Why provide "Research Help" that cannot be shown?

CGPlishka

I am beginning to see more of this message for Research Help:

We're unable to show this record to you.

This record can only be displayed on certain accounts. FamilySearch must honor the agreements we have with our partners, record owners, and internal policies.

My question is - why show it at all, or is this for LDS members only? Perhaps just say that.

Thanks.

Gordon Collett

This information was deleted by a moderator.

CGPlishka

Thanks for your reply, Gordon.

I do have a FamilySearch center in the area, and have made us of it before, for Greek Catholic church records in Ukraine. Good to know these 'hidden' research helps are actually available.

A message to that effect along with the 'cannot be shown' would be useful.

Appreciate your input.

MaureenE123

@CGPlishka, @Gordon Collett

Gordon, in this instance I think you have given incorrect advice. I believe if the records were viewable at a FamilySearch Center by a particular user the restriction message would say so.

I think the message above is likely to be seen by a non LDS church member in the situation when the records are available to LDS church members. In addition, from comments I have seen, this category of records would not usually be available through the FamilySearch look up service.

I am assuming that the above message is what appears when accessing the microfilm number through Search/ Catalog

https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog

In the past the restriction message was clear and specified that the records were available to LDS church members. My own view is that the wording was changed so that there would not be accusations of religious discrimination.

Dennis J Yancey

even if you cannot directly access - - would it NOT be good to know that such and such record exists - that may be a crucial part of your family history / genealogy.

You may not be be able to see it in FamilySearch - but they at least let you know - and there may be other ways that you can get ahold of the record copies - outside of FamilySearch.

Im glad for any info on my ancestors - even info that I may have to go the extra mile to actually obtain - outside of FamilySearch.

Gordon Collett

@CGPlishka - sounds like we need some specific examples of where you are seeing this. Can you post a couple of record collections where you are running into this? With URLs to the page you are looking at? Then different people can check out what kind of message they get.

CGPlishka

Thanks to all of you who have responded to my query - I had not realized it would be more involved. I did spend long hours scrolling through Church records for Apostoles, Misiones, Argentina, some years back for Ukrainian connections who had arrived in early 1900s from Galicia, Western Ukraine, so am quite prepared to work for my tidbits of family info. The record I most recently found with this Research hint is: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LBBH-JR3

For Nicolas Teleban, who was the father of Julianna, who married into the Korol family.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Carol

Gordon Collett

I don't think this is the record you are looking at, but this is: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6VBW-BX7N?treeref=LBBH-JR3

and I see:

This is much vaguer than the statement used to be. I don't remember the old wording but I'm pretty sure it was more specific about who could or could not see a record. I'm pretty sure that the little shield with a slash through it means there are restrictions of some sort.

Here is a wiki article about the various types of record availability: https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/what-are-the-image-restrictions-in-historical-records

Anyway, getting back to your original question, why are you seeing more restrictions, it is more likely that the owners of the records are changing their agreements than that FamilySearch is doing it.

Why the more vague statement? There have been some fairly strongly worded statements here in these boards in the past about favoritism and discrimination. The newer wording may be an attempt to avoid hard feelings.

CGPlishka

Thanks again Gorden, for shedding a bit more light on accessibility of records, or lack of.

I could see the record you sent, and it does add more family info for the Teleban family who married into the family I am researching, the Korol family in Apostoles, Misiones, Argentina. Each bit of info is useful.

When time permits, I will see if I can stop in at our FamilySearch centre nearby and check out what i am missing.

The wiki article was helpful also.

MaureenE123

@CGPlishka which specific record were you getting the message you posted originally "We're unable to show this record to you. This record can only be displayed on certain accounts. FamilySearch must honor the agreements we have with our partners, record owners, and internal policies".

I had clicked through to the URL you posted 25 March above, but any images I saw associated with this link seemed to be full view, (and I am not a LDS church member) so I'm not sure where your problem is. I'm assuming you were logged in.

With regards to catalog information, provided you are logged in, you should be able to get as much information on your home computer as you would in a FamilySearch Center, so when you say "When time permits, I will see if I can stop in at our FamilySearch centre nearby and check out what i am missing" I'm not sure you will find out anything extra.

CGPlishka

Thanks for your observations. I can see 2 research helps for Nicolas, and cannot see 2 others.

Perhaps mystery will remain.

Since this person is connected, but not related, I will set him aside for now and ponder other Argentinian records.

Cheers all.