alternative catalog film access ideas
LegacyUser
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Marijeanne Rende said: The COVID closure of the Family History Centers seems as it will likely extend well into 2021, if not 2022. I commend your efforts to keep everyone safe. That being said, not having access to films that one would normally review at an FHC, is causing many people significant hardship. For example, I exclusively use the Cosenza-Calabria-area films (Italy) and can progress no further.
Coming from a technology background, it seems that some alternative process *could* be put in place that wouldn't violate any of your agreements with individual localities and still allow both your church members as well as non church members who frequent your FHCs to continue their work. Here are three possible solutions:
Option 1: setup a GUEST VPN network, with a password/security specific to each center. It's not "internet" access--but rather private network access - you are extending that local network out as if someone was physically there. Private companies use this all the time. Security access could be controlled by each Center manager and only granted to individuals upon request after providing tracking information just as we would when signing in normally when we arrive.
Option 2: Since the centers are not open, utilize your existing staff who may be familiar with the catalog films specific to their area of expertise to handle specific record requests submitted online through a request form. If I had to wait a week or two for a key record, that would be reasonable.
Option 3: I understand the Italian government has a large effort to put (civil) historical records online. They have done so with some areas but the process is slow and only provides images for limited areas at this time. They must be overriding local agreements to do it. Negotiate an agreement with the national ANTENATI effort that supercedes local agreements and allows opening up your access to Italian catalog films, especially if they have not completed their work in a specific province. Links to specific catalog films could be embedded in ANTENATI to your films. It would be the national ANTENATI project allowing access, not Familysearch.
Coming from a technology background, it seems that some alternative process *could* be put in place that wouldn't violate any of your agreements with individual localities and still allow both your church members as well as non church members who frequent your FHCs to continue their work. Here are three possible solutions:
Option 1: setup a GUEST VPN network, with a password/security specific to each center. It's not "internet" access--but rather private network access - you are extending that local network out as if someone was physically there. Private companies use this all the time. Security access could be controlled by each Center manager and only granted to individuals upon request after providing tracking information just as we would when signing in normally when we arrive.
Option 2: Since the centers are not open, utilize your existing staff who may be familiar with the catalog films specific to their area of expertise to handle specific record requests submitted online through a request form. If I had to wait a week or two for a key record, that would be reasonable.
Option 3: I understand the Italian government has a large effort to put (civil) historical records online. They have done so with some areas but the process is slow and only provides images for limited areas at this time. They must be overriding local agreements to do it. Negotiate an agreement with the national ANTENATI effort that supercedes local agreements and allows opening up your access to Italian catalog films, especially if they have not completed their work in a specific province. Links to specific catalog films could be embedded in ANTENATI to your films. It would be the national ANTENATI project allowing access, not Familysearch.
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Comments
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Jordi Kloosterboer said: Option 1 kinda sounds like 'cheating,' but it depends on the specific wording of the contracts.0
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Tom Huber said:
Due to contractual obligations, FamilySearch cannot offer expanded access to historical records that are restricted to family history centers and affiliate libraries, despite the temporary closure of these facilities. We apologize for the inconvenience caused by COVID-19 precautionary measures.
-- from the header found at https://www.familysearch.org/search/c...0 -
A van Helsdingen said: Option 1 is probably not allowed, depending on the wording of the contracts. The contracts I have seen for UK records say persons must either be "physically at" or "at" a FHC. A VPN does not make you "at" a location.
Option 2 may not be legal either unfortunately. Record custodians want people to actually come in person to the FHCs. The whole idea is to reduce the number of people who view their records.
If the records are FHC-only, almost certainly the records are behind a paywall somewhere or on another website, so you'll have to use that in the meantime.0 -
Juli said: I have an idea: drive-in FHCs -- basically a Wi-Fi network for the parking lot. It could even have limited hours, just like the "real thing". :-)0
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Jordi Kloosterboer said: I tried to do that (use my own laptop while connected to the wifi network) when the centers were open, but you have to use their computers (which will have other people germs on it) to access the images that are restricted there. At least that is what they said and what happened in my experience when I tried to access a restricted image on my personal laptop (it didn't work).0
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Tom Huber said: The only problem (and it is a very good idea) is that a FHC computer must be used. I've used my laptop at a FHC and it didn't have any more access at the FHC than at my home. Unless something has changed (and it may have), a "hard" IP would have to be assigned to the user's computer/mobile device. Then the user's computer would work.0
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Lynne Stanley said: Maybe appointments could be at the FHC. Between appointments computers and such could be wiped down with a disinfectant or users could wash their hands just before (and after) using the equipment. Everything is wiped down after church services, so why not at the FHC?0
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Juli said: I suppose it doesn't have to be Wi-Fi, but stringing Ethernet cables to parking spots would be difficult, and it wouldn't do any good on iPads and most other tablets.... Computer networks are dark magic, but I believe there are ways to set them up so that devices can get temporary access to restricted files.0
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Paul said: I'm surprised there is no sign of the FHCs reopening, with visiting strictly by appointment, of course. My local public libraries are open, as is the Society Of Genealogists' Library here in London - the latter being run mainly by volunteers.
Obviously, it would not be appropriate for them to open in certain locations, but surely it would now be possible in some.0 -
Adrian Bruce said: "Computer networks are dark magic" - hmm - you've also seen the network supervisor carressing the router and saying, "Precious, my Precious"? :-)0
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Adrian Bruce said: Not so much disinfecting as cleaning plus leaving the kit for several hours so that the virus "dies off" (whatever the phrase is) before re-use.0
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Jordi Kloosterboer said: Many FHC are staffed by older people (volunteers I think), who are more prone to dying to COVID. So I think the Church has decided to not take the risk of killing all their volunteers! lol - i'm overexaggerating a bit.0
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Adrian Bruce said: It does occur to me that it would be incredibly difficult for SLC to keep up with the rules across the world, because safe partial reopening in one area might be unsafe in another.... And your comment about the age range is actually important.0
This discussion has been closed.