FamilySearch is one of the most popular genealogy websites in existence. It uses volunteers to help with indexing, updates, and other tasks. This makes it possible for FamilySearch to allow genealogists to use the website, and access the many resources it holds, for free. Here is some of what is new at FamilySearch this week.
FamilySearch has a really interesting blog post that talks about users that have disabilities. The blog describes how FamilySearch is thinking about how their changes and interfaces could affect users with particular disabilities. For example, they consider the ability of people who are colorblind when they choose layouts and colors for web pages.
There is also a blog post called “CEO Corner: Volunteers and the 1940 Census Effort”. It is by Dennis Brimhall, who is the CEO of FamilySearch. It seems that FamilySearch does have a few paid positions, and one of them is that of the CEO. He gives an overview of what has been accomplished with the indexing of the names in the 1940 United States Census.
FamilySearch now has a Research Wiki. The Research Wiki is “a powerful tool for doing genealogy and family history research”. There is a detailed blog post that can walk you through how to find it, how to use it, and how to keep updated about the changes to pages within the Research Wiki.
Recently, FamilySearch had a “5 Million Name Fame” event day. The purpose of this event was for indexers and arbitrators from around the world to get together for a twenty-four hour period and really focus on getting a lot of that work done. There is a blog post called “FamilySearch Indexers Leave a Legacy in a Record Setting Event” that can give you all the stats about how it went. It looks to me like it was really successful!
Did you know that FamilySearch has accounts? This is news to me. You can register for either a FamilySearch Account, which is for the general public, or for a LDS FamilySearch Account, which is for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints).
Getting a FamilySearch Account allows you to do a single sign-on across all the FamilySearch products. An account gives you free access on an unrestricted basis. Keep in mind, though, that this doesn’t necessarily mean that you will get free access to the records that FamilySearch doesn’t own, and that it has made arrangements with other companies to offer.
There is also a Premier Membership, which you can’t buy, and which is not a subscription based membership. One way to get the Premier Membership is by indexing 900 points worth of records in a calendar quarter. The other way is to belong to a sponsoring organization. This was news to me, so I decided it was worth sharing with you.
Image by Peter Pearson on Flickr