Tag Archives: tips

FamilySearch tips

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FamilySearch is a free genealogy website that features records from around the world. While the exact records available vary by time period and geographic location, generally speaking, you can access vital records, wills, probates, land records, marriage records, religious records and more. With the addition of Full Text Search, FamilySearch now has a dizzying array of search options that are useful in different contexts. This blog post will help you know which one is right for your research.

Screen cap of FamilySearch’s seven search options.

FamilySearch’s seven search options.

Records
On the Records tab, you can search indexes created by FamilySearch indexers over the years. This search includes both full record sets, where you can see the record images, and indexes where the images are not available. This is one of the oldest search features in FamilySearch and it includes many of the core documents for genealogy research, such as federal censuses, marriage records and birth and death records. Only the names in records are indexed, not other text such as business names, addresses or religious terminology.

Screen cap of records search.

Records search allows you to search historical records from around the world.

Full Text Search
Full Text Search is FamilySearch’s newest search option. It has been available for experimental use for almost a year, but became a full feature in September 2025. Full Text Search uses AI and machine learning to transcribe handwritten documents, much like optical character recognition has been used to transcribe typed documents, such as newspapers. Because this is a new feature, most of the record sets are in English, but FamilySearch plans to add records in other languages as they improve and refine the search features. While some of the records indexed in Full Text Search are also in Records search, most are not. This opens up access to previously difficult record sets, because you can use keyword searching instead of having to browse records page by page. Because the indexing is done by machine, every word is indexed, not just the names of people. So, you can search for anything in the records, such as street addresses, business and organization names and specific legal or technical terminology.

Screencap of sample full text search.

Full Text Search lets you search entire records, not just indexed names.

Images
Images is not a true search feature, but it allows you to access unindexed record sets. Although FamilySearch’s volunteer indexers and Full Text Search have made great strides in making records searchable, FamilySearch still has vast swaths of records that are not searchable. Since you can’t search Images for people by name, you have to browse the image sets by geographic location to see what is available for the place you are researching. After choosing a location, you can narrow your results by record type and date range.

Screencap of sample image search.

Using Images, you can browse indexed and unindexed record sets by geographic location.

Family Tree
One of FamilySearch’s unique features is a shared family tree where users can connect their research with other people’s work. You can also search the tree to see what other researchers have found on the people you are researching. Since this is a shared tree, it’s always good to confirm the accuracy of the research that is presented, but this is a useful way to avoid duplicating efforts in your research.

Screencap of sample family tree search.

Family Tree shows others’ research as part of one big, interconnected tree.

Genealogies
The Genealogies search lets you search personal family trees and oral genealogies and histories that individuals have chosen to share with FamilySearch. Unlike the Family Tree, other users can’t edit these genealogies. But they are another way of sharing information and research with others.

Screencap of sample genealogy search.

Genealogies searches family trees and oral histories collected from around the world.

Catalog
Catalog search works similarly to Images. It allows you to browse FamilySearch’s holdings by geographic location. While Images mostly contains recently digitized record sets, Catalog contains the older materials that FamilySearch microfilmed between the 1930s and the 2010s. Although the film has been digitized and is accessible to researchers, it often has not been indexed so you will need to look page by page through the records to find what you are looking for.

Screencap of sample catalog search.

Catalog lets you browse records by geographic location.

Books
FamilySearch has digitized a large number of books and periodicals from the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City as well as from genealogy libraries around the world. These books are fully searchable and you can also download PDF copies to your device. While some books are not available outside of the FamilySearch Library, most can be accessed at home, making research even more convenient.

Screencap of sample books search.

Books searches full text genealogy books from libraries around the world.

Accessing FamilySearch
FamilySearch is free to use and accessible from anywhere. However, some record sets are available only at Family History Centers and FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries. Fortunately, the Indiana State Library is a FamilySearch Affiliate Library and you can access everything FamilySearch has to offer through any of our public computers.

This blog post is by Jamie Dunn, Genealogy Division supervisor.

Once upon a time: Tips for writers from a librarian

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Libraries are magnets for writers and would-be authors. One of the questions libraries often hear from writers is, “How can I get my book into your library?” The answer can vary from library to library based on the library’s collection development policy and the type of book in question. For example, a law library is probably not going to be interested in a science fiction novel. A public library will probably not be interested in an extensive multi-volume textbook about string theory. However, public libraries oftentimes are interested in collecting well-written books by their own local authors. A big plus is if the book has been reviewed in a reputable book review publication like Publisher’s Weekly or Library Journal. There are lots of other things that authors can to do make their work more attractive to a librarian.

First off, authors can do the work to make their book the best book they can possibly write. There are many organizations that hold online writing classes that help writers hone their skills, learn about the publishing industry and get connected with other writers. Midwest Writers Workshop has virtual conferences for writers and the Indiana Writers Center has over a dozen classes offered at any given time covering topics from plays to poetry.

Authors can learn tips and tricks from other writers by joining a writing community. There are organizations for writers in almost every genre imaginable from Romance Writers of America to the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Benefits to joining one of these groups are manifold. Writers can find critique groups, learn about upcoming opportunities or be listed in a speaker’s bureau. One of the best things that a burgeoning writer can do is to get hooked into a network of other writers.

Library programs are another outlet that might be available to new writers. Some libraries have local author fairs where many authors can showcase their work at one time. The Indiana Historical Society has done this in the past as well as the Indianapolis Public Library’s Meet an Author / Be an Author event. Author events that showcase just one local author are a bit more rare and harder for a library to justify, due to the fact that one lesser-known author is not as likely to bring in a crowd versus a group of authors. Nowadays, a virtual author event might also be possible.

When in doubt, read a book. “Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book” by Courtney Maum can serve as a how-to guide for authors just starting out. In down-to-earth chapters, Maum offers all kinds of advice about writing and the publishing industry.

The Indiana State Library is one library that actively collects fiction and poetry by Indiana authors who write for all audiences. For more information on donating your work to our collections, reach out to Suzanne Walker, the coordinator for the Indiana Center for the book.

This blog post was submitted by Indiana Young Readers Center Librarian Suzanne Walker.