Is everyone still closed? I closed my family history center as directed and yet it appears that miss
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Ours is closed for IN PERSON use. However, a few of our staff have agreed to be resources for individual 1-hour consultations (NOT from the FHC however, so that no transmission of restricted records or Premium web sites is done). Staff members are encouraged to use the Planner tool, or if they wish to use FaceTime or Zoom that's also their option - just so it's not linking to the FamilySearch Portal from the FHC.
Our FHC has had to discontinue missionary access unless they come in during open hours with staff members present, due to misuse of the FHC over an extended period of time despite attempts to get it corrected. Every transfer presented new problems. Their key was retrieved so there is no access. We also installed a security camera in the FHC due to occasional misuse of a master key by some individuals who should not have had them, and that problem has also been nearly eliminated.
If your missionaries are still authorized to use the FHC despite COVID (that's a decision of the stake president in consultation with the mission president), I'd strongly encourage requiring them to sanitize the facility after each access, just as you would if the FHC was open with staff and patrons. For when the FHC was open and for when it reopens again in the future, we keep 70% isoprophyl alcohol and microfiber cloths available on a center table with detailed cleaning instructions next to each workstation and ask patrons to participate in cleaning their area of use as they leave. Then staff members do a thorough cleaning at the end of the day before we leave.
--Chris
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@GyllenskogJudy1 GyllenskogJudy1
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Judy
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FYI
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Some ,"Family History Centres" of the Church, around the World (and, "Affiliate" Libraries, around the World), have/did "Reopened", after the TEMPORARY "Closure" due to the "COVID-19" Pandemic.
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We are lucky, our Stake was also been authorised to have 'Sacrament Meetings' (smaller - split groups, alternate Sundays) and other activities, subject to very strict (local jurisdictional) restrictions and entry requirements (mandates).
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The Stake President allowed the "Family History Centre" (FHC) to Re-open, provided that it operated under the very strict (local jurisdictional) restrictions and entry requirements (mandates). We did a thorough Clean (and, Sanitise); Measured the room to ascertain the Person Limit, subject to Square Metreage; made sure Work Stations were 1.5 to 2 Metres apart (closer to 2 Metres); and, we have a ('Private' and 'Confidential') "COVID-19" Contact Tracing Register [that has EXTRA details about those attending (Telephone Numbers and E-Mail Address. etc)] - that must be completed (in pen), as a condition of entry - which is on top of the normal "Sign-In" Sheet.
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We re-opened on Monday, 20 July 2020, under normal hours of operation.
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At present:
- Masks (face coverings) are preferred; but, optional ...
. UNLESS, "Mandated" by the "Changing" Local "Health" Regulations;
- DO NOT have an 'Appointment' requirement (as yet)
.. [ Will be subject to change, if need arises ]
.. [ But, always recommend ringing ahead, to check conditions ]
- Recommend all Users/Patrons bring their own drinking water, etc;
- Do maintain 'Social Distancing'.
- Clean (and, Sanitise) FHC after each Session.
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The situation is very dynamic, we are watching developments very closely, on a daily basis, the need to TEMPORARILY "Close" again is always a possibility.
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Brett
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Our stake president has given the missionaries permission to use the centre resources. He gave the Zone Leaders a key. He asked me to train them in cleaning and sanitizing procedures and monitor this. I have them report weekly when the cleaning has been done. I go in when they are not there about every two weeks, update the computers and check supplies and how well they are caring for the center. It took a while but now they are doing a good job.
He also asked that they notify me when they want to use the center. This assures that no more than 3 companionships are there at a time so they can isolate in our 3 rooms.
It is working really well and I have a great relationship with the missionaries.
Often they ask for help with family history or occasionally they have asked foir help with helping others with family history.
We have a family history missionary initiative in our stake. This is done via Zoom meetings.
They also use the center to teach ESL classes on Zoom on a regular basis.
It is just great!!!
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Ours is open on Saturday and Sunday, and by special request to the public. the missionaries use it daily for their "needs" as they have keys. We established accounts on the computers for them so members are not confused or concerned about pictures/stories, etc that might be visible from their work. Sanitizing and cleaning are daily rituals especially after a computer has been used and before it can be used again.
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Where is your center located?
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Where is your center located?
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Our center is open by appointment only three days a week here in Georgia USA. Patrons schedule an appointment by going to our Family History Center Wiki page and click on a link to Sign Up Genius. We have been doing this since September and it is working well. We have limited the number of patrons allowed at a time so we can social distance and encourage everyone to wear a mask. We also clean before and after using the computers.
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The FHC is closed and will remain so while the COVID cases continue to rise dramatically in our county. The missionaries use it regularly and I am glad it is getting used.
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I don't expect the center to open until staff members have been vaccinated.
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Not everyone chooses to be vaccinated...how would you handle that?
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Our Center is closed except to full time missionaries. I am glad they are able to use it.
They do most of their missionary work on line.
We will not be opening anytime soon. Even if the staff is vaccinated.
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San Antonio Texas East Stake, San Antonio, Texas
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Interestingly, when we were in our decision-making stages a year ago, I asked our Zone Leaders how it would impact them if it was closed to them except during normal operating hours. They said they were finding that they could do everything they needed to do with their smart phones anyway, and it really wouldn't impact them. They're having very nice success without the FHC, interestingly, and the few that kept causing problems ended up not hurting the missionary work by withdrawing after-hours access to the FHC, yet that also allowed us to make the FHC more secure and to be used more appropriately in some ways that had become unacceptable. So it's thankfully turned into a win-win situation for us all.
Once we open back up (during the Millennium?!? LOL!), we'll install the Missionary Accounts on each computer so those will at least be available in the future if/as needed if there's a policy change locally, along with an actual need (see instructions in the FHC Tech Support (North America) Community group). I was actually surprised that they weren't concerned about the withdrawal of their key.
--Chris
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Oh, memories! We remember the conference when San Antonio East was created 45 years ago out of just one stake. What growth since we were there!
-- Chris
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Gayle Crawford
When the State of Washington went into Phase 2 for COVID 19, My wife and I met with the Stake President and chose a time to reopen the Washington Spokane Stake Family History Center. We reopened on Nov 10, 2020 following the Washington State guidelines and the guidelines and counsel of the Stake President. We are open three days a week. Yes, as we were closed from the missle of March 2020 until November, the FHC was being used by the Elders and Sister Missionaries.
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I think you have demonstrated correctly that it is a local decision. We have not opened yet and the cases in the US have climbed after Christmas. The numbers are now starting to go down in the US, but here in my county in Texas they are still climbing! There are many virus trackers out there; the one I have used is https://www.statnews.com/feature/coronavirus/covid-19-tracker/ It lets you drill down to the county level. My priesthood leaders have counseled me to stay closed. We have a small center and if we have two staff and one patron we cannot provide social distancing. My current intention is not to open until I have staff that have been vaccinated. My stake president's family is recovering from covid. My bishop is in quarantine. We have had a couple deaths in my ward. Others are going through a difficult recovery process. Based on our experience we are not anxious to open in the near future.
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The Utah Area Presidency just issued an update yesterday urging continued significant caution for their state. Our city is nearly 2000 miles from Utah, but despite only having 6% of their state population in our city, we have over 15% of the number of Utah deaths. So caution is quite in order. We've been monitoring on a daily basis and graphing the results since late spring, and the comparison with Utah has been stunning. Given a very steep rise in the curve of both total cases and deaths just in our own city boundaries, we're exercising significant caution as well. Multiple wards (congregations) in our stake have actually shut back down since Christmas for a period of time, so closing the FHC even after re-opening not long before Christmas, was prudent. But with the new policy of using our staff to provide online and/or phone consultations has actually improved our potential ability to assist others, both in and out of the Church.
A good point was made tonight in the tech support Zoom meeting held for North American FHC leaders and stake technology specialists - the changes in the General Handbook do NOT discuss maintaining computers with relationship to stake and ward temple and family history consultants. Our jobs are to assist people in gathering information about, and coming to know our ancestors - where we came from. This could all be seen as a major blessing looking backward as we focus more on what our primary roles actually are. I have to keep reminding myself that my secondary assignment as FHC leader (formerly called "director") is just that - an secondary assignment. I'm first a stake temple and family history consultant - and THAT is what's described in the General Handbook, and in the annual temple and family history leadership training (coming up again in just three weeks). While all part of the assignment, the primary responsibility hasn't changed, and I/we needed to adapt to conditions and do it better. Just my 2¢. 😉
--Chris
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