Special Episode: The End of FamilySearch Microfilm Lending Program

I've heard from many Genealogy Gems listeners that they are worried about what the discontinuation of FamilySearch's microfilm lending program will mean for their genealogy research. I invited Diane Loosle, Director of the Patron Services Division at FamilySearch to join me in this special podcast interview to talk about the service ending August 31, 2017, what it means to genealogists, and how you can get access to the genealogical records you need for your family history research.

After you listen to the interview, you can learn more at the Genealogy Gems Blog:

The End of FamilySearch Microfilme Lending:
https://lisalouisecooke.com/2017/06/the-end-of-familysearch-microfilm-lending/

Browse only databases at FamilySearch are easy to use:
https://lisalouisecooke.com/2016/06/browse-only-databases-familysearch/

Subscribe and listen to the free Genealogy Gems Podcast in iTunes, Apple's Podcasts app, the Google Play Music app, and in the Genealogy Gems Podcast app - https://lisalouisecooke.com/get-app/

Transcription: available at https://lisalouisecooke.com/2017/08/special-episode-the-end-of-familysearch-microfilm-lending-program/

 

FamilySearch's Goal for Microfilm and the Family History Library It seems like only yesterday I was interviewing Don R. Anderson, Director of the Family History Library about the future of the library and FamilySearch. Back then, in 2009, he made the startling statement that their goal was to digitize all of the microfilms in FamilySearch's granite vault. (Click here to listen to that interview in my Family History: Genealogy Made Easy podcast episode 16.) Fast forward to today, and we see that in less than ten years that end goal is within sight. We are also seeing the ending of a service nearly every genealogist has tapped into at some point: the microfilm lending program. Family historians have been able to place orders for microfilm to be shipped to their local Family History Center where they could then scroll through the images in search of ancestors.

On August 31, 2017, this service comes to an end.

Fear of the Unknown It's sort of scary to see this come to an end before every last roll of microfilm has been digitized and put online (just head to social media to read some of the concerns). It's definitely been comforting to know that the records you need are just an order form and two weeks away.

I have always found that being armed with information helps alleviate fear, and so upon hearing the news, I reached out to FamilySearch to arrange a special interview with Diane Loosle, Director of Patron Services at FamilySearch. In this special Genealogy Gems Podcast interview, we take the time to really comb through what the end of the microfilm lending program means for you, and what your options are for records access going forward. I've been anxious to get this information into your ears and hands, and have spent the entire weekend producing this episode and transcribing it for you. What follows is part one of the two part interview.

The Interview: The End of the FamilySearch Microfilm Lending Program Lisa: One of the constant challenges for genealogists is gaining access to genealogical records that they need for their particular family history research. I imagine that you've had that challenge yourself. Thankfully, since 1938 the FamilySearch organization has been microfilming records around the world. They've been making these records available through the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, and through a tremendous lending program with their Family History Centers located worldwide. And that may be where you've gotten your hands on a couple of microfilms and records over the years. But of course, as the Internet has been more accessible over the last two decades, this is changing the landscape of record access. So more and more we are gaining access to digitized records online, and this has led to a really big change in the long-standing microfilm lending program.

I've invited Diane Loosle, the Director of Patron Services Division at FamilySearch, to talk about the change that's occurred, what it means for you, and what your record access options are going to be going forward. Diane, thanks so much for joining me today.

Diane: I'm so happy I could come, and thank you for inviting me.