Whether you are Mormon or not, there is no denying the fact that the interest of the LDS church into the subject of genealogy has made it much easier for people around the world to trace their family history. The Family History Library, located in Salt Lake City, Utah is the largest LDS family search center. The Mormons have held an interest in genealogy for well over one hundred years. The Genealogical Society of Utah was originally established in 1894 for the purpose of establishing a genealogical library for the use of church members. When the library was first begun, it was with 300 books. Today that collection has expanded and includes more than 200,000 books and millions of rolls of microfilm. In the first few years, the library was open only to members that paid dues; however, over the years the resources of the library have been made available to the public.
The emphasis of genealogy in the LDS is due to the belief in salvation of the dead. Even if you are not Mormon; however, the tremendous resources of the LDS church make it much easier to fill in the missing blanks of your own family history.
In addition to the tremendous resources available in the LDS history centers, you can also go online to the LDS website and use the search database to retrieve information regarding ancestors. This site is an excellent resource. There are two primary databases of which you should be aware. They are the Ancestral File ™ and the International Genealogical Index ™ or IGI. The Ancestral File ™ contains linked pedigrees. Although the first submissions were made by LDS members, non-members are also welcome to make submissions. You may search by surname only or by given name and surname. The IGI ™ contains an index of event information from extracted records made by volunteers, submitted records and membership records. Be aware that information on individuals who are still living is not included.
Beginning in 1964, local family history centers were established. Over the next thirty years, more than 3,000 centers were established across 64 countries and territories. Generally, these centers are located in LDS churches and are staffed by local volunteers who are usually members of the local LDS church. The holdings in each center tend to include a collection of core microfiche records that contains data from around the world. Other holdings may vary according to the local center. Generally, there is no fee charged for use of the center; however, they do typically appreciate donations. If you plan to use a local center, do be sure to call before visiting for information on hours, fees, rules, etc.