tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post2096543781056204760..comments2024-03-21T19:08:05.737-07:00Comments on Genealogy's Star: Microfilm vs. Digital Images: Who wins the battle?James Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02989059644120454647noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post-58127178807124481702017-09-02T13:09:55.443-07:002017-09-02T13:09:55.443-07:00My son's Eagle Scout project is to organize an...My son's Eagle Scout project is to organize and train people to read through the 1700+ films on permanent loan in our local Family History Center and send FamilySearch the ones that are now available online.<br /><br />We are very (very) pressed for space, and now that the project is nearing completion, it looks like we will be able to get rid of three of the four microfilm cabinets in our small space, leaving room for an additional computer for patron use. The largest cabinet is staying, but that means that as of today, more than half of the films that have been in the center, some for well over a decade, are now available online.<br /><br />I started the project to read through the films about half a year ago and made it through about three drawers before I estimated that the project would take me more than 60 hours and stopped the project until the Scouts could pick it up. Today we went back and read through those first three drawers again, films I had checked half a year ago, and found out that more than three-quarters of them were now available online. In just six months! It's really remarkable seeing the wide range of records available online. It's a great wealth of historical information. <br /><br />An occasional patron complains about using digital rather than microfilm versions of the records, but we just smile and nod and try to help them learn to use the computers.<br /><br />Next is the subject of books. We started with two bookshelves full, mostly random donations from patrons or church members. We keep the ones of local interest, including ones pertaining to the home countries of the major ethnic groups in the region, but any books outside that category that are available on books.familysearch.org go to a local library.<br /><br />It's been a couple of years since I was called as director of this Family History Center, and we've seen some remarkable changes in just that time. We no longer handle money and starting soon we'll no longer handle microfilm shipping, and I'm looking forward to spending more time on patron outreach and staff training.Amy Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04037263182287268748noreply@blogger.com