Family History Library

Family History Library
Beneathtimp · CC0 · source
Name	Family History Library
Established	1894
Location	Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Type	Genealogical research library
Collection size	Millions of microfilms, books, records

Family History Library is a major genealogical research facility located in Salt Lake City, Utah, operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The library serves genealogists, historians, family researchers, and legal scholars seeking primary records, civil registrations, parish registers, probate files, and immigration manifests from around the world. The institution has influenced practices in archival management, microfilming, digitization, and international collaboration among cultural heritage organizations.

History

The library traces roots to early Mormon pioneers who valued lineage and genealogical continuity, aligning with initiatives by Brigham Young and later guidance from Joseph Smith. Institutional development accelerated under leaders such as Heber J. Grant and Spencer W. Kimball who supported systematic record collection. The expansion of microfilm programs intersected with innovations by corporations like Eastman Kodak Company and standards promulgated by the International Federation of Film Archives and the National Archives and Records Administration. During the 20th century, the library’s policies reflected shifting relationships with entities including the Library of Congress, British Library, Bibliothèque nationale de France, National Library of Scotland, and national archives of Canada, Australia, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and Norway. Major historical events—such as the aftermath of World War II, decolonization in Africa, and migration following the Partition of India—shaped demands for civil and church records that the library sought to document. Leadership transitions involved administrators with ties to institutions like Brigham Young University, University of Utah, and the Smithsonian Institution.

Collections and Holdings

Holdings include microfilm reels, microfiche, printed family histories, parish registers, census returns, civil registration records, probate packets, land records, military service files, and naturalization documents. Significant source collections relate to regions covered by the National Archives (United Kingdom), Archivio di Stato, Archivo General de Indias, Bundesarchiv, Riksarkivet, State Archives of Georgia (United States), Archives nationales d'Outre-Mer, General Register Office (United Kingdom), and regional repositories such as the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, State Library of Victoria, Tasmanian Archives and Heritage Office, and Library and Archives Canada. Specialized holdings include immigrant passenger lists from lines such as White Star Line, Hamburg America Line, and Canadian Pacific Railway, as well as military records from units involved in the American Civil War, Crimean War, Franco-Prussian War, and both World War I and World War II. The library maintains compilations of resources by community repositories such as JewishGen, Society of Genealogists (United Kingdom), New England Historic Genealogical Society, Guild of One-Name Studies, and county-level archives like the Surrey History Centre and Kent County Archives.

Services and Resources

Onsite services provide reference consultations, indexing assistance, interlibrary partnership guidance, and workshops linked to curricula at Brigham Young University, University of Utah, Harvard University, Yale University, and Stanford University. The library supports access tools including catalog systems interoperable with WorldCat, digital indexes aligned with standards from the International Council on Archives and the Society of American Archivists. It offers educational programming referencing methodologies from the National Genealogical Society and technological platforms like Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, Findmypast, and MyHeritage. Genealogical certification pathways involving bodies such as the Board for Certification of Genealogists and conference participation at events organized by the Federation of Genealogical Societies and RootsTech are supported by staff expertise. Readers consult repositories analogous to holdings at the New York Public Library, Bodleian Library, and Vatican Apostolic Library.

Facilities and Branches

The main facility occupies multiple floors in downtown Salt Lake City near landmarks like the Salt Lake Temple and the Great Salt Lake. Branch operations include connections with regional family history centers affiliated with stakes and wards of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Norway, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Satellite relationships emulate models used by the National Library of Australia and state libraries such as the California State Library and Texas State Library and Archives Commission for distributed research services. The building infrastructure references archival climate control practices advocated by the American Institute for Conservation and security measures consistent with guidance from the International Council of Museums and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for cultural heritage sites.

Access and Usage Policies

Access policies balance public access with legal frameworks from statutes like the Privacy Act of 1974 and data-protection regimes comparable to the General Data Protection Regulation. Usage rules accommodate intellectual property considerations involving publishers such as Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, and national copyright offices including the U.S. Copyright Office and the UK Intellectual Property Office. Reproduction services adhere to archival standards from bodies like the Digital Public Library of America and licensing practices similar to those of the Getty Research Institute. Patron procedures intersect with visa and travel norms administered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection for international visitors and local ordinances of the City of Salt Lake City.

Partnerships and Digitization Projects

The library collaborates with academic, governmental, and commercial partners including FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, Findmypast, MyHeritage, national archives such as the National Archives and Records Administration, Public Record Office Victoria, and research universities like Brigham Young University and University of Utah. Digitization initiatives reference standards from the International Image Interoperability Framework and projects modeled on the Europeana and Digital Public Library of America efforts. Cooperative agreements have involved international cultural agencies such as the British Library, Bibliothèque nationale de France, National Archives of India, State Archives of Russia, National Archives of Japan, and the National Archives of Brazil to digitize parish registers, civil rolls, and military lists. Technology partners include companies like Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Google, Oracle Corporation, and digitization equipment vendors drawing on guidance from the Library of Congress preservation programs. These partnerships facilitate indexing projects with volunteer networks akin to Zooniverse and crowdsourcing platforms used by organizations such as the Smithsonian Institution and the Library and Archives Canada.

Category:Genealogy