The catalog is giving conflicting format availability for some films
I have a patron at our center - when not logged in to family search - he is checking the catalog for availability — film #1999393 indicates the camera icon with a key (digitized with some restrictions). So he comes in to the family search center. clicks on the camera to view the film — which directs him to log in to his family search account. Once logged in — the format availability changes to a reel icon (which means the film is not digitized). This same scenario is happening on other films as well. Wondering why the conflicting information about format availability? When the new catalog rolls out — is it going to define restrictions as being only readable at any family search center — or just at SLC. The problem with this conflicting format availability — is you are getting people coming to the center to view the film —only to get here and discover that it now says not available once logged in.
Answers
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Film 1999393 contains English Roman Catholic Registers, which can be viewed on FindMyPast.com. Usually, images on one of the paywalled sites can only be viewed on that site. When your patron is at the Center, he can access the FindMyPast site through the FS portal.
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@ShellBell252 The new Catalog does show that all Items on Film #1999393 are only accessible at the Salt Lake Library. The "Online Content" link is to the indexed collection which may or may not contain partially indexed information from this film. The conflicting availability will likely continue to be a problem until everyone is using the new catalog.
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@SerraNola Your reply does not seem to take into account the Library page which says "The Existing FamilySearch.org Catalog….When looking for digital microfilm, it's best to use this catalog"
Does your reply mean that the Library page is incorrect and should be amended. If so, could you pass on the inconsistency to the Library for the webpage to be amended.
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The last we read and were told was that the former catalog would not be updated for the foreseeable future.
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ShellBell252 wrote: "(which means the film is not digitized)".
Nope, that's not what the reel icon means; it means "not online (at FamilySearch)". (They finished digitizing all microfilms three years ago — right around the same time as the catalog was last updated.)
For me, film 1999393 has a film reel for items 1 to 7, and then the camera-with-thingy (I think it's now a caution triangle rather than a key? Can't tell, too small) for items 8 to 10 — but clicking that camera results in the "not online at this time" message, not the "FHC" or "FHC/AL" one. This means that technically, there is no conflicting information: it doesn't say that it's available at your center.
Well, no, I take that back: there is definitely a conflict between a tooltip that says "viewable with restrictions" and a popup that says "not available". But it's a contradiction that can be discovered without going anywhere.
Having taken a brief look at the other catalog just now, I think I will go back to avoiding it at all costs. Stale is better than infuriating.
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Here's a link to the Film Notes explaining what the various icons mean now - https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/what-are-notes-or-film-digital-notes-in-the-catalog
Specifically, in case TLDR,
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.
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MaureenE123 Yes, the old catalog is best when looking for microfilm, but as we have just seen there are errors and Aine is correct that it is not being updated.
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