I see a trend
I am a coordinator for a FSC in Florida. I am having the same problems many centers are having with no one coming to the center to research. No matter what we do noting seems to work. I had a totoal of 4 visitors last month and that is a lot. Now that we are no longer doing reports [only two out 5 centers do in our stake} I think the Church needs to let all of know what the plans for the centers. What is our fate!
Answers
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I too am a coordinator for our FSC, with no communication regarding this issue (we have at least 2-3 guests ever week, the centre is used by those who do not have access to a computer and are unable to navigate the phone app due to eye sight issues.
We also have random callers at times.
As I said not everyone has computers or internet for that matter, and FSC's are considered a public service its not exclusively for Church Members.
There are millions of names on FS and not all were entered by members
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How about someone from FamilySearch answer my question. I am well aware of what you have stated been doing this for over 40 years.
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@George Ezell Legge - Do you attend the bi-monthly meetings for Family Search Center Coordinators? You can get a lot of information and updates there. The meetings are in a Q&A format.
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@George Ezell Legge you may have better results if you phone or email to Family Search in Salt Lake City.
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We are in North Central Florida and are open for two shifts one day a week. We have also started opening our center twice a month after RS/Priesthood meetings for anyone who needs help, needs to print name cards, learn how to sign up, etc. We are not overrun with patrons, but have helped youth, new members, and members who don't know how to access the programs. We have signs around church to remind them, and always mention it in our meetings before they head out the door. It's convenient and doesn't require another trip to church during the week! We have high hopes!
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I am north of you in Alabama and one thing we saw was the same trend. We believe it was due to Covid, and people simply getting used to the center being CLOSED. Therefore, this summer we added a shift open on Saturday mornings, with consultants being a couple so that there is always a Priesthood holder present. This Saturday opening is specifically for missionaries to bring community visitors who might attend their own church on a Wednesday or a Sunday. We also encourage the Elders' Quorum and the Relief Society to use this time to bring inactive members and help them with their family tree. By coming to the Family Search center the inactive member may feel better about being in church after a long period of inactivity. However, YOU MUST get the Elder's Quorum and Relief Society to USE this time. If it isn't brought up in Ward council, it gets forgotten. We will be running this Saturday promotion through August and we have discovered some people use it rather than our open shifts on Wednesday and Sunday after the two-hour block.
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FamilySearch Centers are not going away. Their future is in teaching and training, along with providing access to data that individuals can not provide on their own. FamilySearch Centers can uniquely provide resorces not available anywhere else. FamilySearch Centers are being modernized and are being provided with many online training opportunities for FamilySearch Center coordinators and center staff. With the new network equipment, we now have a more accurate view of what equipment is being used in centers and meetinghouses that don't have centers. This means that center reports can now be individually designed to provide local Priesthood leaders with the information they need to promote Temple and Family History in the local units and to help FamilySearch Center coordinators as they meet regularly with the Priesthood know how to support the priesthood and reach local plans. As.the local Priesthood meets and counciles with the local FamilySearch Center coordinators they will find more attendance at the Center and that will increase attrendence at the Temple and will strenghten the local units.
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