roots Magic: Mon 10-2: Pat & Janet Newton & Lori Merritt; Tue 10-2: James Payne; Tue 6-8 & Thu 10-2: Rick Francom; Thu 6-8: Leslee Petrick.
 * Ancestral Quest: Jon Thomas 801-718-9772 (anytime); Terry Gidney Wed 10-2.
 * Slide Scanning: multiple.
 * Photo scanning: multiple.
 * French / German / Italian / Latin research: Yvette Longstaff - specific questions only via email to: ymtb_longstaff44@yahoo.com (does not serve on a shift)
 * Video Digitization: David Miller (Tue 6pm-9pm), James Payne (Tue 10am-2pm), Scott Jones (Thu 6pm-9pm), Jon Thomas (most shifts)

Resources in the Local Area

 * Taylorsville Utah Redwood Institute of Religion (on FB)
 * Story of Mormon Pioneers Settling Taylorsville in the Salt Lake Valley
 * City of Taylorsville
 * Taylorsville Memorial Park Cemetery
 * Taylorsville Public Library
 * West Valley City Public Library
 * Salt Lake Utah South (Tongan) Family History Center - in Kearns (3.4 miles southwest)
 * Murray Utah South Family History Center - 6.2 miles southeast
 * Midvale Utah Union Fort Family History Center - 6.3 miles southeast
 * Riverton FamilySearch Library - 10.4 miles south

Links

 * Current Wikipedia info about Taylorsville Utah
 * Riverton FH Library Class Schedule
 * SLC FH Library Class Schedule
 * Ancestry - Has an amazingly good record-search algorithm
 * FindMyPast - Claims to be "The home of British & Irish Family History"
 * MyHeritage - Runs nightly searches for record matches & tree matches from your tree (must upload a GEDCOM to start)
 * RecordSeek for creating source citations from any web page such as above 3 (install its Chrome extension)
 * Taylorsville Institute (our hosts)
 * The FH Guide - universally approved online FH Training lessons with links to relevant help
 * FamilySearch Blog
 * My Pioneers (a FamilySearch Campaign)
 * BYU FH Technology Lab Tools (Relative Finder, Virtual Pedigree, Descendancy Explorer, Pedigree Pie, Games, etc)
 * Midvale FHC - whom we admire & try to emulate if only in principle
 * All the Stories in One Place - Searches your tree for stories (click "Synchronize") - started working again as of 14 Nov 2018!
 * My Obituaries - your relatives recent obituaries that may not be linked to their record yet
 * BYU FH Library (in the northeast basement of the Harold B Lee library)
 * Sandy UT Granite FHC - has good media conversion equipment (took over a prior Junior High Seminary, home of TheFHGuide.com authors)
 * FHC Locator - world map to search or click to find map markers of your nearest FHC or FH Library
 * Find-A-Grave - an amazing resource that puts it all together (although sometimes under wrong assumptions)
 * FamilySearch Newsroom - Announcements worthy as a media publication resource
 * RootsMapper - amazing tool that shows your ancestors immigration paths graphically (as if they took a jet plane route)
 * FamilySearch Places Research tool - zoomable or searchable world map with good details & evolving
 * FS Obituaries database - from partnering with GenealogyBank, for 1980-2014
 * Utah Digital Newspapers - searchable hundreds of current & prior newspapers going way back
 * Puzilla - powerful way to look at multi-generation family relationships graphically. Can make missing pieces look obvious
 * FS England-Wales County Maps - color-coded. Click on a county and it lists all parish maps within
 * Welsh Mormon History - by Dr. Ron Dennis at BYU. Searchable for your Welsh ancestors bio details
 * RootsTech - the annual largest FH conference in the world, here in SLC UT. See recordings of many presentations
 * DigitalArkivet - Norway National Archives of Parish Registers
 * Denmark Census - searchable online records from Denmark
 * Danish National Archives - Church records from Denmark
 * Swedish ArkivDigital - online searchable genealogy records from Sweden

Volunteer at the Center

 * Looking for volunteers comfortable with computers who love learning genealogy, and teaching youth and young adults how to find their ancestors.
 * If you are available to volunteer for 2 to 4 hours per week, we would love to have you, and happy to help you learn (and teach us all) additional skills.
 * Contact Jon Thomas (801-718-9772) or Cheryl Thomas (801-718-9675).
 * Fill out the Long-Term Volunteer Form
 * Then bring it in to us at an appointment so we can get to know you.