Can I access a restricted record?

LuciaVillarino

I'm searching for a marriage in Germany and the book is not online. I guess because it shows marriages from 1901 to 1952. The marriage I'm looking for is between 1901 and 1905.

I've asked for remote access and they reply saying "Restriction by the author(s)/publisher(s)/owner(s) of the record do not allow us to provide the image that you requested."

Do you know why this could be? Is there any other way to get said record?

Thank you!

Paul W

Perhaps it should be made clear to volunteers exactly what information they are allowed to provide. For example, whilst we can view no part of the film concerned, are they allowed to provide information relating to a record on the film if it relates to the 1901-1905 period (in this example)?

I wouldn't know that, and assume different volunteers would disagree over the issue.

Áine Ní Donnghaile

What message do you see when you try to access online? Does it say available at a Family History Center only or is it also available at Affiliate Libraries?

LuciaVillarino

I can't access the book. It has the film icon and says "this item is available on microfilm at this family history center" (Salt Lake City). Still it has a DGS number, which I learn it means it is digitalized.

I'm assuming is a permition restriction other than a physical one.

Áine Ní Donnghaile

If it is only available at the FHL, and the volunteers on Remote Access will not or cannot supply, your options are limited.

You might try a 2nd time with the Remote Access service - a different volunteer may give you a different answer.

LuciaVillarino

Thank you. I'll try again in a few days.

MaureenE123

The help article What are Notes or Film/Digital Notes in the catalog?

https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/what-are-notes-or-film-digital-notes-in-the-catalog

says

Film reel indicates that FamilySearch has a physical version of the material—a microfilm or microfiche. The record custodian denies user access to the digital images.

I would be surprised if you get a different response from a second request, as Remote Access would be flouting the conditions between the record holder and FamilySearch.

You could check whether the records are available online elsewhere, possibly on a pay website, or contact the Archive which holds the records. For Protestant records there is  Archion, a pay website which is a project "der Evangelischen Kirche in Deutschland (EKD)", (of the Evangelical Church in Germany). Archion includes an English language option.

LuciaVillarino

Thank you. I thought so. I wonder why the book for previous years in the same church is available and this one not. I was almost sure it was about the restriction years for records in Germany but there must be another reason then.

This family was catholic so I guess Archion is not an option.

Thanks

Áine Ní Donnghaile

@MaureenE123 I have often received the refusal from a volunteer who did NOT understand what was allowed or not.

I would not have made my suggestion without a basis and personal knowledge.

A van Helsdingen

@LuciaVillarino have you tried the website Matricula ? It is the Catholic equivalent of Archion. The coverage is not as universal as Archion, but more records are being added all the time. Otherwise you should look at the website of the Diocese (not the parish) or contact them about how to access their parish records.

LuciaVillarino

I never used Matricula, I'll give it a try. Contacting the diocese is a good option. Thank you!

Julia Szent-Györgyi

@LuciaVillarino, I made a remote lookup request and initially got the same "Restriction by the author/publishers/owners" excuse -- which was obviously false, because the same exact type of record from exactly the same place is freely browsable on FS from home, for dates both before and after the record I was asking for. I replied to the email asking them to check again, then after over a week of silence, I re-submitted the request. Today, I got replies to both the email and the resubmitted request, with the desired image attached each time, and an apology/explanation that "somebody errantly reported that this was restricted".

So definitely try the remote lookup service again. Hopefully you'll get someone who knows what he/she is doing.

(I think they meant "erroneously", not "errantly". Pedants-R-Us is easily amused. :-)

LuciaVillarino

Thank you Julia for your comment.

I was letting some days by to make the request again. In the meantime, I went to a FHC here in my city, and they couldn't see the record either. It could be because the lady that was available was not very "handy" with computers and it might take an appointed meeting to get time to work things around.

She explained that the record was in microfilm and they didn't have the machines to see it. Also, she stated that, by the time FS got its hand on the book, they might have get put those restrictions......I wasn't pleased with the answer.

In the end, she offered to write to the diocese on behalf of the church to get a fastest response.

To makes things short, I got home, wrote to the diocese and got the record the next day, after all this troubble.

As you said, I guess the people working there are perhaps not very savvy, but I also understand many are volunteers trying to do their best (I hope)

I'm now having the same issue with other file....I'll try to write again to the remote lookup to see how it goes.

Thanks!