How do I get help?
All out most vital South African films have been removed form searching?
We have been using films since day One, for researching families, there Is no other way!
Who do I need to contact to restore all these films for our use, as we have always been doing,
we certainly don't need opposition with this situation too!!
Memory Smith.
Answers
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Moderator [ ie. 'FamilySearch' "Support" ( Personnel ) ]
For your attention.
Also ...
Just FYI
Recent related ( EARLIER / PREVIOUS ) 'Comments', in Two (x2) 'Posts' ...
[ 1 ]
Suggest an Idea
HOME > SUGGEST AN IDEA
'Post' ...
Please notify Customers of Changes
https://community.familysearch.org/en/discussion/86732/please-notify-customers-of-changes
'Comment' ...
My concern is about the absolute disaster through changes made in South African catalog searches, by removing accessibility of films that are VITAL in our researches. These films of Church Records, births, marriages and deaths, have always been and still are the start of Family research, and not having access to them is disgraceful and really unappreciated, and an instant halting of the "gathering of Israel", and this is not an exaggeration.
The "old system"actually worked, and this is not "a work in progress" rather the total opposite. As my research is centered mainly in South Africa, (I am too scared to look at other countries now) please would you kindly restore the availability of our Catalog films in all Provinces, Towns and Probate records, as soon as possible, please?
Sincerely,
Memory Smith.
https://community.familysearch.org/en/discussion/comment/451461/#Comment_451461
And ...
[ 2 ]
FamilySearch Help
'Category' = Family History Centres
HOME > FAMILYSEARCH HELP > FAMILY HISTORY CENTERS
'Post' ...
Locked files inside the Family History Centre and Affiliate Library.
'Comment' ...
Leave a Comment
My concern is about the absolute disaster through changes made in South African catalog searches, by removing accessibility of films that are VITAL in our researches. These films of Church Records, births, marriages and deaths, have always been and still are the start of Family research, and not having access to them is disgraceful and really unappreciated, and an instant halting of the "gathering of Israel", and this is not an exaggeration.
The "old system"actually worked, and this is not "a work in progress" rather the total opposite. As my research is centered mainly in South Africa, (I am too scared to look at other countries now) please would you kindly restore the availability of our Catalog films in all Provinces, Towns and Probate records, as soon as possible, please?
Sincerely,
Memory Smith.
May 19, 2022
😒
https://community.familysearch.org/en/discussion/comment/451465/#Comment_451465
I just wanted, you to be fully aware.
And, I just thought, that you may like to take the lead, in this post.
Good Luck.
Brett
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One could argue that FamilySearch should not only advise us when new material is added to the website but also when existing records are removed.
The problem with this issue is that FamilySearch only ever discusses in general terms why records might be withdrawn - that reason usually relating to a withdrawal of permission to publish - either from the record custodian, or a "partner" website. You will rarely discover the contractual reasons relating to why a specific set of records has been withdrawn.
There is always the possibility that this issue might just be temporary - e.g. during the interim period between an old contract coming to an end and a new contract being put in place. Probably, for this reason, I found a number of films relating to parish registers of a particular English county suddenly vanished, but were back online as "new" records within a couple of months!
In summary, it is most likely this situation is beyond FamilySearch's control. I'm sure the organisation would wish us to have as much free access as possible to as many available records as possible, but it has the "might" (and money) of large commercial concerns to deal with. Quite possibly, one of the major commercial organisations has agreed to pay the record custodian for displaying these records - on condition it has exclusive rights to do so. Hence, FamilySearch losing its rights to publish - which were previously established by a now lapsed contract.
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@M. Smith I am wondering if you could also give us a specific example--for example, a film number you are no longer able to access. Also can you give us a particular type of records (civil registration? church record?) and a specific location (parish?).
I ask this as I was able to locate records in South Africa. For example:
Civil registration (Marriages, deaths), Mafeking (Cape Province) 1882-1972, starting film #7745913
Here is another one:
Parish registers, Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk, Reitz (Orange Free State), 1890-1949.
So....this is why it would help us to look at the problem if you can send a specific place, time period, and type of record you are looking for. Thank you.
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Dear Karen,
Thank you so much for your suggestion, I certainly do appreciate this. The best I can do is give you the URL link to Cape Province, NG Church records starting with Baptisms, then Marriages and Memberships the further you scroll, so you will become aware it is not just an isolated film, but everyone is missing, and they all had the little camera before, also the magnifying glass search ends up either just "blank" or it has a message " Internal Service Error 500" or some are 450.
The empty reel, has a message "This item is available on microfilm at this FHC"?
Then there are the Death Notices / Probate Records /Estate Files. Not even the film number or DGS numbers to be seen.
To find this you need to search through the CATALOG.
Enter Place search, South Africa, Cape Province.
Scroll down to Probate records (44)
(You don't have to choose Probate records, Kimberley click here OR Master of the High Court click here)
Just scroll down and you will see pages 1-9.
So!!!! By the time I finished this line above, and went back to see what else to write, all the little cameras where there as well as the Film and DGS numbers, for the first time for more than a month, but lo! only on the first page!!! And now the second page, but the first pages' camera is gone again. And there is still something wrong with the magnifying glasses.
I don't have much time now, but I will take a look at some of the other Catalog entries asap, to see if they have also been affected.
It will really be very helpful if you are able to find out what is happening, I do look forward to hearing from you.
Bless you,
Sincerely.
Memory.
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Dear Karen Rasmussen, Brett and Others,
Thank you all for trying to help me and for all the suggestions that were made.
You must have been wondering what has happened to me!
Well, all the films that I was so desperately looking for in South Africa has not been recovered by my Firefox service provider, and my daughter found the solution on CHROME, which works perfectly, all the films that I need, are there. You cannot know how relieved I am, I actually, literally became quite sick about this.
Thank you all so much.
Bless you.
Memory Smith.
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