The Notes and Film/Digital Notes sections of a catalog entry provide details about record content and format. If the item is printed material, you see a Copies section instead of Film/Digital Notes.
Notes
The Notes section is near the top of a catalog entry and can contain this information:
- The origin and description of the record
- The language of the records
- The format of the record
- A notice in red if the item is available online, with a link to the digital version.
- If the original record includes an index.
- For multi-volume works, which volumes the library owns.
- A link to WorldCat for items in book form
Film/Digital Notes
The Film/Digital Notes field can contain this information:
- Note—The record type, date range, volume numbers
- Location and Collection or Shelf—The location of the item in the FamilySearch Library
- Off-site storage means that the item is digitized and in storage away from the library. Request a copy for use at the library with the Off-Site Storage Book Order Form.
- On loan means that the item is out of the library temporarily.
- Film—A microfilm or microfiche number
- Some numbers include an Item number. When you click to view images, the image viewer always opens at image 1 of Item 1. To find the specific Item number of interest, navigate through the thumbnail images.
- Image Group Number (DGS)—the number for digital images
Format—icons to indicate ways to view a record
- Magnifying glass indicates that some portion of the item is indexed.
- Camera allows you to browse digitized images.
- Camera with a key explains viewing restrictions.
- Film reel indicates that FamilySearch has a physical version of the material—a microfilm or microfiche. The record custodian denies user access to the digital images.
- No icon means FamilySearch lacks a physical copy and the record custodian denies user access to the digital images.
Important note
One or a few items with only film reel icons: Sometimes you see a catalog entry in which many films have camera icons, but 1 or a few have only film reel icons. Usually, the film number shows an Item number. If any items on a film have restrictions, FamilySearch must restrict all the items because portions of the digitized film have custodian restrictions. We cannot make any portion of it available.
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