Mary Scott's comments were excellent.   I would add that there are many online resources that have recently been added to the FHCs and more to come.    The FHCs are receiving access to subscription databases that patrons can use free of charge in the FHC - but would cost them to use at home.   Some of the new online  resources of FHCs are Footnote (includes many digitized National Archives records), Godfrey Memorial Library, World Vital Records, HeritageQuest, ProQuest map collection (I forget the exact name at the moment), Genline (digitized Swedish records), The Genealogist (digitized British parish records, census records, etc), digitized British newspapers, digitized US newspapers, and probably some others I am forgetting right now.    Most of these are available at all regular FHCs although at least one is restricted to FHCs open 10 hrs a week (an incentive to be open that many hours!)    These are all available through the FHC Portal. Rebecca Christensen