The library’s books cannot be loaned to the Centers, but copies of many books not protected by copyright are available on microfilm or microfiche. You can get a list of the Family History Centers near you by writing to the Family History Library at the address above, or on the Internet at http://www.familysearch.org/Search/searchfhc2.asp.

• Other repositories. Some of the original documents you will need are at state and local repositories. While the Family History Library has many records on microfilm, additional records are available only at these repositories. You can request searches in their records through correspondence. See the "Archives and Libraries" section of this outline for more information.
• Libraries and interlibrary loan. Public, academic, and other research libraries may have some published sources for Church ancestor research. Many libraries also provide interlibrary loan services that allow you to borrow records from other libraries.
• Professional researchers. You can employ a private researcher to search the records for you. A few researchers specialize in “LDS Church Records.” Lists of qualified professional researchers are available from the Family History Library. See the publication How to Hire a Professional Researcher (34584).
• Photocopies. The Family History Library and a few other libraries offer limited photoduplication services for a small fee. You must specify the exact pages you need. Books protected by copyright cannot be copied in their entirety. However, a few pages can usually be copied for personal research. Some Church records may not be photocopied. These are usually records which may have information about still living persons. You are often allowed to hand copy such records.
  

When requesting services from libraries or professional researchers through correspondence, you are more likely to be successful if your letter is brief and very specific. Enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) when writing within your own country. When writing to other countries, enclose international reply coupons (available from large post offices). You will usually need to send a check or money order in advance to pay for photocopy or search services.

Suggestions for Searching the Records. You will be most successful researching ancestors who were members of the Church if you can examine the original records (on microfilm). In some cases, transcripts of the original records are available. These may be easier to read, but may be less accurate than the original records.

Follow these principles as you search the records for your ancestor:

• Search for one generation at a time. Do not attempt to connect your family to others of the same surname who lived more than a generation before your proven ancestor. It is much easier to prove parentage than descent.
• Search for the ancestor’s entire family. The records of each person in a family may include clues for identifying other family members. In most families, children were born at regular intervals. If there appears to be a longer period between some children, reexamine the records for a child who may have been overlooked. Consider looking at other records and in other places to find a missing family member.
• Search each source thoroughly. The information you need to find a person or trace the family further may be a minor detail of the record you are searching. Note the occupation of your ancestor and the names of witnesses, godparents, neighbors, relatives, guardians, and others. Also, note the places they are from.
• Search a broad time period. Dates obtained from some sources may not be accurate. Look several years before and after the date you think an event, such as a birth, occurred.
• Look for indexes. Many records have indexes. However, many indexes are incomplete. They may only include the name of the specific person the record is about. They may not include parents, witnesses, and other incidental persons. Also, be aware that the original records may have been misinterpreted or names may have been omitted during indexing.
• Search for prior residence. Information about previous residences is crucial to continued successful research.
• Watch for spelling variations. Look for the many ways a name could have been spelled. Clerks may have accidently misspelled the name, or used nicknames or abbreviations. You may find a name spelled differently than it is today.
  

Record Your Searches and Findings. Copy the information you find and keep detailed notes about each record you search. These notes should include the author, title, location, call numbers, description, and results of your search. Most researchers use a Research Log (31825) for this purpose.

Step 5. Use the Information

Evaluate the Information You Find. Carefully evaluate whether the information you find is complete and accurate. Ask yourself these questions:

• Who provided the information? Did that person witness the event?
• Was the information recorded near the time of the event, or later?
• Is the information consistent and logical?
• Does the new information verify the information found in other sources? Does it differ from information in other sources?
• Does it suggest other places, time periods, or records to search?