Historically, the model for research facilities use in genealogy and family history [in the United States] centered first on the East Coast, with the subsequent gradual takeover in the field of Family History, beginning circa A. D. 1900, by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah). Presently, on the East Coast, the Library of Congress Online Catalog has a database of "approximately 12 million records representing books, serials, computer files, manuscripts, cartographic materials, music, sound recordings, and visual materials in the Library's collections." http://catalog.loc.gov/ This is further enhanced by major research depositories from New England - to the South, as well as some other locations in the Central section of the United States. This can be compared with the LDS FHC of Salt Lake City, Utah, having 2,000,000 + microfilms and approximately 280,000 bound volumes. REF: The World of Learning 1999, Forty-Ninth Edition, by Europa Publications Limited. http://www.familysearch.org/Browse/browse.asp On the West Coast, in the State of California, there is the Melvyl® Catalog Database. Its contents, as of December 6, 1999 are listed as: "approximately 10,013,139 Titles representing 15,226,500 holdings for materials in the University of California Library and the California State Library". http://www.melvyl.ucop.edu/ This represents a major PARADIGM SHIFT in the field of Genealogy and Family History Research, as this database alone represents more resources than those contained in the Online Library of Congress Catalog. Limited in-house access to Other Databases includes RLIN Bibliographic File (@RLG) http://www.rlg.org/rlin.html of approximately 88 million records, as well as WorldCat (@OCLC) and its 32 + million records. http://www.oclc.org/oclc/man/6928fsdb/worldcat.htm SOURCES and REFERENCES, at: http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/~vctinney/archives.htm#Sources combines these major holdings with other online databases of genealogical interest - worldwide. Since the Internet lacks at present, a comprehensive Genealogy Search Engine, a worldwide substitute can be found at: UCD Melvyl® Library Information & Links http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/~vctinney/archive2.htm#shields LOOK FOR: MELVYL® System via Telnet This KEY resource has the Browse command that works like a Genealogy Search Engine. After following listed instructions, a search for [genealog#] will currently produce a listing of 7,023 subject headings, worldwide. "Type D COUNTS to display the number of books with each heading. Type SELECT and the heading number to search for books with each heading." SAMPLE FORMAT: "1.1 Abbeville County (S.C.) -- Census, 1800. ALSO KNOWN AS: Abbeville County, S.C. 1.2 Abbeville County (S.C.) -- Genealogy. 1.3 Abbeville County (S.C.) -- Genealogy -- Indexes. 1.4 Abbeville County (S.C.) -- Maps. 2.1 Aberdeen (Miss.) -- Genealogy. 2.2 Aberdeen (Miss.) -- History. 3.1 Aberdeen (Scotland) 3.2 Aberdeen (Scotland) -- Antiquities. 3.3 Aberdeen (Scotland) -- Bibliography. 3.4 Aberdeen (Scotland) -- Biography. 3.5 Aberdeen (Scotland) -- Buildings, structures, etc. 3.6 Aberdeen (Scotland) -- Buildings, structures, etc. -- Guidebooks. 3.7 Aberdeen (Scotland) -- Charters, grants, privileges -- Bibliography. (Record 3 continues on the next screen.)" CONTINUING THE EXAMPLE: . . . "7. Abruzzi (Italy)...(this heading has too many subdivisions to display or SELECT)" . . . [NOTE: Headings having too many subdivisions to display under the browse command, such as Abruzzi (Italy) just noted, can be searched using the format: "FIND SU GENEALOG# -- (HEADING WORDS)". An example would be: Find su genealog# -- Ohio* This will provide an alphabetical listing of all related record sources in Ohio dealing with, or related to the subjects of genealogy, genealogist, genealogies, etc.] *{ Search request: FIND SU GENEALOG# -- OHIO Search result: 470 records at all libraries Type D to display results, or type HELP. SAMPLE: "Type HELP for other display options. 1. 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens / edited and compiled by William M. Rockel. Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Publishing Co., 1908. Series title: Ohio county histories ; reel 20, book 77. CSL Sutro MICRO- FILM 254 Reel 20 Book 77 2. 20th century history of Youngstown and Mahoning County, Ohio, and representative citizens / edited and compiled by Thos. W. Sanderson. Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Publishing Company, 1907. Series title: Ohio county histories ; reel 47, book 182. CSL Sutro MICRO- FILM 254 Reel 47 Book 182 CSL Sutro MICRO- FILM 260 Reel 80 Book 269 3. 1807 census Butler County, Ohio. Middletown, Ohio : Butler Co. Chapter, OGS, [199-?]. CSL Sutro F497.B9 N45 Press RETURN to see the next screen. CAT-> . . ."} This database resource, in combination with other database sources listed in-library on computer terminals, (via the ALPHA command), immensely expand the restricted in-house collections and records of the LDS [Mormon] Family History System; in particular, the LDS FHC 280,000 bound volumes (and many micro forms), as they can be obtained by InterLibrary Loan Services or personal visit. It has been estimated that in the State of California, alone, that by the 1990s, there were over 70 millions of books within the various library systems, statewide. The future of the California Library system is: "One library, 8,000 doors", as mentioned in an editorial in The Sacramento Bee, dated Sunday, May 4, 1997, page 4 of the Forum Section). The California Digital Library (CDL) presently "is responsible for the design, creation, and implementation of systems that support the shared collections of the University of California". Respectfully yours, Tom Tinney, Sr. http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/~vctinney/homepage.htm#Here Listed in: Who's Who In The West, 1998/1999 Who's Who In Genealogy and Heraldry, [both editions]