FamilySearch is one of the most popular genealogy websites. They put a lot of work into updating what the website has to offer genealogists. It also helps that FamilySearch can be used for free by any genealogist who is interested in checking it out. Here is some of what’s new at FamilySearch this week.
FamilySearch has a blog that is updated frequently. Checking it over, from time to time, is a good way to find out what is new at the website, and also to find out about some interesting resources that it can offer genealogists.
This week, they have advice for people who are helping with their various indexing projects. They put up a blog called “How do you know which Image Type to choose?” This blog talks you through how to tell when you should mark an image as “blank” or as “unreadable”. It also gives excellent tips about how to tell if an image is a duplicate. There are a bunch of pictures included of the various types.
FamilySearch has added two brand new genealogy videos to their collection. One is called “Access to Records”. This video discusses what you can find in FamilySearch’s Historical Record Collection. It also talks about how FamilySearch can provide so much for free, and why some records have restrictions on them.
The other new genealogy video is called “FamilySearch: Search Tips”. FamilySearch has a collection of more than 3 billion records. This video gives you excellent search tips, and teaches you some useful search strategies.
Did you know that FamilySearch has Free Guides to American Indian Ancestors? They put together a blog that has links to their free online guides to researching more than 550 federally recognized tribes. Many families have been told that they have an ancestor who belonged to a Native American tribe. You could use the resources at FamilySearch to find out more about that part of your family tree.
Every week, FamilySearch has been giving a 1940 Census Indexing Progress Report. As of June 13, 2012, volunteers have now indexed 62.3% of the census. Oklahoma is the nineteenth state to be completed and posted at FamilySearch. There have been a total of 132,354 indexers who have helped to index the 1940 United States Census. Together, they have indexed and arbitrated 86,283,220 names.
One more thing to note for this week: FamilySearch is now on Cyndi’s List. This means that there are now links to FamilySearch database that are accessible through the Cyndi’s List website. To me, it looks like they are updating those links often.
Image by Peter Pearson on Flickr