What should I expect at the Family History Center?

Question

There are several film numbers from the IGI that I would like to look up. Should I ask someone to go to the FHL in Salt Lake City and print them for me, or should I order the film to be sent to the FHC not far from here? What's the process for odering film? Do all the FHCs have film printing capabilities, and how much does it normally cost? (I wasn't able to find that information online.)

What information should I take with me to generate research leads? I have all of my genealogy stuff on my laptop, and I only occassionally print out charts. Should I take the laptop, or should I just print out information about people I'm actively researching?

Any advice on what I should do while I'm there? I'm planning to make a trip in the next week or two.

Answer 1

Expect to find one or two retired people who still sharp and are passionate about genealogy. The ones at the FHC's I've been to don't talk about their religion unless you ask them a direct question. You have to sign in, to prove to the funding committee that they ARE getting "customers". They don't call or send missionaries. Don't tell the joke about Brigham Young salting the lake.

They will have CD's, microfilm readers and, probably, access to census images.

You tell them what film you want. It cost $3.50 a roll back then (5 years ago.) Then you wait. They send you a postcard when it shows up - 1 to 4 weeks. Among the the microfilm readers will be at least one that prints a page at a time. It was a dime or 15 cents a page back then.

Take your laptop; better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. You can almost bet that if you leave it at home, you'll run into someone who might be your 4th cousin and may have your 5th great grandfather's family Bible, only it won't be on a line you are actively searching, she will spell the name a tad differently, and you won't be able to remember 5GF's second wife's maiden name.