Hello I've just had my first experience trying to learn more about distant relatives by requesting their birth certificates from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Dept. of Health. My efforts were unsuccessful (and frustrating!) because I did not (and still do not) know their precise dates of birth. After this disappointing experience, it makes me wonder if there is really any point in trying the birth certificate route? If I knew all of the information about the person requested on Pennsylvania's "Application For ... Copy Of Birth Or Death Record", I don't see why I would want the birth certificate. It seems to me that if a governmental unit wanted to facilitate retrieval of vital records, the records would be filed alphabetically, not by "date of event". Has anyone here had any positive experiences via the birth (or death) certificate route? Does anyone know if Pennsylvania's filing system is typical of most other states? I can truly appreciate the value of "protecting a person's privacy" -- but then why pretend (mislead, really) that such vital records are of genealogical value? -- Thomas J. Danicki danickit@concentric.net, Rochester Hills, Mich. 48306 U.S.A. "...you've got that stunned Brian-Wilson-is-a-god look on your face!" - Bruce Johnston, per _Endless Summer Quarterly_