FamilySearch announced the addition of new premium online genealogy services available for free through its family history center network. The expanded services are in keeping with FamilySearch’s goal to provide increased economical access to records that will assist individuals in family history pursuits. Following is a list and description of the new resources.

Footnote (www.footnote.com)
Footnote is a subscription-based website that features searchable, original documents that provide users a view of the events, places and people that shaped the American nation and the world. The site will have over 25 million digital images by the end of 2007. Footnote is currently working with FamilySearch to index the American Revolutionary War Pension files. Additional projects with FamilySearch are under development.

Individuals with Footnote subscriptions will still be able to sign in with the same Footnote username and password they use at home to save, annotate, and upload content.

Godfrey Memorial Library (www.godfrey.org)
Godfrey Memorial Library has an extensive collection of essential resources to assist genealogical and historical research. Resources include newspapers, city and business directories, vital records, printed census records, state, county, and local histories, as well as numerous family histories, family bible records, and service and pension records.

Heritage Quest/ProQuest (www.heritagequestonline.com)
Heritage Quest online includes the complete set of U.S. Federal Census images from 1790 to 1930 including names and indexes for many of the sets. Users will be able to find people and places located in over 20,000 published family and local histories and PERSI, an index of over 1.9 million genealogy and local history articles. Other online databases include Revolutionary War Pension, Bounty-Land Warrant Application files, and the Freedman Bank Records.

Access to this service will be limited to 1400 family history centers in North America. Patrons should contact their local family history center to see if this service is available if their local center. Family history center directors should contact Family History Center Support with questions.

Kindred Konnections (www.kindredkonnections.com)
Kindred Konnections has over 230 million pedigree linked names with submitter information. The online pedigrees are not merged, but maintained by individual patrons.  There are additional databases of birth, marriage, death, and census records that are automatically searched along with the pedigree linked data.  Segments of pedigrees can be downloaded.

World Vital Records (WorldVitalRecords.com)
WorldVitalRecords.com provides access to research helps and has a wide variety of international records, including more than 60 Parish registers, Scottish death records, UK marriages, and Irish prisoner records. There are more than 300 newspapers with 100,000 pages added a month, and over 500 online databases, including vital, military, land, pension records, reference materials, family histories, maps, gazetteers, and international coops. With the recent Quintin Publications partnership, WorldVitalRecords will soon have more than 10,000 databases online.  At least one new database is added every business day.

The other day I was teaching my 6-year-old how to "Google." He needed information for a homework assignment. Out of curiosity, we did a search for his full name. I was shocked with Google's findings.

Google found one exact match for his full name. We clicked on the link and got the "page is no longer available" message. Knowing that Google archives most web sites, I backed up to the results page, and instead of clicking on the link, I clicked on the link entitled "Cached". The resulting page was a Family Group Record that contained all of my family's personal information - our birth dates, marriage date, and complete names of each member of our family.

Whoever originally published my family's information hopefully realized that they should not have, and it appears that they removed our information from their website. What they may not have realized, is that Google, and other services, takes snapshots of each page examined as it "crawls" the web, and caches (archives) these as a backup in case the original page is not available.

Most of the time, for genealogists this archiving of information is good. How many of us have returned to a web site where we once located valuable information on our ancestors, only to find that the web site no longer exists? In these situations, clicking on the "Cached" link in Google's search results will often pull up the missing page.

Just be careful when you are sharing or publishing information that you do not compromise the privacy of your family. Fortunately, Legacy Family Tree makes this easy to do. If you plan to share a Family Group Record, a book report, or even a GEDCOM file, be sure that you turn off the display of living information. For example, if you are creating a Family Group Record to share, and you want to exclude the living information, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Reports icon in the main toolbar and select the Family tab.
2. Click on the Report Options button and click on the Format tab.
3. In the top right, click on the option to "Suppress details for living people". You can even choose its sub-option, "Change name to "Living"."

When is the last time you Googled your name? Give it a try - you might be surprised what you find.

Did you know that the Deluxe version of Legacy has 6 additional tags that you can use? The Family View has room to display three of these tags at a time. You have the choice of which three tags to display. To use and display your "favorite 3", follow these steps:

1. First, make sure that tagging is turned on by clicking on the Options menu, clicking on Customize, and on the General tab, enable Tagging Options.
2. In the Tagging Options section here, click on the Tags to Show button.
3. Select your tags, click Save, and click Save.

What is tagging?

At some point in your research, you will likely need the ability to mark a person, or a group of persons, so you can easily refer to them. For example, you may have used Legacy's Master Location List tool to locate all persons who lived in a certain locality. You want to work with this list of persons to do more research on them. Legacy's tagging feature enables you to mark everyone in the list with a certain tag number. Then, in the future, you can easily pull up this list again.

In fact, there are thousands of reasons for which tagging is useful. We've written about some of them in previous Legacy News articles:

Legacy Search Tip: Who was born, married, and died in your family file last year?

How to create a list of "ancestors with no sources"

Deleting entire branches of a tree

Pedigree Chart - Using Color for Emphasis

How to Count the Number of Ancestors

Location Research with Legacy

Training Video - FREE Preview

Watch excerpts from Legacy's Tagging and Searching Made Easier by clicking here. Scroll down to the last video and click on the View Preview button.

If you use a digital camera or a scanner, then you have hopefully already learned about the "before-taking-your-first-picture" rules or the "before-you-scan" rules for genealogists. If not, you may have a little catch-up work to do.

The Digital Family History Guidebook, by Marlo Schult, does a thorough job of explaining all the rules and "mine fields" for digital imaging. Its nine chapters (over 200 pages) of helpful information is designed to help you with family history projects while saving you time, money and frustration.

Chapter 1 - Where to Begin?
Are you frustrated trying to determine the best place to start organizing all your family history photos and files? The Guidebook will provide you with some easy and logical ways to get started. Doing it right the first time will save time, money and frustration later.

Chapter 2 - Easier Scanning
Quality scans make a big difference when printing or zooming in on photos later. Step-by-step instructions are included such as the five most important steps to a great scan and more.

Chapter 3 - Using Sound and Narration
Using sound is easier than you think. All you need is an inexpensive microphone or a cable to attached to your cassette recorder. Use a microphone to tell stories or create oral histories. Learn to edit your narrations. Copy the priceless old cassette tapes to your computer with recordings of grandma or other family members. Save time, money and get better quality by doing it yourself. Internet links are provided for free sound editing software.

Chapter 4 - Digital Cameras, Video and GPS
Managing and finding your photos later and suggestions for buying a new camera are included . Converting Old Home Movies - do's & don'ts. Read this chapter BEFORE you invest a lot of money getting your old movies converted to a DVD. Why You Need to Start Using GPS. New and fun things you can do - free software links. Adding screen captures of satellite images is both fun and adds realism to family history.

Chapter 5 - Digital Scrapbooking
Presents a different perspective about how to take advantage of new technology and samples of how to create digital scrapbooks. Something new and very different from traditional scrapbooking.

Chapter 6 - Interactive Storytelling
Stories are a real treat and the spice of life. This chapter offers some excellent suggestions that will help you put new life into old stories. You will discover some new ways to tell stories and make them more interesting. Are you struggling with how to organize ALL your materials - photos, sound files, video clips, text documents, PDFs and other file types? The Guidebook will show you how to make your file collections more useful and organized.

Chapter 7 - Creating a Bound History
Ways to save money and things you need to know and avoid BEFORE you begin. What's Paper grain? Have you ever opened a book that resisted staying open? Have you seen a book with a broken or cracked spine? These are few of the symptoms of a book that has been printed and bound with the paper grain running in the wrong direction. There is much more you need to know. Chapter 7 takes you through each step required to create a beautiful history or biography. Checklists and simplified instructions will make it easy.

Chapter 8 - Preserving & Archiving
Ways to find and protect your treasures while saving hard drive space. Don't wait until you have a hard drive crash or a virus attacks your computer.

Chapter 9 - Understanding Your Computer
Basic computer terminology is explained in everyday terms. Computer hardware is explained. If you are gong to buy a new computer you need to read this chapter first. Suggestions for maintaining your computer.

See what people are saying about the guidebook:

"When the Guidebook came out I was really excited because it actually teaches step by step what to do and what not to do in preserving photos, sound bites, videos etc. It is so simply written with graphic aids, how can anyone go wrong! It is the best teaching tool I have found to help even the most computer challenged individual to have success. It’s worth its weight in gold!" - Sondra Buckwalter

"The Guidebook is rock solid and chocked full of sound advice. Obviously, it speaks with the voice of experience. Anyone reading the mine field section of each chapter, would be rewarded in avoiding unexpected pitfalls, been there and done that too." - Reg Farnsworth

"The guidebook is a very useful resource. We were overwhelmed with knowing what accessories we needed to have to get ourselves started, but we used the guidebook through that whole process and are very pleased with the outcome. We can't say thank you enough. We absolutely love it!"  - Seth & Jessica Blatter

Order now for just $19.95
Click here to order from our secure store, or call 1-800-753-3453.

In what officials say will be a quantum leap forward in providing family history information online, the LDS Church has announced a plan designed to eventually help provide access to as many as 80 billion family records on the Web, in addition to the tens of billions of records it is currently indexing out of its own Granite Vault microfilm archives.

Read the entire article here.

from www.Godfrey.org:

Director Richard Black is pleased to announce a partnership agreement between Godfrey Memorial Library and FamilySearch.

"We are excited to include Godfrey Memorial Library to our list of premium databases or services offered throughout FamilySearch centers worldwide. They provide some premier resources that will certainly be of great value to FamilySearch center patrons," said Paul Nauta, manager of public affairs for FamilySearch. "In return Godfrey Memorial Library will significantly broaden its reach and awareness by being introduced to scores of researchers through 4500 FamilySearch facilities in over 70 countries," Nauta added.

Many new genealogical websites and services are coming online everyday, making more and more records available. FamilySearch is teaming up with these online service providers like Godfrey Memorial Library to introduce patrons to these exciting services and provide even greater online access to the world's genealogical records. These premium services are available for free in family history centers, the Family History Library and FamilySearch operated centers.

FamilySearch is committed to providing as much genealogical data as possible to its patrons quickly and economically. The accomplishment of this initiative will come in part from its own programs, and others will come from affiliations with service providers like Godfrey Memorial Library. This will allow maximum and efficient use of industry resources.

Godfrey Memorial Library can greatly increase awareness of its services through the FamilySearch public distribution channels. FamilySearch workers will innately help patrons use/become familiar with Godfrey's online services. Some limited promotion by Godfrey will be allowed to properly introduce patrons to its full range of services.

Patrons to FamilySearch facilities get access to Godfrey's databases-an otherwise fee-based online service. The FamilySearch resources are frequented by mostly enthusiasts and professional researchers; many of which may elect to subscribe personally to the services for home or remote access.

Legacy 6.0 Deluxe Edition Users

If you have Legacy 6.0 Deluxe Edition, connect to the Internet, then start Legacy and click on the "Install and Download Now" on the Legacy Home tab. (If you're reading this from within the Legacy Home tab, you'll first need to click on the Home button in the top left which looks like the following picture:)

Legacy 6.0 Standard Edition Users

Standard Edition users are required to visit our web site in order to download the new update.

http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/DownloadUpdate.asp

New

• Affiliate Program - We have changed to a new affiliate program.  This is an exciting change which allows better reporting to our affiliates.  This build updates Legacy to work with this new affiliate program.  Existing affiliates need to create a new affiliate account and make sure all links they are using are changed over to the new system's way of doing things.  Those who have published web pages using Legacy, you'll need to update your affiliate ID under the webpage options and re-create and upload their web pages. For more information on how to earn money by referring others to Legacy, visit http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/AffiliateProgram.asp
• Legacy Home - Deluxe Edition users should watch the news items on the Legacy Home tab for special offers and "extra-cool" articles.  The free Standard Edition users can expect to continue to receive many great articles but hey, there has to be some cool things that only the Deluxe Edition users get.

Fixed

For a list of fixes click here.

Tidal Wave of Online Databases Will Result

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH-FamilySearch announced today its Records Access program to increase public access to massive genealogy collections worldwide. For the first time ever, FamilySearch will provide free services to archives and other records custodians who wish to digitize, index, publish, and preserve their collections. The program expands FamiliySearch's previously announced decision to digitize and provide online access to over 2 million rolls of copyrighted microfilm preserved in the Granite Mountain Records Vault. A key component of the program allows FamilySearch and archives to team with genealogy websites to provide unprecedented access to microfilm in the vault. The combined results ensure a flood of new record indexes and images online at www.FamilySearch.org and affiliated websites.

The plan combines the assets and experience of the Genealogical Society of Utah with the state-of-the-art technology resources of FamilySearch-all under the single brand name of FamilySearch. The Records Access program allows records custodians to publish their data online by themselves or with the assistance of FamilySearch or affiliate genealogical websites and historical societies.

"Records custodians worldwide are experiencing growing pressure to provide access to their records online while maintaining control and ownership. At the same time, websites that provide digitizing and publishing services are struggling with the staggering costs," said Wayne Metcalfe, director of Records Services for FamilySearch. "The new Record Access program takes advantage of FamilySearch's resources and creates an economical and effective forum where record custodians and genealogical websites can work together to accomplish their respective objectives," added Metcalfe.

Working with the records custodians, FamilySearch can leverage its extensive microfilm and growing digital image collection to create digital images for affiliate genealogical websites at a fraction of the cost. The affiliate genealogy organization will create indices of the digital images and then publish the images and the indices on its own website, the archive's website, or a jointly published site. A copy of the index will also be made available for free on the popular FamilySearch website, which will help drive traffic to record images on the custodians' or affiliates' sites. Full, free access to both the indices and images will be provided to family history centers, FamilySearch managed facilities, and the archives. If the record custodian seeks revenue to sustain operations, a small fee may be required to access images outside FamilySearch managed facilities or the archive.

For archives and heritage societies, the new program benefits include:

• Digitally capture, preserve, and publish records online
• Increase access to records while maintaining control and ownership
• Increase patronage and business viability
• Over 100 years of archival and publishing experience

For genealogy websites, the new program helps them:

• Benefit from the knowledge and relationships of FamilySearch with the archival community worldwide
• Significantly lower costs associated with acquiring, preserving, or providing access to data
• Increase business viability and website traffic
• Leverage an open platform that develops value-added services around FamilySearch, the world's largest repository of genealogical data.
• Under the program, FamilySearch will also provide tools and assistance to records custodians who want to publish parts of their collection using state-of-the-art digital cameras, software, and web-based applications.

The archive can work with an affiliate, historical society, or FamilySearch to index the images or host a website for the records custodian. The index of the record collection will be available for free on FamilySearch, and the records custodian's site will provide access to the images for free or a fee depending on the needs of the archive and those assisting in the digitization.

One example of the tools FamilySearch can provide is FamilySearch Indexing, a web-based application that engages tens of thousands of volunteers worldwide to create searchable indexes linked to the digital images created by FamilySearch. "Through mere word-of-mouth promotions, literally tens of thousands of volunteers are already joining this effort to index the world's records by registering at FamilySearchIndexing.org and donating a few minutes a week online to the effort. Over 100,000 volunteers are expected to enlist in the initiative by year end with the numbers increasing as more projects-particularly international projects-are added," said Paul Nauta, manager of Public Affairs for FamilySearch.

FamilySearch will announce the first collaborative projects of its new Records Access program during the National Genealogical Society (NGS) Convention in Richmond, Virginia, the week of May 14, 2007. Many more project announcements are expected in the following months.

Record custodians and archives that would like additional information regarding the FamilySearch Records Services can contact Wayne Metcalfe ([email protected]) and genealogy web service providers should contact Dave Harding ([email protected]).

FamilySearch (historically known as the Genealogical Society of Utah) is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. FamilySearch maintains the world's largest repository of genealogical resources accessed through FamilySearch.org, the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, and over 4,500 family history centers in 70 countries.

Although today's computers come with very large hard drives, your free space can fill up quickly - especially if you are taking lots of digital pictures and movies. If your computer gets low on free hard disk space, your computer will run into new problems.

Fortunately, it is simple to check how much space is left. Follow these step-by-step instructions:

1. Open your "My Computer" icon. (In Windows Vista, click on the Start button in the lower left, then click on the Computer button.)
2. The "C" drive is the drive where most computer users store all of their files. Right-click on the "C" drive, and click on "Properties". You will see an screen similar to the image below.

This image shows the used and free space on Drive C. Notice it is about 75% full. Depending on how you use your computer, this could mean that you have very little space left, or it could mean that you have enough space to last you for years. I recently noticed that my hard disk space was filling up quickly because of all the digital pictures and videos I was adding to my computer. I purchased a 500 GB external hard drive from the local office store for about $150. If I wanted, I could now use this drive to store all these files, or even use it as a place to back up my entire hard drive.

FamilySearch Indexing continues to be the greatest advancement in genealogy technology in years. We continue to encourage all Legacy Family Tree users to participate in this new project.

There are many indexing projects currently available, with many more in the works. Which project you work on is entirely up to you.

After opening the software, there are two main buttons. If you click on "Download Indexing Batch" you will be indexing the documents that fall into FamilySearch's highest priority documents. In other words, FamilySearch decides which document they want you to index.

If, however, your ancestors lived in Illinois in 1900, you might want to participate in the 1900 U.S. Illinois Federal Census indexing project. You have the choice! Just click on the "Download From..." button, and you can choose any of the existing projects. Click on the image below to see what this looks like.

To Sign Up

If you have not yet signed up, please visit www.FamilySearchIndexing.org. To read our initial announcement about the project, click here.