Why are some of the online records locked out?

pizzicato

Why are some of the online records locked out? In previous years I was able to search them from home but now I have to go to a regional History Center to access them - and because of the pandemic they are all closed.

LilianW1

Hi There,

Access restrictions usually come from the organization who owns or manages the historical records. These restrictions determine where and how FamilySearch can make the records available. We do our best to support these agreements so that we can maintain the trust of those we partner with and continue to work with them on future projects. Here is a link to an article which will explain further.

Why are there access restrictions on Historical Records?

If your local Family |History center is closed due to the Covid pandemic, perhaps you could try booking an online strategy session with the Family History Library. Here is a link to a FamilySearch Research Wiki article about this service

 Virtual Genealogy Consultations

Hope that this information is helpful.

Brett .

@pizzicato

Welcome to the "Community.FamilySearch" Forum.

I am just another 'lowly' User/Patron ...

Further to what 'Lilian' has already proffered ...

Just a little 'titbit' ...

The "Contractual Arrangement/Agreements", between 'FamilySearch; and, the Record "Custodians", to allow the Records, to be "Displayed", in 'FamilySearch', are renewed on a regular basis.

Sometimes, the Record "Custodian", may ADD a LATER "Restriction", to their Record in 'FamilySearch', that was once accessible; where, 'FamilySearch' must honour and apply, that NEW "Restriction", to the Record in 'FamilySearch", making that Record now inaccessible, in 'FamilySearch'.

Hence, a once accessible Record in 'FamilySearch', is all of a sudden, NO LONGER an accessible Record in 'FamilySearch', due to the NEW "Restriction", ADD by the Record "Custodian".

ie. Here Today, Gone Tomorrow ...

Just something to consider and remember, for future reference.

Brett

Julia Szent-Györgyi

Make sure you're signed in and then check the access again; some of the locks may go away.

(FS made a change, about a year and a half ago?, wherein the Catalog and possibly some other areas of the site now show different information depending on signed-in status, but do not automatically sign you back in. Combined with the 20-minute timeout, this setup is often highly misleading about the accessibility of materials.)

pizzicato

I will give it a try. It's strange that some records - the Italian ones in particular I'm referring to - half are locked out but the other half are not. An example would be that earlier birth records are not available but the later ones are, and yet some are completely locked out and not accessible at all no matter what the date range. I was able to access earlier records from a village in Sicily called Trabia, but currently I can not get access to them unless I go to a FHC which, as I have mentioned, are all closed due to the pandemic. -Charles Gombatto -