new "LibCat.familysearch.org "
Still in Beta despite the announcement at Rootstech?
I got an email asking about this.
I tried to sign in - and I get this "Sorry that login information was not recognized, please try again."
Even without this, buggy - no way to actually search in the Catalog, anyway.
Answers
-
Did you try signing in by clicking the green button?
1 -
I just tested - signed in and searched without issue.
0 -
Got in
problem - it does not recognize any DGS # 8206497, not even 8207415
which mean we might not be able to see any image collections that had been digitized firs time.
Film 1858655 - all wrong results all the way to next to the last one. (not a single refers to Britten except that one) This is a waste of a search result.
0 -
I notice the new catalogue is linked from the FamilySearch Library webpages, but the old catalog is still the link from the Search/Catalog.
The new catalog does not seem to have ANY DGS numbers included (see the comment above). Why is this, the DGS number seems to be the main reference number these days?
Comparing the old and new details for Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Bengal, 1713-1948
There are 526 microfilms in this series. For non LDS church people, I know these records are only available at FamilySearch Centres and Affiliate Libraries.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/143280 Old version. You can see that the records are listed in a chronological pattern and you can easily locate particular years.
Compare this to the new Catalogue https://libcat.familysearch.org/Record/143280?searchId=117242&recordIndex=4&page=1&referred=resultIndex . The listing is ordered by Microfilm Number, which is NOT THE ORDER OF THE RECORDS. Almost impossible to find a specific record.
I note the "Status" says on the shelf (new catalogue) Perhaps this new catalogue is intended solely for the Library, and is not intended for people trying to locate information about digitised microfilms? The information about restricted viewing of microfilms is completely lacking from the new catalogue.
In addition, although there were multiple microfilms listed in the new catalogue, there did not look to me as if there were 526 listed. The old catalogue had six pages of results listed. The new catalogue only had one page to scroll down.
Please someone from FamilySearch indicate whether the new catalog will be the replacement catalog for information about digitised microfilms. If so, it seems completely unusable currently.
I could not see a Feedback Button.
2 -
The settings dropdown does not show my username but shows my FULL NAME.
0 -
@W D Samuelsen contact me please et al, the new catalog is meant to be a catalog of physical items that are available to use in the FamilySearch Library. You will be able to find microfilms that have been digitized there, but not digital content that was never on a microfilm at all. The best way to search by DGS number is from the Search Images page. Click More Options and scroll to the DGS search box. You can find DGS numbers that way that do not show up in either version of the catalog.
1 -
Thank you for advising that the catalog LibCat.familysearch.org is for physical items at the FamilySearch Library (Salt Lake City).
Given the old Catalog has been locked for years due to the development of a new Catalog, is the FamilySearch Library catalog what all the work has been on?
Will the old catalog now be withdrawn?
My main concern is that there still be a catalog for all those microfilms which can only be viewed at FamilySearch Centers and Affiliate Libraries, examples in my post above of May 19 2023, such as Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Bengal, 1713-1948. In my area of research, a large number of microfilms, in fact the majority, are restricted.
You say
The best way to search by DGS number is from the Search Images page.
Currently, because restricted microfilms are not viewable on home computers for non LDS persons, there is no mention of them in the Images search. The only source of information is the old Catalog which perhaps may be withdrawn.
I am looking for information which will confirm that it will still be possible to get information about this group of restricted microfilms on an ongoing basis and they have not been “forgotten”.
1 -
@MaureenE123 I wish I had answers for you. I do not work in the FamilySearch Library and don't have any inside information about what is going on with the catalog. I'm just a volunteer. I have what was presented at RootsTech and what you can find on the Library's webpage about their catalog: https://www.familysearch.org/en/library/our-catalogs
You will note that they say precious little about the catalog that is currently on FamilySearch.org other than that it exists and hasn't been updated since Sep 2022. I have some opinions about what I THINK might be in the works, but am not going to go out on a limb to speculate.
You are right, search Images is a good way to search by DGS number--if the DGS number has no restrictions. Lots of us are willing to visit a FamilySearch center or affiliate library in order to view record images and we need a way to learn about that digitized content. I have to believe that the powers that be know that and have something in the works for us.
Perhaps some of our employee leaders can find better answers for us? Maybe @Maile L or @Stephanie V. knows who to ask?
0 -
@N Tychonievich . Thank you for providing the link to the FamilySearch Library page "Our Catalogs". I had not previously seen this page. By specifying that the two catalogs cover different material, but with overlap, hopefully this implies there will be a replacement for the "FamilySearch Catalog" when this is withdrawn, given we have previously been told it will be withdrawn due to old technology.
0
