Family History Archives tops 35,000 items

On April 17, 2009 I reported that the Family History Archives had passed the 32,000 records mark. The collection now numbers over 35,000 items which works out to more than 1,500 new items added each month. Although there is a list of participating libraries, I am aware that, at least, the Mesa Regional Family History Center is also contributing scanned documents to the collection. I assume that other regional collections are also being added to the scanned documents available online.

This collection is available from the Search menu on the main home page of the FamilySearch Website under "Historic Books." Access to the collection is entirely free and the documents, mostly books, are completely searchable. FamilySearch describes the collection as follows:

The Family History Archive is a collection of published genealogy and family history books. The archive includes histories of families, county and local histories, how-to books on genealogy, genealogy magazines and periodicals (including some international), medieval books (including histories and pedigrees), and gazetteers. It also includes some specialized collections such as the Filipino card collection and the “Liahona Elders Journal.” The books come from the collections of the FamilySearch Family History Library, the Allen County Public Library, the Houston Public Library – Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research, the Mid-Continent Public Library – Midwest Genealogy Center, the BYU Harold B. Lee Library, the BYU Hawaii Joseph F. Smith Library, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Church History Library.

I have placed a counter on my homepage showing the most current number of items in the collection. Each time there is an increase I am trying to keep the count current. If the current rate of additional material is maintained, the Family History Archives will double in size by the end of this year. I have been using a search of my own surname to see if there have been any pertinent additions and the number had been steady for a number of weeks and is now increasing again.