The FamilySearch Double Bind

 

Sometimes it is difficult to work with FamilySearch.org. This is especially true when I am consulting with people who live in Latin America. Although, I assume that the problems are encountered in other areas of the world. The first part of the problem is access for those I consult with to many of the records on the FamilySearch.org website. In some countries, such as Argentina and Uruguay, nearly all the records are restricted. The restriction notes that the records can only be viewed in a FamilySearch Center. Here is an example of the map showing the location of FamilySearch Centers in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 

Many of the FamilySearch Centers, as you can see from the list have no phone number and nothing notifying potential patrons of the hours of operation. So, the people that I show the FamilySearch website find it difficult or impossible to actually see any of the records they need to find their ancestors. Of course, the main problem started during the COVID epidemic but the fact that some of nearly all of the centers have no regular hours continues to this day. In addition, even if those I send to FamilySearch Centers actually get some help, many times the volunteers at the Centers do not know how to access the restricted records. 

Another interesting side note that apparently is happening with all the FamilySearch Centers including the Salt Lake Library, is that if you get information about a center you are told that they only support people in French and Malagasy. That's right, the centers contact information says they are all limited to those two languages. 

In another Latin American location, Puerto Rico, which is actually part of the United States, a recent survey, done by one of my friends, did not find even one functional FamilySearch Center in the entire territory out of 11 locations listed by FamilySearch. One Center was only open one hour a month. 

It seems like FamilySearch is helping a lot of people when they claim over 6000 FamilySearch Centers, but due to little or no trained volunteers, the restricted records, the lack of regular hours or contact information,most potential patrons (guests) are left without access to any pertinent records. Here is more of the information from a quote from my friend: (some changes to the original for privacy reasons).

I live in Latin America and I have tried to get in touch with all the family history centers listed on the map in Puerto Rico. Only one has hours of operation, none have a working phone number, and all have as spoken language French and Malagasy.

Being curious, I tried other family history centers in Guadeloupe, Haiti, Nicaragua, Samoa, etc… They all have the same problem… if they have phone numbers, they do not work and when they only have emails to make an appointment, I emailed about 30 of them and only one has responded. (All of them had French and Malagasy as spoken languages)

Any suggestions? Any possible solutions? Any good ideas at all? 

My suggestion is simple. Consolidate the existing centers in one larger center with trained and capable people. Instead of having 36 partially operating centers in Buenos Aires, how about have one central location that actually works and is open enough to help patrons. 

Last note. We are open from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm Monday through Thursday and from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on Friday at the BYU Library Family History Center and all our missionaries are experienced and/or trained. We are closed any time BYU is closed for holidays and other breaks.