Genealogy Articles

If you haven’t heard, Familysearch.org has been changing their system of how we order microfilm in to perform research. The changes are significant and overall, a huge improvement. Before now, you had to visit your local Family History Center or participating library to order microfilm. Now you can do it yourself from your home.

Ordering microfilm is often times essential in researching your family. Even with the billions of records we have available online, there are many more than that still not digitized and available yet. Ordering and perusing these records at our leisure is a great way of digging deep to find answers.

You still must have the microfilm sent to a local Family History Center in order to view it. However, the advantages to the new system are huge. First of all the prices have been reduced on the film. Secondly the length of time you can keep the film has been extended to 90 days.

Family Search has listed all the Countries and areas of the US that now can order the microfilm online. The following is a list of those areas:

• Canada— Available
• Utah South, Utah North, and Salt Lake Areas— Available
• Idaho Area— Available
• Southwest Area— Available
• Australia— Available
• New Zealand— Available
• Most of Europe (British Isles, Spain, Portugal, Germany, France, Italy, Hungary, Switzerland, Austria, Poland, Belgium (French side), Cyprus, Greece, Slovenia)— Available
• Northwest/West Area— Available
• California— Available
• Southeast Area— Available
• Central Area— Available (about September 21, 2011)
• Northeastern Area— Date to be announced

To order your copies of microfilm, go to the following link and sign in under your account: https://www.familysearch.org/films/

Next, locate the number of the microfilm you want to order (making sure they don’t already have this digitized and online.) Lastly, select whether you want a short-term or extended loan. Follow their directions for payment, and you are ready to order.

This is a cast improvement over the old system and a welcome research tool.

Todd White

Founder and Principle Researcher Family History Detective