FamilySearch Research Tools for Genealogists

Syllabus for a class taught by Diane C. Loosle, Genealogical Community Services Manager at FamilySearch, for NGS Conference 2010.

Do you have trouble keeping up with all of the changes in the genealogy industry? Do you wish you could get answers to your specific questions from home? Do you wish you could get access to training classes online and know what is available near you? Do you lose notes about research locations and records? Do you wish you had an easy way to share what you know with others? Are you getting older and worry that the knowledge you have gained from years of experience doing research will disappear when you die? Are you tired of teaching the same class over and over and want to get it posted online? Do you get frustrated with the fact that by the time your class comes around, your syllabus is out-of-date? Solutions to these problems and more will be presented. Come join the community in learning and growing together. FamilySearch International is not just about online records.

FamilySearch is providing to you, the genealogical community, tools to help you be more effective with your research time and help you connect with each other for help. In order be more effective in research, there are three areas we, at FamilySearch, feel are important for everyone to have access to: 1) up-to-date information about records, places, and research techniques; 2) competent people who can answer specific genealogical questions, and 3) quality training classes to improve skills. The knowledge that is so important to each of us in our research is found in the heads of individuals all over the world. Join the cause to build a community in which you can connect to experts all over the world, and you can share what you know as well. Everyone knows something!!!! The tools discussed can be accessed from http://labs.familysearch.org.

FamilySearch Research Wiki (http://wiki.familysearch.org)
FamilySearch Research Wiki is a repository for genealogical community knowledge about places, records, archives, libraries, strategies, and anything else related to doing family history research. You can take advantage of the collective knowledge of the genealogical community, and you can contribute your knowledge for the benefit of others. EVERYONE KNOWS SOMETHING. Come join the fun.


 * Search or browse for information about how to do research world-wide.
 * Find thousands of links to Websites with helpful information and records.
 * Interact with other genealogists to collaboratively build a resource to benefit the whole genealogical community.
 * Add your knowledge to benefit others.
 * See how collaborative projects are pushing forward the body of knowledge available to help us be more productive in our research.
 * Learn from experts in their fields by collaborating with them on projects.
 * Join the cause with the community to build the best resource for up-to-date information about how to research ancestors.
 * Market your expertise through your participation; what are the subjects for which you want to be known. Let the world know who you are and what you are about.
 * Leave your legacy of knowledge to the community.
 * Take your notes about places, repositories, and records sets in the wiki. It is fully searchable, so you can always find it. You can share what you have learned with others who may be researching in that same location, repository, or record set.

Some Highlights of Wiki Content Available 


 * England Probate
 * Ireland Emigration
 * US or State Census
 * Western Migration route counties (come join the effort)
 * Sweden project (best resource in the world for moveable feast days)
 * American Indian—becoming the best resource in the world for 560 nationally recognized tribes
 * Polynesian research guidance
 * Chicago and Cook County, Illinois
 * Czech Republic
 * Germany
 * FamilySearch’s previously published content
 * Much, much, much more!!!!

FamilySearch Community to the Rescue (http://forums.familysearch.org)
Have you ever wished you had access to an expert to ask him or her questions? Now you can. Ask your questions in a place where people from all over the world are helping each other. We need your help too, because everyone knows something. Come join the cause to build a community where you can get answers to your genealogical questions online from your home.


 * Search through already answered questions
 * Ask your own questions
 * Respond to others who have questions
 * Get access to Family History Library research consultants and staff from other organizations
 * Get access to knowledgeable individuals all over the world
 * Potentially connect to individuals who live in the towns where your ancestors lived; it has happened many times
 * Questions will get answered with a quality response.

Online Classes (http://www.familysearch.org)

 * Get access to training classes on a variety of subjects to help you learn.
 * Explore interactive handwriting tutorials.
 * Become a part of the future of this community resource.
 * Come learn about the future of this exciting resource.

Get your training classes posted online

 * Tired of teaching the same class over and over again?
 * Want to break into the national conference lecturing scene with a lecture sample?
 * Want to share your classes with the world?

FamilySearch can help you capture your classes and get them posted online. FamilySearch is providing a service to genealogists who want to capture a class that they have already prepared and post it online. FamilySearch provides the technology, hosting, and access, and you provide the content and knowledge.