Guest Resources at the Family History Library

Research Specialists at the Family History Library

 * Family History Library Research Specialists

Research Specialists are found on the all floors of the Family History Library to assist with your locality-specific research.

Guest Services
The reference areas on the research floors have been remodeled. Guests services is now centrally located on the Main Floor at the large Guest Services window. Here you will find the Lost & Found, tech services, and answers to any question you may have for the Family History Library.

Need help? Ask someone with a gray lanyard for help with research or a collection question.

Request a "Vault Film"
There is a 10 film limit per guest per day.

Microfilms and microfiche in the Granite Mountain Record Vault (Vault) may take several days to reach the Family History Library. If the Catalog shows a film/fiche is in the vault, we recommend that you order it ahead of time so it will be at the Library when you arrive.

Click here to order films from the vault to the Family History Library

You can find more information about ordering films from the vault by clicking here.

Request a "Off-Site Storage Book"
When planning a trip to the Family History Library, you can check the currently availability of items in the catalog. Books that are listed in off-site storage can be requested ahead of time to ensure they will be returned to the Family History Library shelves for your visit. Books may take as long as 6-8 weeks to return.

Click here to order off-site storage books to the Family History Library.

You can find more information about off-site storage books by clicking here.

Book Donations
The Family History Library must follow certain guidelines when receiving book donations. To read about these guidelines click here.

Public Computers
The Family History Library has over 500 guest computers available. Computers are located on each floor. Each computer is equipped with high-speed Internet access and a USB port accessible from the front of the machine. For more information on USB drives, go to Step-by-Step Using a USB and U3 Flash key.

Free Wireless Access
Personal laptops are welcome at the Family History Library. Electrical power outlets are located at each microfilm reader and at many guest tables. Free wireless internet is available. All of the subscription websites (see below) are accessible through this wireless network as though you are on one of the guest computers, as long as you are in the Library.

Family History Library Facebook Page
Are you on Facebook? Like the Family History Library Facebook page to see upcoming events, learn about new or updated collections, and find out about new resources at the Family History Library. Also, see Genealogy Help on Facebook for online research communities. Click the link below to access the Family History Library Facebook page.



Subscription Websites
Free access to subscription websites. To see a listing of websites currently available click the link Subscriptions websites at the FHL.

Vending Services
Printing is now FREE! There is no need to purchase a copy card for printing - complementary cards are available at each printer on every floor. As an added convenience to our guests, 8GB flash drives, lanyards and earphones will be sold in the vending machines on each floor. The vending machines accept cash or credit cards.

Family History Software
Each Family History Library computer has access to a variety of family history software programs. Among these include: Ancestral Quest, Legacy Family Trees, Roots Magic, Charting Companion, Genelines, GenSmarts, GENViewer, MagiKey Family Tree, Map My Family Tree, Personal Historian, and Tree Connect.

Snack Room
A snack room is available on the main floor. Guests are welcome to use the microwave and purchase food from the vending machines. Keep up with daily events with the USA Today and the Deseret News.

FamilySearch.org
FamilySearch is the umbrella organization for the free online databases associated with the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.


 * Family Tree. A worldwide compiled tree you can edit including names, relationships, birth, marriage, death data, with photos and source documentation. A good place to begin research, but remember to verify the information.


 * Memories. Search for or contribute photographs, documents, stories or audio recordings linked to Family Tree.


 * Search. Online searches of a variety of sources:
 * Records. Billions of names across hundreds of our collections of worldwide primary records of births, marriages, deaths, census, church, cemetery, wills, military, court, naturalization, voting, land, passenger lists, obituaries, compiled genealogies, and many others.
 * Images. Explore over 4 billion historical documents by keyword, locality, or group. More are added every day.
 * Family Tree. Create your own family tree, linking in to your ancestors in one worldwide open-edit family tree. See the contributions of others as you collaborate and research together for a united, perfect tree.
 * Genealogies. Large static files of lineage-linked family history data from Ancestral File, and the Pedigree Resource File.
 * Catalog. Describes the genealogical holdings (3 million microfilms and over 400,000 books) of the Family History Library and a few other repositories. Also, now part of WorldCat online catalog.
 * Books. Over 150,000 digitized online family histories including county and local histories, genealogy magazines, how-to books, gazetteers, and medieval histories, and pedigrees.
 * Research Wiki. An encyclopedia of how-to-research ancestors often with great hints about local sources.


 * Indexing. Volunteer indexing makes databases available worldwide on the online. Over 300,000 contributors added one million records in 2016. Come learn how you can contribute too.