FamilySearch Indexing

Slide 1: Title page

Slide 2: ((Granite Mountain Records Vault)

Since 1894 our church has gathered genealogical records to help members research their
own family history. The Church has stored in The Granite Mountain Records Vault in the
mountainside above Salt Lake City nearly

(Click) two and half million microfilms from 110 countries. This converts to
(Click) 5 billion historic documents. Very little of the information on these films is
available online. The project known as FamilySearch Indexing creates indexes to this
information and makes it available to everyone on the Internet.

Slide 3: (Enlisting 100,000 Indexers)

The current effort to bring microfilmed records to the Internet has enlisted volunteers to
index the records. Indexing will
(Click) help preserve the heritage of families throughout the world and will tremendously
(Click) boost the research needed to provide ordinances for those who are deceased.

Slide 4: (FamilySearch Indexing)

This project allows volunteers to download free indexing software and then
(Click) index the records of their choice. As of October 22, 2007 The Family History
Library had approximately 100,000 volunteer indexers at work and hopes to continue to
enlist the efforts of many more
(Click) indexers this year.

Slide 5: (Volunteers Needed)

(Click) Anyone interested in helping is invited to be a volunteer indexer. You
(Click) can begin indexing right away.

The software was designed for busy people, like yourselves, who have only short blocks
of time to devote to family history work at best.

Slide 6: (An Overview)

(Click) Each batch consists of up to 50 records that you can download using your home
computer or a computer at a family history center. Usually indexing a batch of records
(Click) takes about 30 minutes, but you have
(Click) a week to finish it.
There is no paper work to keep track of, and the
(Click) program remembers what you have done so you can stop when you need to and
start again where you left off. If you feel there is no family history work you can or need
to do in your own family at this time, then this indexing project is
(Click) a simple way to become involved in the important work of redeeming the dead.

Slide7: How Does Indexing Begin?

Slide 8: (Filming Church and Government Records)

Missionaries and employees travel the world over, filming church and government
records.

Slide 9 (One film=several hundred individuals)

One film may contain the names of several hundred individuals.

Slide 10: (Divided film = small batch of 20 -50 names)

Each film is divided into small batches of about 20-50 names.

Slide 11: (Request Records to Index)

Indexers can request a batch of records to index on their home computer.

Slide 12: (A and B Extraction)

Each batch is extracted by two different people for accuracy. This is referred to as A and
B extraction.

Slide 13: (Arbitrator)

The information created by the A and B indexers is compared for accuracy. If both sets
of records agree 100% they are sent to a database at Church Headquarters.

Slide 14: (Disagreement = Arbitration)

If information in extraction A does not agree 100% with information in extraction B, then
someone called an arbitrator will review both extractions, compare them with the original
record, and make the needed changes.

Slide 15: (Corrected = Database at Church Headquarters)

When both extractions are corrected, they are sent to a database at Church Headquarters.

Slide 16: (Prepared and Made Available)

After the indexed information is sent to Church Headquarters, it is then prepared and
made available for the public to see through the old FamilySearch Site

Slide 17: Previewing Screens

Slide 18: (My Work Feature)

There are several features available with FamilySearch Indexing.
The My Work section is where indexers download batches to index. If they are currently
working on a batch of images, it will be listed in the My Work section.

Slide 19: (My Messages Feature)

In the My Messages section, indexers can view messages from Church headquarters and
from the extraction director or group administrator.

Slide 20: (My Personal Goals Feature)

In the My Personal goals section, indexers can set a goal of how many records they plan
to index or arbitrate within a week or month.

Slide 21: (Personal Goals 2)

This section is for personal use and does not change the number of batches or the size of
batches the indexer can download at once.

Slide 22: (My History Feature)

Under the My Personal Goals section, indexers can view a history of the number of
names they helped to index and arbitrate. This list is restarted at the beginning of each
year.

Slide 23: (Indexing Web Links Feature)

The Indexing Web Links section provides access to information or other features
available on the Family Search Indexing site.

On the Current Projects page, when you click the name of an indexing project, you can
view information and instructions about that project, such as Texas Death Certificate seen
in the example.

Indexing instructions may be different for each project. Therefore, it is important to

review the instructions before indexing a project.

Slide 24: (Project-Specific Indexing Instructions)

The project instructions apply specifically to the set of records being indexed. Study
them before beginning the indexing and refer to them while indexing. Many questions
will be answered in this section. A copy can be printed if it is more convenient than
moving back and forth from the indexing screen to the instructions.

Slide 25: Field-by-field Helps

The field-by-field instructions briefly explain what should be indexed into each field.
Use the field instructions in conjunction with the project instructions.

Slide 26: (Indexing Process)

Let’s look at how you would do the indexing on your computer by looking at a typical
screen.

Slide 27: (Indexing on the Internet)

When you are indexing records on the Internet, your computer at home is communicating
with a
(Click) “server” computer. When you download a batch of records to work on, the
(Click) batch is copied onto your computer, and when you submit it, the finished batch is
copied back to the server.

(Click)You can stay “online” or connected to the Internet the whole time or you can
download a batch to index and work “offline” or disconnected to the Internet. This may
be helpful if you have to pay extra for your connection time. If you are using your laptop
away from Internet access, this makes it possible to work on the batch as well. When you
are finished indexing the records, you can reconnect to the Internet and submit the
completed batch.

(Click) Each batch can be indexed in about 30-60 minutes. This depends on your skill
level, which will increase as you do more batches.

Slide 28: (Indexing Page and Field Help)

The indexing page has the record at the top and fields you need to enter at the bottom.
Notice that the right side has Field Help displayed. Instructions are specific to each field.
As you move the cursor from field to field, the corresponding instructions will be shown.

If the field Help instructions are not displayed you can click on View on the menu bar and
click on Field Help.

Slide 29: (Project Help)

If you need help with the project, locate the Project Help tab.

Slide 30: (Table vs. Form Entry)

There are two views for entering information. They appear as tabs on the indexing page.
You can use either view. It is a matter of what you are most comfortable using.

Slide 31: (Field History)

As you index, a history of everything typed into a name or locality field is temporarily
stored in a list. This is found under the drop down menu.

Slide 32: (Lookup Lists)

Name and place fields also have a lookup list available. This is helpful, for example,
when trying to determine how a place-name is spelled. When you click on this menu, an
Authorities Lookup and search criteria box appears.

Slide 33: (Quality Checker)

When you are finished indexing, the system will do a quality check. The quality checker
automatically appears when you are finished indexing or you can click the “quality
checker” icon. This provides a way for the indexer to check questionable spellings or
other data entered for accuracy before submitting the batch.
Slide 34: (Accept or Change a Value)
Sometimes you will have typed values that are questionable to the program. There are
several ways to tell the program to accept your entry and several ways to change them
throughout the document.

Slide 35: (Submit)

Once the Quality Check is completed the system will prompt you automatically to submit
the batch. It will say: Quality Check finished. Would you like to submit your work
now? Yes or No.

Slide 36: (Saving Work)

Sometimes you need to stop indexing, but you have not completed a batch. You can save
your work by clicking the “Save to Your Computer” icon or if you are online, you can
“Save to the Server.” When you return to the Home page, the batch will be listed under
My Work.

Slide 37: (Return a Batch)

Sometimes you find that you download a batch that is unreadable or you do not have time
to do after all. So you can simply return it. You will be asked why you are sending it
back. Sometimes the entire batch is just not readable—it is too light, too dark, cut off, or
other reason.

Slide 38: (History of Names Submitted)

The Church even gives you some positive reinforcement for the work you do. You can
see the number of names you have worked on in each project. So take a moment to pat
yourself on your back. You have helped move the project forward.

Slide 39: (D&C 128:22)

The important work of redeeming the dead is one-third of the 3-fold mission of the
Church. There are many opportunities to participate at all stages of our lives in family
history. It does take time, but it does not have to take all of your time to make progress,
nor is it a project you should neglect until you are old. A few minutes here and there will
bring joy to those who wait for their work to be done. Indexing is yet another way we can
be a part of the redemption of our kindred dead for as it says in the D&C many are
prisoners and shall go free through our efforts—however great or small.

Slide 40: (Savior)

One day our Savior will return in glory and with him will be legions of our ancestors
who, through his atoning sacrifice are saved, and through our efforts will rejoice in the
plan of salvation that allows them to have the same great blessings we have and may take
for granted.

The D&C gives us a command from the Lord that says,

(Click) “. . . Let us, therefore, as a church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints, offer
unto the Lord an offering in righteousness; and let us present in his holy temple, when it
is finished, a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all
acceptation.”

The blessings we receive and the spiritual gains for ourselves and for our kindred dead
are beyond anything we can even imagine and the prophet has built temples that the work
of redeeming our dead will go forward during the millennium. The blessings promised to
us and our families, if we will do this work, and the spiritual gains will be beyond our
hopes and dreams.

I have felt the spirit of testimony swell within me as I have researched our family lines
and have a great desire to have this work move forward so it can bless the lives of all
people both living and dead. The Savior loves each of us and I know he is providing more
highways for us to do the work he has asked us to do. The technology is here and each of
us has enough computer skills to push the work forward like no other generation before.
May you be blessed for your efforts.