Hi Everyone, A friend on Yorksgen sent this to the list, and I thought it would be helpful to post it also to our group. Kim The following posting was found on the LDS-Genealogy list - I found it most informative and it might be helpful here fore those who are using the new LDS site:- _______________________________________________ 1. The Ancestral File is a "working" file. It is not meant to be a completed file. That's why there are constant updates and an "edit" function key. 2. Its purpose is: *to coordinate your research with others *share your genealogy *link your genealogy to what's in the file 3. The church does not verify the information. It is up to you to document your hard work in order to maintain the integrity of the files. 4. If you submit your information, keep it current. Make corrections, change your address, document your sources, etc. Now, for the IGI: The IGI can be a wonderful aid for finding your ancestors, and NO, not all of the information is correct. It is an index of LDS temple work, and nothing more. The names and the dates and the places are extremely important to members of the LDS church, particularly the dates that fall under "B,E,S" in the microfiche version, or the Ordinance Index on the computer. If you don't believe in the mission and the purpose of the LDS Church, don't let those dates bother you. Let's talk about those batch #'s. Names in the IGI come from 3 major sources: 1. Extracted records - microfilmers have filmed and people have extracted names from civil and church christenings, birth and marriage records. Half of the names on the IGI have come from this source. Let me give you an example. If you have a marriage date for you g-grandparents that differs from the IGI, look at the batch #. If it begins with an "M", it was filmed from the actual marriage records in that county that is listed. You might want to examine where you got your info a little more closely. Death and burial records are usually not extracted. 2. Records submitted by LDS members - again, your date may differ from what is entered. I don't know who's right. You may have the family bible, but the other person may have a marriage document. We all know they can differ, even when the same person wrote both items. The batch # will be an all digit # - such as 9024205. That info was submitted in 1990. I know this may aggravate some people, but you cannot correct what is on the IGI. Even if the date is wrong, it does not affect the validity of the temple ordinances. That's LDS policy. 3. Membership records - some of the names are deceased members of the LDS church. Now, what about these sources? Here is an abbreviated help for you: 1. Always, always record the batch #. This will lead you to the original source. Beside it is the serial sheet #. Copy it, too. 2. If you found it on the computer, press enter to get the details. It will give you a microfilm # that you can order in. 3. If you found it on microfiche, ask the librarian where the "Batch # Index" is located. It's usually near the IGI, and there are not many fiche. Look it up and write down the number under "printout". That is a microfilm # you can order in. 4. A few of the common batch #'s look like this: *Batch #9024245 - submitted in 1990 by an LDS Church member. Looking up the sheets that were filmed may give you more info on siblings, sources, the person who submitted it. Names submitted after May 1991 do not list the submitter. *Batch #C503781 - info taken from the actual extracted birth or christening record. Again, you might want to order it in. A christening record from a church may give you all kinds of info on the family that worshipped there. *Batch #M501001 - extracted from the actual marriage records of the county it was filmed in. I probably wouldn't order it in. I would go to the Locality File and order in the records from the county myself. Once your film comes in: !. Keep that batch # handy. You will need it to locate the exact sheet on the roll of microfilm that may have over 10,000 sheets on it. The serial sheet that is located right beside the batch # in the IGI will help you find your info. 2. They are usually filmed in batches of 100. Slowly roll through until you see a handwritted paper with a batch # on it. That will give you a ballpark idea of how far you'll have to roll. 3. When you get to your batch #, scan through till you find the serial sheet. You may get a family group sheet, or a single individual or marriage entry. There should be a name and address, as well as documentation. Most of this information came from printed sources of the LDS Church: 1. Using Ancestral File - #34113 2. Contributing to Ancestral File - #34029 3. Correcting Information in Ancestral File - sorry, my number's faded 4. International Genealogical Index on Microfiche - #31026 5. International Genealogical Index on Compact Disc - #31025 6. Finding an IGI Source - #31024 Ask for these publications, as well as any others by calling: Distribution Center - 1-800-537-5950 They are free and contain much more information than I have given here. Also, ask for a sheet that contains all items published for family history. I can't remember the exact title, but they can tell you what it is. Many are free, some are cheap. The Research Outlines are the best I've seen. Order them in for the states or countries you are researching in. They're only about 50 cents. Hope all of this helps and does NOT confuse! -- Best Wishes Kim Pasquill Victoria-AUST Email: [email protected] ICQ Number: 30110913 Researching: Worldwide - BARRACLOUGH and variant's WRY - TAYLOR,BATEMAN,POLLARD