Family History Centers – A Great Place to Follow Your Ancestor’s Trails

Author: Floyd Mills

Family History Centers are operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They have access to a vast amount of genealogical records held at the Family History Library located in Salt Lake City, Utah. With over 4,500 centers from the Latter Day Saints located all throughout the United States as well as countries abroad, you can easily find one near you.

Records at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah include:

• Pedigree Resource Files on compact disks and digital video disks
• International Genealogical Index records
• Archived vital records on microfilm and microfiche
• Family history books
• Gazetteers
• Atlases
• Maps and more.

You can search for this information from the centers resources or online through the Latter Day Saints website. Internet connectivity is available at most centers, some with subscriptions to online genealogy research sites. Pedigree Resource Files that are archived on compact disks may also be available at the centers for use in your research or they can be purchased online through the Latter Day Saints church’s website.

These centers are designed to help The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints members identify their ancestors and to provide temple ordinances. However, everyone is welcome to use the centers for their research for free. There is a small fee to order microfiche, film or books from the Library in Utah to cover shipping and handling costs.

The Family History Centers are staffed by volunteers that can give you an orientation about the Family History Library’s genealogical holdings, answer some research questions, and help you use the center’s resources. Also through these centers you can order microfilm and microfiche as well as books from the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Many of the centers also offer training classes on a variety of genealogical research topics for their patrons. Hours at the history centers are determined by each center individually so you need to call and check availability before you visit them. They may also be available to guide you to other institutions that can help you trace your ancestor’s trails.

To find a Family History Center near you just visit the following link: Family History Centers. For more genealogy tips and links to online research sites, visit my website at Ancestors Trails and keep on researching.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/genealogy-articles/family-history-centers-a-great-place-to-follow-your-ancestors-trails-1560875.html

About the Author

Floyd Mills - A genealogy enthusiast, and has been researching my family's genealogy as a hobby for several years. Check out my blog at Ancestors Trails Blog and comment or ask questions about your research.