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Feedback on accessing unlocked records

Betty Fowler
Betty Fowler ✭
November 7, 2022 in Suggest an Idea

When I go to a Family History Center or library to access records that have a key lock on them at home, they all show as being accessible. It would be helpful if an additional icon or color would show them as locked at home but accessible on site. I have to remember to make a list of all the files that are locked at home to take with me when doing research. I don't want to spend time looking at records that I can access at home especially when time on computers at some locations is limited.

If something like this has already been implemented, please let me know.

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3 votes

Active · Last Updated November 7, 2022

Comments

  • Áine Ní Donnghaile
    Áine Ní Donnghaile ✭✭✭✭✭
    November 7, 2022 edited November 7, 2022

    If you try to access most restricted records from home, you'll see a pop-up showing that it is available only at an FHC or at an FHC and an Affiliate Library.

    image.png


    1
  • genthusiast
    genthusiast ✭✭✭✭✭
    November 7, 2022 edited November 7, 2022

    I am unsure if the Source Box will let you save the locked record reference. But if so - then that could create your list to check when accessing at Affiliate Library or Family History Center - but would be rather clunky I think. Otherwise saving the URL to a locked records to check at FHC/AL browser history folder is about the only other practical way I can think of offhand.

    Great idea.

    0
  • Áine Ní Donnghaile
    Áine Ní Donnghaile ✭✭✭✭✭
    November 7, 2022

    I keep a Google sheet always open for my next library or FHC visit. Copy the URL and paste - and I'm ready to go.

    2
  • Julia Szent-Györgyi
    Julia Szent-Györgyi ✭✭✭✭✭
    November 8, 2022

    Some honesty or openness from FS about access would be nice, yes. You can work around it a bit, as described by Áine and genthusiast, but this doesn't help when working at an FHC opens up a new rabbit hole, and you have no way to tell whether you can postpone exploring it to when you get home, or if it will be closed to you there.

    2
  • Áine Ní Donnghaile
    Áine Ní Donnghaile ✭✭✭✭✭
    November 8, 2022

    Since the catalog is undergoing a revamp, I'm hopeful there may be some new transparency when that is ready. Call me Pollyanna.

    1
  • Paul W
    Paul W ✭✭✭✭✭
    November 8, 2022 edited November 8, 2022

    Yes, I have had problems whilst at a FHC / Affiliate library - thinking, "I'll leave that for now and check it out when I get home". Only to find (on getting back home) that the material viewed had restricted viewing conditions that I was not made aware of at the FHC / library. It certainly would be useful to know this detail wherever you were logged into the website (and not just be viewing a screen showing details matching ones location at the time).

    BTW - Even worse is when I've taken my memory stick along but not downloaded an image, thinking I will be able to do so (via the image linked to the indexed source) when I get home! On the other hand (positive side) I can view certain (restricted access) indexed records from home, which I can only view / add to my Family Tree sources whilst at the FHC!

    2
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