USING A LDS FAMILY HISTORY CENTER #7 THE FAMILY REGISTRY revised Aug 1997 This is the 7th in a series lessons on USING A LDS FAMILY HISTORY CENTER (FHC) , found on AOL at keyword: DearMYRTLE and on the web at Ancestry'sHomeTown: <A HREF="http://www.ancestry.com/home/MYRTLE/fhccheklist.htm">http://www.ancestr y.com/home/MYRTLE/fhccheklist.htm</A> There are over 2,500 branches of the main Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City. Each branch has a core collection and access to microfilm and fiche through a rental program. Each center is different, varying in size and staff experience. Today's lesson describes the Family Registry, which is an index to 286,000 individuals and family organizations who are interested in sharing family history information on common ancestors. These living people were so motivatedto share genealogical information that they completed a questionnaire and submitted it to the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. Subsequently, the Family Registrydatabase was created. How do I access the Family Registry? This database is available at all local LDS FHCenters in microfiche format. Look through the fiche, alphabetically by your ancestor's surname and given name. You'll find such references as: WEISER FAMILY ORGANIZATION GIST, Christopher of MD 1679 Both entries also include the name, address and phone number of the individual willing to act as coordinator of research. The first entry describes a family organization. The second entry describes a coordinator for all descendants of the individual mentioned. What do I do when I find an entry for my ancestor? Make note of the entry and write an letter to the genealogist listed. Provide copies of family group sheets and other documents proving your known relationship to the individual. Ask the researcher if he has more information on your common ancestry. Offer to pay for photocopy expenses, and be sure to provide a business size stamped envelope, self-addressed, of course! The future of the Family Registry It is rumored that the Family Registry will eventually be replaced by the Ance stral Fileon CD-ROM available at FHCenters equipped with FamilySearch computer systems. Certainly this makes sense for the future as more genealogists are becoming computer literate. If an individual submits his entire database on floppy disk to the Ancestral File, then this cuts out the need for researchers to write as many letters back and forth. Information sharing is immediate if you find a submission in the Ancestral File! Even if you find records in the computer at your local LDS FHCenter, don't overlook the Family Registryas a coordinated listing of like-minded researchers!