hi all, i've been a few times now & i have to say it's the best ever! here are a few tips that i've found are helpful....& not in any order, so forgive the free thought here.... if i have this correct there are 5 levels to the main library. each level now has computers (i was just there last june). & plugs ins/computer outlets etc. the two most popular levels are the main floor & 1st floor up. those are the north american records. if you can't find an open computer try a different level. it's busiest on fridays & sat's. *buy a copy card the minute you walk in & load the card w/money as you need it. all copiers are on card now (i don't know if they take change any more)....this includes fiches, book/film copiers *write your name on your card the minute you buy the card. the cards by the way are self buy, you buy the card for i think a buck & than load it w/money all on a machine. there are several of these card machines, one on the main for sure & one on the second. directions on the machines & there are people to help if you're unsure. but if i can figure it out, you'll do fine. you can load a 20 dollar bill or in increments....you can't use credit cards or debit (if i remember correctly) so bring your dollar/five's, 10's etc. the cards are good forever so if you have left over money on your card, tuck it away for your next visit, just don't forget where put it! *you WILL leave your card in the copiers, this happens all the time. if you have your name on your card you can pick them up @ the main windows on each floor. only people who like really bad genealogy karma don't turn in cards, so most of the time you will get them back....some people put their cards on necklaces....it's a great idea, any piece of leather or ribbon works, or tether type thing works you can find the clip @ an office supply store, so you clip your card to your necklace & whalah. (have a fine tip waterproof marker for this) *they do have staplers etc. @ on each floor but i recommend a kids (now they have cool adult ones) supply holder, bring post its, pencils, sharpener, mini stapler, etc. also, i bring highlighters so i can highlight info i've found on the copys when i'm taking a break from searching. also a carrier/suitcase is really a good idea, if you don't feel comfortable leaving your stuff & want to move around you can load up easy etc. don't forget batteries, etc. i also bring blank file folders w/my name to hold my spot when i go to lunch, although you don't really need to worry most of the time there are many open spots. i wouldn't leave anything you can't risk losing....there are people who go in & steal, it's a fact of life. there are lockers w/keys so you can lock things up....i suggest a fanny pack for your money, id, etc. & leave your purses/big stuff locked up.... *mark your stuff. mark your backpack, suitcase etc. but remember to put a sticker w/your name/phone or name/address whatever you feel comfortable w/but if you misplace something or leave a folder, if it has something of your info on it, you might find it again @ the main windows but if it hasn't got anything identifiable on it, it will be recycled. *bring change for the lunch room/break room if that's where you'll eat. personally i take a break & go to the diner next door to the library. it's to the left facing the entrance....if you are an alaska mileage card holder & you've joined the diner's membership (all free & all done online) you can get double mileage for your lunch & it's a lot better than the vending only machines in the library, plus getting out gives you break from research, which we all need from time to time....remember the vending machines in the break room will not have certain items which are not allowed in the morman religion, this means coffee & soda. also the items are very picked over so keep this in mind. you can bring your own but you must eat in the lunch room. *DO RESEARCH B4 YOU GO. you can go online to www.familysearch.org & visit the libray b4 you go. you can print up anything you want to see while you are there & have your film/book #'s ahead of time & discriptions etc. so you maximize your research time. i usually do an excell or journal on each family name, description of what i want to see & than you have a log of what you've looked @. also do this on location. if you do it on excel you can cut & paste your numbers & you only have to print your log when you go thru the stacks....print it b4 you go in case you can't hook to a printer when you're there. i don't know if that's an option. i bring my computer but i don't print. *some items must be ordered in advance, b4 you leave home, so that they can go to the archives & pull them for you. if you order while you're there, you aren't guaranteed to see something if they have to find it & bring it to you. some things you can order & are easily accessable in a few hours but you never know so it pays to research 1st. *go early & stay late. take a break during the height of the day & you'll have access to the copiers most of the time when you need to. *take advantage of the wonderful staff that is there. they are there to help you & they are great about doing so. take the class when you first arrive, it really helps to know where everything is & how it works. i didn't on my first trip & had to learn things ass backwards, as is my usual way but you, you could do better & save yourselves time! *copy everything you are interested in. you'll never find it again....ha ha....when you make a copy of something, make a copy first of the first page w/the. author, isbn code #/film code number etc....if it's not on there, make sure you note it. BELIEVE ME, you will regret not having this info when you're home & are going thru everything & whoops you have nothing to tell you where all this great info came from & you will never find it again....so take good notes while you go so you can reconstruct any holes when you're home. a little bit of good organization goes a long way in keeping it together when you're home & there. *kid in a candy store....this is what you will be, enjoy it, it's the best kind of sugar because you can just keep eating & eating it....BUT, try to be organized....truly, you will go off on tangents & forget what you really came for or get so overwealmed w/all the stuff that you scatter yourself to the winds....this can be wonderful but not if you end up not getting anything because you weren't just a little focused. see research ahead of time & know b4 you go.... *ck the hours ahead of time & days that they may be closed. they had changed to being closed on sunday's when i was there last, this was new for me as they had been open on sunday's b4....this can change your travel plans etc. depending on where you're coming from & how long you travel day is. they are closed on some holidays & for some maintenence things so ck your dates b4 you go. *there are several great hotels close by & their rates reflect it. if you are a mileage card member be sure to ck your hotels & see who gives the best deal & most extra mileage, it can make a closer but higher rate hotel more attractive. there are also that are w/in a mile walking & if you have a roller suitcase/carrier you can walk a little bit further & save yourself some money. &we stay further away but rent a car as it was less overall to do that....there is parking for a small fee directly behind the library. *if you have ancestors around utah be sure to include the salt lake city library, not to far from the lds library & they have an extensive newspaper collection etc. i found things there that lds didn't have on my park city/salt lake ancestors. *get a good map of salt lake from your hotel. go to spencers for a great steak dinner, you will have to join the club, for a small fee (a couple of bucks) for the privilage of drinking in the establishment. this was the way around their alcohol/club laws....many bars etc. still do it, many don't....we still did @ spencers but not @ the brewery down the street so we still haven't figured out the rules.... ok, this is scattered to give you a feeling of what it's like when you go....or perhaps that because after all the lesson's i've learned i'm still disorganized! ha ha ha. all the best in hunting & if anyone has any questions or didn't understand my rantings, email me & i'll try to help. taylor ps....go more than once....they continue to build the collections & there are always new info coming in.... pss....one more thing....remember the family group sheets the members have contributed are only as good as the researcer doing them. there are many, MANY examples of incorrect info taken as wrote online. anyone doing this long enough comes across wrong info, w/cousin's all having the name john smith etc. etc. you have to back your info w/actual records. many who post family group sheets/genealogys do not have this back up info, so if you discover a pot of gold in a family sheet, back it up w/the records. this is very true w/the lds family group sheets, i have this in my own family & have the records to prove the errors but it's hard to have this stuff changed w/their system of sealing individuals to the church.... which brings me to one last thing. i am not mormon myself & was apprehensive my first trip there as to the religion & if they would try to educate me on it. i don't know if anyone else might feel that way as well, & i will say that although church information is readily available on each floor, they absolutely do NOT try to push their beliefs on any visitor. you will feel very comfortable there no matter what your personal beliefs are. they are totally into genealogy & the pursuit & of course this is for thier beliefs but they do not force that on the visitors. it's truly the joy of reasearching genealogy that comes thru while you're there. >From: "Karen Mitchell" <km1109@aculink.net> >To: COHUERFA-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: [COHUERFA] Salt Lake City >Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 10:37:28 -0700 > >Hi members, >I have received a couple of questions form our researchers that are >planning >trips to SLC and want to know how to organize to be most effective. > >I know several of you have gone so would you please share your experience >with the rest of the list. This will enable others to know what to expect, >how to organize their records BEFORE they go and how to be most productive >when they get there. > >It's hard to know how to organize when you are making a trip (any trip) so >that you won't get boggled down with several different lines. > >One thing that has worked for me is to organize by location. Although I >haven't sat down and learned how to do a focused list in PAF since the new >version came out, I think that's probably the easiest way to get organized. >I think most programs allow you to focus in on any given field in your >data, >so if you focus on the location and run a list for each location you can >save massive amounts of time when you have separate lines passing through >one location. > >Any suggestions for your fellow researchers? >Karen > >