-----Original Message----- From: Family Tree Finders [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, January 21, 2000 1:04 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Family Tree Finders Friday January 21, 2000 FAMILY TREE FINDERS Friday - 21 January 2000 A Reader's Question - Accuracy of FamilySearch Databases Q: Recently I have been told by a genealogist that the majority of the files that the LDS holds is wrong...and not to trust them. The person that told me is a respected person of our town so I really don't doubt him, but wondered what you thought as well. -- Stacie A: The "files" that you are referring to appear to be those computerized databases available through the FamilySearch system. I want to differentiate between the computerized databases and the other records available through the Family History Library and therefore through its branch Family History Centers. FamilySearch has taken the International Genealogical Index, Ancestral File, and some other databases and made them available on CD-ROM. In the past most of these databases were only available on fiche. When working with the fiche versions, it was necessary to know a lot more about an ancestor to effectively search these databases. Ancestral File was not available until the CD-ROM version. Many people think that it is the responsibility of the Family History Library to verify all information submitted to them for inclusion in their databases. They feel that the FHL should not release information in the Ancestral File or other databases without validating it. While this would be wonderful, we are not living in a perfect world. Submissions to these databases are done by individuals. Some of these people are like you and I in their interest of tracking down their family history. Others are motivated for purely religious reasons. Regardless of why they are submitting the information, the reality is that they are human. Just as you and I are capable of making mistakes, likewise so are these individuals. And in some cases, in their zest to share the information, they have not yet verified what they have found before submitting it. The FamilySearch databases offer genealogists wonderful tools. And that is the key word - tools. Any time you are working with an index, compiled record, or published family history you need to remember that you are working with secondary sources. It is important to take the information found in such databases and verify it in primary documents, such as vital records, census records, and cemetery records. I feel that the databases available through the Family History Library are no better and no worse than other secondary records. In some cases, such as the records in the IGI that have been entered through the extraction program, they are very accurate. And by fully understanding the resources and how to understand the origin of the entries, you will begin to understand which ones may be suspect and which ones are accurate. Rhonda R. McClure [email protected] If you know someone who is interested in genealogy, please forward this entire message to them! _________________________________________________ To subscribe to Family Tree Finders, send a blank e-mail message to: [email protected] At the site you can change your address, cancel or join: http://207.153.204.247/cgi-bin/gt/login.html To cancel your free subscription don't hit reply,send a blank email from your subscription address: [email protected] To: [email protected] ________________________________________________ Copyright 1999 by SodaMail. All rights reserved. http://www.sodamail.com