Easier/More-Defined Information About Access/Copyright Restrictions For Items In The FHL Catalog
I need an alternative to relying on the less than express free remote look-up service, which after waiting for weeks, frequently (at least more than I would like) comes back and tells me they cannot do a look-up remotely because of copyright issues- I would have just gone myself or hired someone to got to the FHL had I known that at the get-go.
TLDR version- I would like an online way to personally learn what types or levels of restrictions a given item has, so I can know where a record must be accessed- as the catalog doesn't always communicate restrictions clearly. The reference staff must have some internal notations on item restrictions because I have had past experiences with them telling me about restrictions the public catalog makes zero mention of. Also, I have had issues figuring out what digitized images require FHL visits to view or when any FHC would do the trick- the notification pop-up is not always specific when something is FHL accessible only. There must be a way of finding this information online in an express format to reduce wasted trips or trips to FHL, which could have been done at a more local FHC or visa versa.
Full version/additional thought and commentary, of which I understand few may actually take time to read.
I understand the remote team has to honor copyright contacts. Still, I am not aware of the public's tool to indicate how restricted a given catalog item is- at least to the level of the definition I would desire. By this, I mean if I cannot access a given item on my home computer, this should be a definite and decisive way to know if access to that record set is going to require me just to visit my local FHC or send in a remote look-up request (patience required here), or will an FHL visit be required- and are there any restrictions on who can look at the records... because there are some special collection records that one has to prove the person physically searching the record is a direct lineal descendant of the party they are attempting to obtain records for... I literally had a relative, an active temple-recommend holder, denied access to records in the FHL catalog because they were not a direct descendant (the catalog made no mention of this restriction), even though they were going on behalf of a person who was. It was a complete waste of their afternoon, as they made a special trip to Salt Lake just to look at the records they hoped to view on to have to turn around and go home entirely empty-handed despite having a multi-item list of searches to perform. I understand temple records are sacred, but there are many instances where one is trying to verify what information a convert generation, long-deceased, knew or thought they knew about their close ancestors/family... but that is a different can of worms that I don't need to have addressed at this time. Information providence verification research is sometimes not fully appreciated as it ought to be. I really just want to know what access policies a given item is subject so I can better plan my research time.
Accessibility restrictions are something that is not currently/universally always communicated in the catalog, especially digital restrictions... the notice on the digital view says one needs to be at an FHC or Affiliate Library or the FHL to view the film. Still, sometimes the restriction is more specific than that- which has wasted several trips to my local FHC because I log in to a computer to learn that the film can only be viewed at the FHL... I wouldn't have wasted my time going to the FHC had I known ahead of time the item was only viewable at the FHL. Also, there is an issue I have experienced with digitized books which have been physically removed from the FHL being so copyright restricted that even the staff cannot search them. What's the point of having a digital copy of a book nobody is allowed to look at anywhere and yet keep the original physical copy out of reach of the general public who may want to reference it? I knew there was once a way to make special requests to get off-site books returned to the FHL, but I can no longer find any formal request forms for such. It may have been only offered to professionals.
All I want/hope for is a webpage/tool where I can put in the URL, call/film/DGS number of the specific catalog item of interest, and get a report on any restrictions it has, and if so, to what level. It would save serious researchers a lot of precious research time.
If such a tool is available for public consumption, I would love to hear about it. I bet other researchers would as well. Heck, even if there is an option to select availability for what is accessible at an FHC/Affiliate Library digitally would be a huge improvement because right now, it is only possible to filter/display all online (which does not discriminate between items viewable at home, items that can be viewed at an FHL, or items only viewable at the FHL) records in the catalog, what is accessible at the FHL (which is theoretically/virtually everything that is not a physical only resource of a particular FHC which is represented by the catalog), or a particular FHC- not FHC's in general.
Maybe there are aspects of the catalog I don't understand. Still, if I do, all the years of classes and research experience I have had have failed to enlighten me on how to go about finding out what digitized times still absolutely require an FHL visit, what does not, and if there are restrictions, will go to an FHC resolve those or are there other conditions to meet to obtain access? I am tired of the educated guessing game with digitized item accessibility not viewable from a home computer, because what goes on behind the scenes shifts things around so much; my ability to guess and get it right has also shifted.
I hope I have made sense because I just spent a lot of time, more than I originally planned, writing this up. I hope that I get some useful feedback on a matter I feel would benefit other advanced researchers who spend a lot of time working with FamilySearch catalog items and have to plan their sessions and research trips around what is accessible.
Comments
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For the avoidance of doubt I am neither a FS staff member or a Latter Day Saint.
I agree that sometimes the Catalog is not forthcoming about the full details of restrictions. But I have personally not had the bad experiences you have had. Those times you went to a FHC and couldn't view records you thought you should be able to, are you sure there wasn't a technical issue affecting the FHC's computers that day? When you see a camera/key icon in the Catalog, are you clicking on it to see exactly what the restriction message is?
For me, the biggest frustration is how the Catalog communicates accessibility that differs between LDS and non-LDS. There are plenty of German records that LDS can access from their home computer, but for which non-LDS must visit a FHC and/or an Affiliate Library. The Catalog now only communicates the restrictions that apply to one's religion: non-LDS are not aware that LDS have greater access and can't ask LDS friends if they could view the records on their behalf from home, and LDS are not aware that non-LDS face greater restrictions.
But most frustrating of all, some records are not visible to non-LDS in any circumstances, and yet a camera/key icon still appears. Clicking on it brings up a vague message that experienced non-LDS users know means they cannot access the records. But plenty of less experienced non-LDS users don't view or don't understand the message and turn up to their FHC only to be told they cannot view the records unless they become a Latter Day Saint.
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I am not connected with Family Search, and I am not a LDS church member.
There is a Help Centre article "What are Notes or Film/Digital Notes in the catalog?"
I believe the the contents of this article vary according to whether or not you are a LDS church member.The article I see says "Camera with a key explains viewing restrictions", but it doesn't explain that to see what these restrictions are you need to click through to the film and see what the wording is.
The article also 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.
What this means is that you can only view this item on a microfilm. In practical terms this means it is only viewable at the Family History Library (unless you are able to track down the particular microfilm at a FHC which still has a functioning microfilm reader). It would be helpful if the article gave more detail about this.
You say that you have experience of cases where the catalog indicates that a digitised microfilm is viewable at a FHC but when you got there, you found it was only viewable at the FHL. Could you link to the catalog details for this/these cases so it can be seen what has been indicated. As A van Helsdingen said, are you sure this was a catalogue issue rather than technical issues affecting Family History Centers? You only have to read topics in Community to realise that there are plenty of Centers that have no access to restricted records at all.
If you are finding that catalog entries do not match up with your experience you could try writing to books@familysearch.org which is the email to report catalog errors. However, I don't think you will get much of a response unless you include specific details.
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The issue you appear to be raising applies to the look-up service, rather than querying why you can't have direct access to the material (from either home or a FHC).
It is often advised on this forum that to obtain information from a restricted-access microfilm (even including a copy of the page(s) of interest) you just have to make a request via the look-up service. Whilst I would not wish to prevent anyone from obtaining a copy by this means, I have often thought this to be a way of infringing the existing agreements made between FamilySearch and the record custodian ( or whoever has imposed the restricted rights). Hence, I am not surprised if you are advising you sometimes get a negative response to your requests for further information from such microfilms. In such cases, someone must feel they would be "breaking the rules" in providing the detail to you.
Please advise if I am misunderstanding the issue.
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