Access images at home

LegacyUser

Kim Davis said: I was wondering, given that most people would not be able to access an affiliate library in order to see images and records due to the COVID 19 pandemic, would FamilySearch be willing to give people access to the images/ documents in their own homes?

LegacyUser

FamilySearch Moderator said: Please see: https://getsatisfaction.com/familysearch/topics/requests-for-access-to-records-during-temporary-closings

LegacyUser

A van Helsdingen said: This question continues to be asked quite frequently on this forum, as well as various others forums, social media sites etc on the internet.

I have not seen any blog post or Facebook post by FS with their official answer, and most users do not know about GetSatisfaction.

I suggest FS writes a blog article and a Facebook post to avoid any further uncertainty and questioning at this time.

Also, the idea I expressed yesterday, where FS offers to the record custodians of a few larger record sets (e.g. Scotland OPR, UK Censuses) to temporarily replace FHC/AL access with a daily cap on the number of users (set low enough to cause inconvenience to users to mimic the inconvenience of having to visit a FHC/AL) is something I think could be explored. As long as the FS website can track the number of users who visit certain pages (my understanding is that when they made signing in compulsory a few years ago, the purpose was to be able to report this data to record custodians and partners), and staff working at home at both FS and the record custodian are available to quickly sign a contract, this should be possible.

Thank you to FS for all they do.

LegacyUser

A van Helsdingen said: I just saw that Ancestry has, by making a temporary contract with only one record custodian- the US Archives (NARA), been able to make 500 million records freely accessible during the pandemic.

LegacyUser

Paul said: I'm sure it will save time for FamilySearch employees / moderators if - as I similarly suggested in another post - AvH's advice (below) is implemented.