Microwaves and Refrigerators Now in All Rooms at the Plaza

Just to note to spread the word that microwaves and refrigerators are now in ALL the rooms at the Salt Lake Plaza Hotel. This will be welcome news for those of us who need a two a.m. snack!

Subscription Databases at the Family History Library

While at the Family History Library a couple days ago, I made up a list of the subscription databases that are currently available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City - FREE to patrons of the Library. Several were a marked as "status changing as of July 1," so I didn't include those in the following list:

19th U.S. Century Newspapers

Accessible Archives

Ancestry FHL Edition

FindMyPast.com

Footnote.com

Godfrey Memorial Library

HeritageQuest Online

JSTOR - Scholorly Journals back to the 1800s.

Making of the Modern World

Digital Archives (British)

New England Ancestors (NEHGS website)

One Great Family

Original Sources (In Their Own Words)

Oxford English Dictionary

Sabin Americana

Supreme Court Records and Briefs

SVAR - National Archives of Sweden - In Swedish, of course)

The Times (London) 1785-1985

World Vital Records

Does our "Family" read this blog?

This is a test: How many of our "Tour Family," those of us who annually gather in December in Salt Lake with Leland Meitzler for a fabulous research week, read this blog.......created especially for us???

Or, if you're not already of our "Tour Family," we certainly invite you in!!!

If you would care to comment about our blog, and send your report and your comments to Bill Balter, we'd appreciate it.

Donna Potter Phillips (aka "Mother Hen")

Ancestry.com is Again Available at the Family History Library

The Generations Network has again granted patrons at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, as well as the 13 largest Family History Centers, access to Ancestry.com at no charge. Following is a copy of the official news release. I posted this last month on GenealogyBlog, but it just dawned on me that we need it on here too.

FamilySearch and The Generations Network Agreement Give Patrons Access to More than 24,000 Ancestry.com Databases and Titles Provo, UT – December 19, 2007 – FamilySearch and The Generations Network, Inc., parent company of Ancestry.com, today announced an agreement that provides free access of Ancestry.com to patrons of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and the 13 largest regional family history centers effective today. With this new agreement, full access will be provided to more than 24,000 Ancestry.com databases and titles and 5 billion names in family history records. In addition to the Family History Library, the following 13 regional family history centers have been licensed to receive access to Ancestry.com:

• Mesa, Arizona
• Los Angeles, California
• Oakland, California
• Orange, California
• Sacramento, California
• San Diego, California
• Idaho Falls, Idaho
• Pocatello, Idaho
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Logan, Utah
• Ogden, Utah
• St. George, Utah
• Hyde Park, London, England

“We’re excited for our patrons to receive online access to an expanded collection of family history records on Ancestry.com,” said Don Anderson, director of FamilySearch Support. “Ancestry.com’s indexes and digital images of census, immigration, vital, military and other records, combined with the excellent resources of FamilySearch, will increase the likelihood of success for patrons researching their family history.” The Generations Network and FamilySearch hope to expand access to other family history centers in the future. FamilySearch patrons at the designated facilities will have access to Ancestry.com’s completely indexed U.S. Federal Census Collection, 1790-1930, and more than 100 million names in passenger lists from 1820-1960, among other U.S. and international record collections. Throughout the past year, Ancestry.com has added indexes to Scotland censuses from 1841-1901, created the largest online collection of military and African American records, and reached more than 4 million user-submitted family trees. Free access is also available at Brigham Young University Provo, Idaho, and Hawaii campuses, and LDS Business College patrons through a separate agreement with The Generations Network. “FamilySearch’s Family History Library in Salt Lake City is one of the most important physical centers for family history research in the world, and we are happy that patrons to the Library and these major regional centers will have access to Ancestry.com,” said Tim Sullivan, President and CEO of The Generations Network, Inc., parent company of Ancestry.com. “We’ve enjoyed a ten-year working relationship with FamilySearch, and we look forward to continued collaboration on a number of family history projects.”

About Ancestry.com – Visit us at www.ancestry.com With 24,000 searchable databases and titles and more than 2.5 million active users, Ancestry.com is the No. 1 online source for family history information. Since its launch in 1997, Ancestry.com has been the premier resource for family history, simplifying genealogical research for millions of people by providing them with many easy-to-use tools and resources to build their own unique family trees. The site is home to the only complete online U.S. Federal Census collection, 1790-1930, as well as the world’s largest online collection of U.S. ship passenger list records featuring more than 100 million names, 1820-1960. Ancestry.com is part of The Generations Network, Inc., a leading network of family-focused interactive properties, including www.myfamily.com, www.rootsweb.com, www.genealogy.com and Family Tree Maker. In total, The Generations Network properties receive 8.7 million unique visitors worldwide and more than 416 million page views a month (© comScore Media Metrix, October 2007).

About FamilySearch FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization that maintains the world's largest repository of genealogical resources. Patrons may access resources online at FamilySearch.org or through the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, and over 4,500 family history centers in 70 countries. FamilySearch is a trademark of Intellectual Reserve, Inc. and is registered in the United States of America and other countries.

Downtown Rising

The Crossroads Mall block in downtown Salt Lake City has been torn down - to the greatest degree. Billions of dollars are being spent to make the block directly across the street from Temple Square a major tourist and shopping mecca. Downtownrising is a website online where you can get up-to-date information on the construction progress. The Crossroads Block map [.PDF] is as of January 21, 2008 (that's tomorrow!).

Christmas in Salt Lake City

There's no better time to visit the Family History Library than during the Christmas season in Salt Lake City. The city is decorated - and Temple Square is absolutely beautiful. Bill Balter leads researchers attending the Salt Lake Christmas Tour on Temple Square photographing expeditions. Folks always go home with some fantastic Christmas pictures. Even with all the construction going on in downtown Salt Lake City, you wouldn't know it on Temple Square. I take pictures every year, including a few from the roof of the Plaza.

This picture shows the Assembly Hall in the foreground, with the Joseph Smith Building directly behind it. In the left foreground is the Tabernacle, with the Temple behind it - and behind that you can see the church office building disappearing into the fog. On the right is South Temple, and the Beneficial Tower.

Let's Make it 100 in 2008!

The 2007 Salt Lake Christmas Tour was a huge success, with 80 folks from all over the United States attending. I'd like to bump that to 100 for the 2008 tour (December 7-13). In past years, we've had as many as 115, so I know we can do it!

The picture was taken from the roof of the Salt Lake Plaza Hotel during the 2007 Tour. Note that the top of the church office building disappears into the fog. Oh, how I love Salt Lake City at Christmas!

Attendees of previous tours can help us reach the 2008 goal of 100 by referring their genealogy friends and local society members. Click here for details.