SEARCHING FOR YOUR ROOTS? LOOK TO SALT LAKE CITY
by Paris Permenter & John Bigley

Have the two of you ever wondered what your ancestors were like? At some time or another, most of us have wondered about our ancestors -- who they were, where they lived, even what they looked like. The search for information can be frustrating, and at the same time, fascinating.

Every year, the search for their family roots leads thousands to visitors to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Located directly west of Temple Square, this library is owned and operated by the Church of Latter Day Saints. What many people may not know is that this library is open to everyone, and use of its facilities is free of charge for all.

The library's roots date back to 1894 when the Genealogical Society of Utah began preserving family records. Over the years that collection has evolved into the largest library of genealogical information in the world. Each year the library adds 100 million pages of historical documents as well as 75,000 microforms, and 12,000 books. The collection includes documents from all around the world. In fact, over 250 microfilm operators work daily to copy birth, death, immigration, military and many other kinds of records from 53 countries--all ready for visitors to search and learn more about their own family histories.

Those visits with relatives and doing a little "homework" are the perfect activities before a visit to Salt Lake City. The Family History Library recommends that visitors first learn all they can about their family: gather your records and talk with relatives, stop at cemeteries and gather birth and death dates, and see what is available through local records.

You'll also find that you can get a head start on your genealogical search by using the materials available at local Church of the Latter Day Saints (see sidebar for more information). If you track down some materials you'd like to view on your Salt Lake City visit, contact the Family History Library four weeks before your trip so they can have the materials ready for you. Write down the number of the microfilm and its area and send this information along with your name and arrival date to: Family History Library, Attention: Library Attendants, 35 N. West Temple Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84150.

When you get to Salt Lake City, the Family History Library is located at 35 North West Temple Street, just west of Temple Square. You can park at the lot on the northwest corner of North Temple Street and West Temple Street for up to three hours a day. If you plan a full day of research, all-day pay lots are available nearby.

And it's easy to spend a full day among the collection. The library is open 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays, and 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Plan on the facility to be closed for all major holidays. A short orientation to the library is available and you can also purchase a copy of "A Guide to Research" for 40 cents to give you an idea of the library's collections.

Those collections can seem so vast that they're almost overwhelming, so the library recommends that you narrow your search and start slowly. For example, make as your goal one question such as "When was my great-grandfather Smith born?" Start with that search and check out the compiled records found at the center. These records are research that others have already done.

Much of that compiled information is found on the FamilySearch® computer files. This information is available only at Family History Centers and some public and private libraries around the country (to find the library closest to you, call 801-240-2584).

FamilySearch® is a treasure trove of genealogical information just a few keystrokes away. Check out the Ancestral File™ within this computer system for compiled information on millions of names (mostly deceased persons). Or use the International Genealogical Index® or IGI for information on births, christenings, and marriages from the early 1500s to the early 1900s. A military index is another good online source as is the Social Security Death Index, with information on millions of individuals who have died in the US since 1962. (And don't worry, you don't need the Social Security number to start your search.)

If you'll be concentrating on the use of the FamilySearch computers, you'll find over 200 computers for public use at the FamilySearch Center, located across Temple Square. This facility is in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and is open Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. during summer months or 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the winter.

The Family History Library Catalog is another good source, with information on all the library's holdings. Check to see if anyone has already compiled a family history on your name. Or look up a place name for information on birth records, as well as all sorts of sources such as death records, cemetery records, census, church rolls, probates, and more.

When you use the Family History Library Catalog, you'll find call numbers listed by many of the sources. Volunteers can help you determine if the source is a book, a microfilm or a microfiche and point you in the right direction. The microform collection is one of the library's most powerful tools, with over 1.9 million rolls of microfilmed records. They're divided up into North America, British areas, Europe and Scandinavia, Latin America, and other areas, so no matter where your ancestors came from you might find some tidbits of information on them.

For more information on the Family History Library, call (801) 240-2331. For information on Salt Lake City, contact the Convention and Visitors Bureau at (801) 521-2822. You'll also find assistance from the Family History Library right at your fingertips. You can obtain help online by contacting the library at FHL@BYU.EDU. Check out the library web site at www.lds.org/Family_History/How_Do_I_Begin.html for all kinds of tips and hints on genealogical searching as well as a list of Family History Centers across the nation.