Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Recent changes at the FHL, Salt Lake City

Have you heard about the recent changes made to the FHL library in Salt Lake City?

Apparently, the research consultants have been moved from behind their walls and desks, and now they will be on the floors to be more accessible to the library patrons.

In the FamilySearch blog it says that “We have moved our consultants out from behind staff doors to assist at research counters and out on the patron floor.”

At the time of writing, the change had only been made, so they are asking “for patience and understanding as we implement and refine the new patron service model.”

They say that “The Family History Library is open more hours, provides more computers, printing options, and professional help than any other genealogical library, society, or archive in the world. We remain committed to providing all of these services free of charge to patrons from all over the world.”

So, do you think that these changes will be beneficial to the patrons? If anyone is going there this fall, on your return,tell us how you found it.

TONI database tops 2,400,000

The Ontario Name Index (TONI) has just recorded its 2,401,406 name, and it keeps on growing.

When I am asked to research a name in Ontario, one of the first places I check is TONI, to see if the name is there. One aspect of TONI which I find is really helpful is that often TONI also gives the county in which the name is found.

So what does TONI do?

• TONI is an indexing program and NOT a digitization program. Unlike some of our commercial and non-commercial colleagues, we are not limiting TONI to digitized sources and indexing them

• The Ontario Name Index (TONI) is a mega-index of names with the goal of including every name found in any publication relating to Ontario

• Indexes, particularly name indexes. These are the most valuable thing a genealogical society can produce

• The index will point people to the location of the information about that name. The location may be a Branch document, a web site, a microfilm, a family history, an archive, etc

• TONI will be on the public part of the OGS website so that anyone can access it

TONI is all of these things.

Go to TONI at http://www.ogs.on.ca/integrated/toni_database1.php