Church completes digitization for billions of family history records

[Tacenda]

12 hours ago, Scott Lloyd said:

Extraction and indexing are not the same thing.

The Name Extraction Program (later called the Family Record Extraction Program) was implemented years ago because back then, there were not enough names produced from Church members’ own family history research alone to keep the temples busy. Extraction workers were called in the wards and stakes to “extract” names directly from the microfilmed records to fill in the gap. 
 

But within the last decade or so, such extraction efforts have been no longer necessary, because there are now enough names provided from Church members’ own family history efforts to keep the temples well supplied. And there are many more temples in the world today than there were back in the days when extraction projects were flourishing! 
 

That’s another “great story” that ought  to be highlighted, Smac. 
 

Of course this is not only due to the Church members’ diligence in doing family history, but to the amazing growth in technology, the digitization of microfilmed records and the work of thousands of volunteers around the world to index those digitized records, making family history research so much easier and more convenient to do (see my post above, the second one in this thread). 

Good to know! So didn't her efforts help though? And were the names she found added to this base of names that are digitized?

[Scott Lloyd]

44 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

Good to know! So didn't her efforts help though? And were the names she found added to this base of names that are digitized? Sorry to appear so dumb. 

Different undertakings for somewhat different purposes. I’m sure her efforts (and those of perhaps thousands like her) were highly useful — even critical — for keeping the temples functioning full time. They did this by providing a supply of names to augment those being submitted by Church members who had done family history research. 
 

On the other hand, the digitization of microfilmed records and the indexing of those records have over time made it far easier and more convenient for Church members to search out records of their own kindred dead, to the point where the name extraction programs of yesteryear have now been rendered unnecessary because the names coming from Church members are sufficient to keep the temples busy. 

Edited September 22, 2021 by Scott Lloyd

[Chum]

On 9/21/2021 at 4:33 PM, Scott Lloyd said:

I wish I could say this was a result of my own diligent and painstaking research, but literally all it required was for me to go to my FamilySearch account and click on a button. I printed out the resulting name cards and took them to the temple, all ready for the ordinances.

I derive a lot of happiness from assembling dead families. This usually robs closer family members of that same opportunity but I'm kind of a jerk.

[Chum]

On 9/21/2021 at 8:41 PM, Peacefully said:

I did indexing for a short time. It was very interesting.

We eventually gave up because the cursive that wasn't calligraphy-level perfect was indecipherable to us.

[Chum]

On 9/22/2021 at 12:26 AM, mfbukowski said:

we also have a sizable Polish collection 

By Poland you mean you mean, Prussia/Germany/Galicia/Russia/Austro-Hungary/Lusatia/Czech/Moravia/Silesia and maybe the Ottoman empire and Bohemia - depending on what day of the week it was.

[mfbukowski]

1 hour ago, Chum said:

By Poland you mean you mean, Prussia/Germany/Galicia/Russia/Austro-Hungary/Lusatia/Czech/Moravia/Silesia and maybe the Ottoman empire and Bohemia - depending on what day of the week it was.

Yep!

It's an open flat plain full of farmers between the most pugnacious countries in Europe, just perfect for horses, tanks or even marching soldiers to cross when they have nothing else to do but go for a walk

My great grandfather was a draft dodger from Bismarck's army!

But I have one line that goes back to Jan Sobieski 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_III_Sobieski

Edited September 25, 2021 by mfbukowski

[Chum]

3 hours ago, mfbukowski said:

I have one line that goes back to Jan Sobieski 

I've run into that surname a lot on my tree.

[mfbukowski]

2 hours ago, Chum said:

I've run into that surname a lot on my tree.

Sorry, maybe we're related!

 

[Chum]

1 hour ago, mfbukowski said:

Sorry, maybe we're related!

You may not want that because I also found this guy in my tree.

[mfbukowski]

On 9/21/2021 at 7:19 PM, mfbukowski said:

My wife is working on 16th century photographs of British parish records, hand written, and the hardest part is reading the script! But she sees it as a puzzle, and loves it!

Going back over this, duh, the RECORDS were 16th century, not the photos!!  

[Chum]

3 minutes ago, mfbukowski said:

Going back over this, duh, the RECORDS were 16th century, not the photos!!  

Ha. I got it. A few years ago, the between-conference Church report was highlighting 16th c. German church records, being digitized & made available. Not long after, I was able to complete my uncle's line back a few more generations.

I'm still somewhat surprised I enjoy doing genealogy. It had been a long time since fulfilling a Church responsibility made me happy - and led to perceivable blessings.

[Stargazer]

On 9/22/2021 at 3:13 AM, mfbukowski said:

My wife volunteers at our local FH library, and the predominant groups who attend are Jewish people and African Americans who are not members!

She gets a lot of questions about why "Mormons" do family history- it's a great missionary tool!

We don't appreciate what we have!

In my old stake our FH library was used more by non-members than by members, and some of the volunteers working in the library were non-members. Pretty cool.