Religious Education

Lesson 2
New FamilySearch

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has created a new FamilySearch system that replaces the original FamilySearch and facilitates collaboration in new ways.  The New FamilySearch system helps to facilitate family history research efforts by enabling direct collaboration and communication between users.  As LDS Church members gather information about their family, they will be able to contribute new information to the database and link it to their ancestors for all other system users to instantaneously access.  The new system also simplifies the process of preparing names for proxy (vicarious) temple ordinances. Providing ordinances for ancestors is a lifelong activity. As you prayerfully seek them, names may continue to become available throughout your life.

Introduction
The New FamilySearch system (https://new.familysearch.org) contains genealogical information combined from Ancestral File (AF), Pedigree Resource File (PRF), the International Genealogical Index (IGI), and other databases (such as LDS Church membership records and temple records).  The combining of these databases has formed a data foundation which users may edit, update, and build upon.

The New FamilySearch system is not a private organizational database like PAF or other information-managing software.  It is a shared online database to which everyone has access (except data regarding living individuals).  When any user makes a change or adds new information, all other users can view the changes immediately. 

Additional databases are also being developed in association with the New FamilySearch system, including:

• Record Search
• FamilySearch Indexing
• Wiki
• Temple submissions

Learn about these databases in Lesson 4 and 5.

Because the New FamilySearch system is still being developed, changes and improvements will continue to be made over time.

Objectives of the New FamilySearch System
Increase Participation. The three-fold mission of the Church clearly indicates that all members should be engaged in the work of redeeming their kindred dead. The New FamilySearch system facilitates easier use of and access to family history information which will result in greater participation in family history efforts.   

Reduce Duplication. President Gordon B. Hinckley stated, “To avoid such duplication, the solution lies in complex computer technology” (Conference Report, October 2005, 4).  The first step of this solution is to unify data into a common family tree database; second, to combine duplicate records to achieve a truly synchronized system. This will require research and communicative collaboration between users.  The end product will be that of a working, growing, credible common pedigree.

Simplify the Ordinances Submission Process.The New FamilySearch has simplified the process by which names are cleared for proxy (vicarious) ordinances.  Flash drives (or diskettes) are no longer used in the submission process—users simply print a sheet (known as a Family Ordinance Request) which they take to a temple.

Using New FamilySearch
To get to New FamilySearch go to new.familysearch.org. For help using the New FamilySearch go to the guides under "Help Me Get Started With Family History" and "Learn How To Use Family Search".

Register
To register and become a user, visit the New FamilySearch home page at https://new.familysearch.org.  You will need to provide the following information: 

• Username and password
• LDS Church membership record number (available from your ward or branch clerk)
• Confirmation date (available from your ward or branch clerk)

Currently, only certain areas of the world have access to the NewFamilySearch, as the program is not yet completed. The general public will be able to use the New FamilySearch system at a later date.

Features of the New FamilySearch System
The New FamilySearch system has combined information from databases into editing and personal data-organizing features, facilitating the ability of all users to view the same information as it is updated and changed. This system also has functions comparable to family history organizational software such as: Personal Ancestral File (PAF), RootsMagic, Ancestral Quest, and other similar genealogical information management programs.
View Information. Through your pedigree, you may view information which has come from your membership record. including informationa bout spouses, parents and children.  If individuals to not automatically appear in your file search for them. They may be there just not connected to you yet. Once you find them you can link them to your file.  If a search yields no matching results, you may proceed to add your family member’s information into the system.

Due to privacy concerns, users cannot view other living individuals—except direct-line relatives, such as parents, grandparents and the user’s own children.  Any additional data entered into the system regarding living individuals will be seen solely by the person who entered in the information until those individuals are deceased.

With all of the sources which have come together within the New FamilySearch system, users need to be skeptical about accepting information contained therein until it has been properly sourced and verified. 

Search for Information. Users may search for an individual in two ways:

Name. Users may enter in information they know about an individual and search the system for any possible matches. Search results are ranked with the “star” method—five stars being a high probability match to the information the user searched with.

Personal Identifier. Each individual in the New FamilySearch system is assigned a personal identifier.  Searching by personal identifiers allows users to find exact individuals they may be looking for.

Combine Duplicates. New FamilySearch system has drawn—and continues to draw—information from multiple resources, resulting in duplicate information.  The ultimate goal is to have one record for each individual within the system, and to have each record linked to one central family tree.  Therefore, when duplicates of an individual are found, users should combine them into one file.  When duplicates are combined, the originality of each record is preserved, including conflicting or incorrect information. 

The next step is to “clean up” the data.  This means that, if needed, additional research be performed and documented through credible sources. That research should then be displayed for all FamilySearch users to view. Through this process, most cases of conflicting information can be resolved.

Separate Incorrectly Combined Individuals.  At times, records that do not refer to the same person are erroneously combined. Because the originality of each record is preserved during the combining process, it is possible to separate them as well. When viewing the information for an individual, users may see multiple names, dates, or places listed for a single person or life event. Such multiple entries are the result of discrepant records being combined by other users who thought they were duplicates or differences of opinion about the same individual.

Add Information.  Information may easily be contributed at any time by manually typing it directly into the system or by uploading a GEDCOM (Genealogical Data Communications—a universal format of saving and transferring genealogical information). However, users should make certain that the individuals they wish to add do not already exist within the system.  It would be a rare occurrence for a member of the LDS Church to submit a GEDCOM file.  GEDCOMs from many information managing software programs are accepted, such as PAF, RootsMagic, Reunion, Legacy, and Ancestral Quest.  If you feel that a GEDCOM submission is needed, create and submit a file containing only one or two generations, and then search for duplicates again. Even ancestors of new converts may be in the file from past entries of the worldwide extraction and indexing programs.

When adding information, it is possible to add new individuals or to add new data for individuals who are already in the files. Any information added by a user will have their username and contact information attached to it, so other users may be in contact for collaboration purposes.

Dispute Incorrect Information.  One of the great purposes of the New FamilySearch system is to share correct information while cleaning up the incorrect. There currently is a great deal of conflicting information contained within the system which needs to be resolved.  Yet in order to protect the submission of each user, only the user who contributes a specific name or piece of information may delete or edit that information if it is deemed incorrect.

The first step in resolving conflicting data is to contact the contributor of the information and explain why you believe it is incorrect.  If you cannot come to an agreement through comparing documents or conducting additional research, then add your opinion to the file and let others see both versions.  When the contributor cannot be contacted, and therefore there is no chance of editing the data, then a dispute of proven inaccurate information is appropriate.  Use the dispute function sparingly and only as a last resort.  Through the on-going process of resolving conflicting data and preserving correct information, the data within the system will become more accurate, helpful, and credible. If contact is later established with a submitter of disputed information, the dispute can be removed so that corrections can be made.

Overviews, Guides, and Helps
Overviews and Guides. FamilySearch has created many resources to provide help and guidance to those using the system and submitting names for temple ordinances.  Audiovisual tutorials are available.  Additionally, printable versions of the same topics covered within the tutorials, as well as additional helpful documents, are available in PDF format.
Help. To find answers to specific questions, access the Help Center.  Search for topics or keywords, submit feedback, view prior “cases” you have submitted, or access additional training and resources.   
Contacting FamilySearch. If you are unable to find the answer to your question/problem through the guides and helps, you may contact FamilySearch Support as follows: 

1. Submitting feedback directly through the Feedback link on the New FamilySearch website. 
2. Email:  support@familysearch.org.
3. Telephone FamilySearch Support (North America):  1-866-406-1830; 1-800-346-6044; or, 1-800-453-3860, ext. 2-2584.

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