Donna, NARA has entered into a partnership with Footnote to digitize records. The LDS Church has developed a technology for digitizing records rapidly and is currently copying all the records--books, microfilm, etc.--in the Salt Lake Library to put on line for free access. They are working with other entities to do the same. Here is some information on work they are doing with the NARA and Footnote to provide records access. See below. Also, the following is happening (see second notice below). I just received a notice from the church today on it. If your group wants to help familysearch get these records online, you can participate in the Indexing Project which people report is fun and easy to do. Many historical and genealogical societies are participating. Gay Revolutionary War Records Are First Fruits of New Record Services Program FamilySearch Teams with Service Providers to Expedite Historic Records Access SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH-FamilySearch and Footnote announced today the first project of the new Records Access program-to digitize and index the historic U.S. Revolutionary War Pension records. The Record Access program helps archives and other records custodians publish their collections online. A significant collection of genealogical and historical significance will be accessible online by leveraging the resources of FamilySearch, the world's largest repository of genealogical information, with those of Footnote. Footnote is one of the new breed of genealogy web sites working with FamilySearch to digitally preserve, index, and publish the world's records in concert with archives around the world. As part of the agreement, FamilySearch will digitize the images currently held in the National Archives Record and Administration's collection (NARA) in Washington, D.C., and Footnote will create the electronic indexes. When complete, the indexes and images will be viewable at Family History Centers and at Footnote.com. Indexes will also be available at FamilySearch.org. Numerous other national and international projects are under development at this time and will be announced as agreements are signed or data is published. To see examples of the Revolutionary War Pension Files, go to http://www.footnote.com/revolutionary-war.php. Records custodians worldwide are experiencing growing pressure to provide access to their records online while maintaining control and ownership. At the same time, websites that provide digitizing and publishing services are struggling with the staggering costs," said Wayne Metcalfe, director of Records Services for FamilySearch. "The new Record Access program takes advantage of FamilySearch's resources and creates an economical and effective forum where records custodians and genealogy websites can work together to accomplish their respective objectives," added Metcalfe. FamilySearch's new Records Access program provides tools and assistance to records custodians who want to publish their collection using state-of-the-art digital cameras, software, and web-based applications. FamilySearch Records Services has representatives worldwide who can work with archivists to determine how FamilySearch and affiliates can help them achieve their digital preservation and publication needs. About FamilySearch FamilySearch (historically the Genealogical Society of Utah) is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. FamilySearch maintains the world's largest repository of genealogical resources accessed through FamilySearch.org, the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, and over 4,500 family history centers in 70 countries. About Footnote, Inc. Founded in 1997 as iArchives, Inc., Footnote is a subscription-based website that features searchable original documents that provide users with an unaltered view of the events , places and people that shaped the American nation and the world. At Footnote.com all are invited to come to share, discuss, and collaborate on their discoveries with friends, family, and colleagues. For more information, visit www.footnote.com. News 15 August 2007 Nationwide Local and County Histories to Go Online Three genealogical libraries pool their collections in massive digitization effort SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH- Thousands of published family histories, city and county histories, historic city directories, and related records are coming to the Internet. The Allen County Public Library (ACPL) in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Brigham Young University Harold B. Lee Library, and FamilySearch's Family History Library in Salt Lake City announced the joint project today. When complete, it will be the most comprehensive collection of city and county histories on the Web-and access will be free at www.familyhistoryarchive.byu.edu. The digital history project will target over 100,000 published family histories and thousands of local histories that are rich in names as well as biographical and genealogical data associated with those names. "Publishing those collections from the three libraries involved will make a significant and attractive family history digital library online for genealogists and historians," said David Rencher, director of Records and Information for FamilySearch. ----- Original Message ----- From: Donna To: wiwalwor@rootsweb.com ; WIROCK-L@rootsweb.com ; wigreen@rootsweb.com Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 3:27 PM Subject: [WIWALWOR] NARA Record Request Fees Go Up Oct. 1 We've known it was coming since the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) proposed last February to raise its reproduction fees for records you order. The good news is, it could've been worse. Effective Oct. 1, NARA will charge $75 for a Civil War pension file of up to 100 pages, plus $.65 per additional page (for longer files, staff will contact the requestor with a price quote before filling the order). NARA will charge $50 for pre-Civil War pension files regardless of page count, and $.75 per page to copy other records. While still a steep increase from the current $37 for a Civil War pension file, these fees are less than the $125 and $60 NARA originally proposed for Civil War and pre-Civil War pensions, respectively. (Still, save some cash by sending your request before October. The July 2007 Family Tree Magazine has instructions for ordering Civil War pensions.) In the Aug. 17 Federal Register, national archivist Allen Weinstein attributes the change to public comment-inspired alterations in formulas for calculating document reproduction costs. Though its average pension file order was for 106 pages, 65 percent of orders were for files less than 100 pages. NARA received 1,281 comments during the 60-day comment period. About half the commenters identified themselves as genealogists. Looks like some comments hit a nerve by saying NARA's proposal exaggerated actual copying costs. Weinstein wrote, "We firmly reject allegations that the fees are being raised capriciously for the purpose of supplementing funding for the agency or reducing the number of reproduction orders received." He added it's not practical to compare NARA's photocopying costs with those of other entities because of archival document considerations including file retrieval and replacement, paper fragility, separating papers from fasteners, placing non-standard-size documents on copiers' glass platens and ensuring image legibility. Weinstein said NARA lacks funding for digitizing all the Civil War pension files. The agency considers them prime candidates for a digitization partnership, but "there is no near-term alternative to the current process for fulfilling fixed-fee order requests for reproductions of Civil War pension files." ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to WIWALWOR-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message