what to do after finding microfilm records?

[debbie365]

i went on family search and found the microfilm for ururi campobasso dates now what? i dont live close to salt lake city i live in massachusettes. can you order the microfilm? and what do you do with it when you get it? is it paper copies? sorry just confused can you help ?thanks happy 4th deb

[maestra36]

When you go on the familysearch.org website, go to where it says Library and then you will get a drop down box. Click on the option which says Family History Centers. Fill in the information concerning your location, and you will get a list of local centers near you where you live and can go to rent and view the microfilm. A single roll of film now costs approximately $5.50 to rent for 4 weeks at your center. It takes 2 to 3 weeks from the time you order and pay for the microfilm to arrive at your center from Salt Lake City. If you are not finished with the microfilm after that rental period, you can pay to extend the film. That used to cost an additional $3.25, but that price may have gone up since I last renewed microfilms. After a second renewal at an additional cost, the film will be permanent at your local center and you can then go back and look at it anytime you want. That does get really costly though, especially if there are a lot of rolls of microfilms you want to look through.

[PeterTimber]

There is a companion book Discovering your Italian Ancestors by Lynn Nelson for the microfilms whcih will enable yhou to interpret the film contents easily. The www.familysearch.org website will gvie youthe location nearest your home. =Peter=

[debbie365]

thank you so much for respomding i really appreciated it. do you think it is worth it? then there all in italian . do you know if they list parents names on these records i thank you again Deb

[PeterTimber]

Yes and your concerns are more formidible than necessary. The listing are like in american records Births,marriages and deaths it is only that they are written in Italian language and script which is why the book is helpful for english speakers. Not to worry and there are always people there to help you with questions. =Peter=

[maestra36]

Unfortunately, Peter, I have to disagree with you. Going through the records in some towns can be easier then others. It depends on many factors. Some towns have their records indexed, whereas others do not. Some use forms with fill in the blanks; others have records which are totally handwritten, even when these are not for events that occurred in other localities or for abandoned children. Some have the names in the margins; others do not and you have to search through a document to be sure that you are extracting the correct information. The books out there such as Italian Genealogical Records and Nelson's book are helpful in familiarizing yourself with the format of documents, but I have found samples in Trafford Cole's book to not even come close to many of the documents I have retrieved off of microfilms. He gives nice clean samples and not records that are water damaged or have bleed through, etc. So you never know what you are going to find until you rent a roll of film for a town. I don't mean to discourage you though, Debbie. You need to try to do this, as this is the way to learn the most about your ancestors. Volunteers at these local family centers try to be helpful, but many are not familiar with the Italian records and can't really help you with anything but renting the correct microfilm numbers and showing you how to put the film on the reader or how to print from the film, if your center has a printer. This type of research is far from being a piece of cake, but it is certainly the most rewarding in terms of the info you learn about your ancestry. And, now you are fortunate to have volunteers on this forum who can help you with the translation of those records at no cost to you. So give it try and hopefully you will get lucky. Also invest in a hand held magnifying glass. Although most centers have a machine that magnifies the records on the microfilm, some may not, or the machine may be in use by another patron when you go there.

[PeterTimber]

Dear Maestra you reminded me of the need for a magnifying glass!!!!! Thanks I had forgotten this helpful tool.

I did not want to discourage the inquirer ,however, nothing is perfect and I am sure the inquirer recognizes this so she does her best like you and me and will come oujtg with most of the information she is seeking. Happy July 4th and am leaving for fun and frolic. =Peter=

[debbie365]

thank you both for all the information.i am so happy to be on this forum it is very hard not being able to talk to someone when you have questions. i belong to ancestory.com but its slow on message boards .i also have been at this for 6 months . i have alot of information that i can share about famalies from ururi. i will help anyone who needs it. thank you both again i will get to it on monday have a great happy 4th sincerely deb

[maestra36]

Peter
I don't want to discourage her either, but I have done research at a number of centers and seen people rent a lot of films and then get discouraged and never come back. Depending on the locality of the center, there may be other patrons there who are also working on Italian microfilms and often will be helpful to someone starting out, even though they are researching in other towns. At my one center, I often took time away from my own research to help someone starting out. The other thing I meant to say is never rent too many films at once-definitely not more than 1 or 2 at a time. It can takes hours (often multiple visits) to go through a single roll of microfilm, depending on your experience and skills, especially if there are no indexes on the film. Also always carry a notebook and pen so that you can take notes, even if just to write down a number of a record you then want to copy. Also familiarize yourself, not only with the format of the records, by reading through Nelson or Cole's books, but also with the Italian words for numbers found in dates or the Italian words for the months. Some centers now have a way to copy records onto a flash drive, but you need to bring your own flash drive. Not all centers have this capability though. Their equipment is all different.

[maestra36]

Happy 4th to you too.
Peg

[carmine1917]

Check out this link from the familysearch.org http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/ ... eTab=Title

I agree with both of you, some records are impossible to read. I have seen records from various areas of Italy, some do have indexes, some do not. Some are easier to read than others. I have over 40 permanent films at my local FHC. Than when I went to my grandparents town in Sicily, the records were so clear and more information than on the films I have at the FHC. the microfilm readers at my FHC are old. Don't give up, i have had so much success at the FHC. Some records, well it just takes time and patience. I have seen people give up also and get frustrated.

[debbie365]

thanks i will be requesting those films on wednesday. i am very happy to have all of this help . each day i learn something new .i am doing this for my mom whos family has had so much tragic thing happen and she is happy when i find new info i wont give yp thank you much again i will shre my findings> sincerely debbie

[Joannsalvo]

Trust me, everyone is apprehensive at first. I started in 2005.
I remember saying, "I can't read these, I don' t know Italian.
I can't do this."
The surnames you are looking for are easy, well sort off.
But after a while and with the help of this site, you will be surprised at what you can do.
I made a spreadsheet with the English translation for the years and I was off and running. I now have my family tree going back to the 1700's.
This is also thanks to the FHC and the microfilms that they provide.
I do not need the spreadsheet any more.
It just takes practice and patience.

Take care,
Joann

[oilman19]

Joann, I must echo all that you said.
I started my journey 10 months ago. I went to the local FHS center, ordered a film, and waited.
When my 1st film arrived, I went to read it. I had no clue what to do. I found out they were in Italian. To say I was overwhelmed would be an understatement.
I met a person, of Italian heritage, at the center (not a volunteer, a researcher). He showed me how to load the microfilm onto the reader, where to find the names I was seeking, and basically how to get through the film. "What the h___ am I doing here" I asked myself. I then read the necessary guides to assist me and the rest is history.
Fortunately, my center has a scanner to enable the researcher to electronically scan the noted images I have discovered. I load these images onto my flash drive and have a permanent record to view at my leisure. I will eventually compare these images to info on my family tree to determine which ones I can immediately link to my tree.
I have rented approx. 15 films and scanned a couple thousand records over this time period. I have expanded my tree with hundreds of Italian records.
I don't mean to oversimplify the process. Without the help I have received, primarily on this forum, I could never have made the huge strides I have seen on my journey. I now translate many of my own records, although I still get confused often. Someone on the forum is always there to guide me. I have even reached a point where i am able to help someone else on the forum on occasion.
It is not an insurmountable task, is very rewarding, but requires a good amount of dedication. I work a full time job and visit the center whenever time permits.
Debbie, I want to wish you well and inform you that the posters on this forum remove bricks from the proverbial wall faster than your imagination will allow. I have found nothing that compares to IG.
GOOD LUCK

Jim

[cargor]

Hi..I also just started researching LDS microfilms. It really is easy enough to do. The only tough part is interpreting the language and getting used to the birth, marriage and death forms. I wish that I had the setup that oilman19 has to copy his records [not that I'm tech savy enough to do it]. The center I go to only has one printer [an old one] and it's hard to get at it sometimes when the center is busy. However, I did try using a digital camera and taking images of the records and they come out okay enough. The printed copies are better but if you are pressed for time, it's better than nothing. Just remember to turn off the flash on the camera otherwise the image won't show up. Good luck in your searching!