Getting Your Records Off the Shelf and onto the Internet--FamilySearch Tools and Success Stories

Syllabus for class taught by Ed Donakey, Strategic Relations for FamilySearch; at the FGS Conference 2010

FamilySearch International is collaborating with genealogy affiliates and technology partners to provide immediate access to vital and personal records. Partnerships with commercial and non-profit entities are providing immediate access and long-term preservation for cherished records. Working with societies, churches, and governments, FamilySearch and key technology partners are able to host records and provide global access. Case studies and platform explanations will provide insight into the foundation that delivers record access. Some of the case studies can be found at http://connect.familysearch.org/case-studies/

Strategy
Collaboration provides immediate and long-term benefits to all involved parties. Key organizations cooperate to deliver parts that are greater combined than when standing alone. In the genealogical case, it allows small, medium, and large organizations to work with FamilySearch and key partners to publish and preserve records.

The end result in collaboration is to provide more genealogical records to more people faster
Leverage resources to increase ROI


 * Internal and external resources
 * Workforce, equipment, technology, and expertise

Build a community of contributors


 * Decrease time to market and reduce overall costs

Provide value to Archives, Affiliates and Societies


 * Insures access to priority record sets

The primary collaboration partners are

 * Key Record Custodians / Archives:
 * National &amp; State Archives
 * Registrars (US)
 * Regional Churches
 * Local &amp; Regional Archives
 * City &amp; Provincial Archives
 * Societies as Records Custodians and collection experts

Collaboration is benefited by affiliate support organizations with key competencies
Publishers


 * Revenue
 * Collaboration
 * Enabler

Societies


 * Experts
 * Volunteers
 * Local managers

Associations


 * Experts
 * Standards
 * Community

Sponsors


 * Resources
 * Technology
 * Networking