How do flash drive microfilm machines work?

[lilbees]

Squigy, you need to take a look again, the German records I referred to earlier is "Images Only" to be browsed. They are not indexed.

The listings are more specific than I have talked about. You would need to check which cities, etc. What I spoke of are new records that have been put online. Again, you can just put in a name and search that way but need to go through each image.

lilbees

[Squigy]

Squigy, you need to take a look again, the German records I referred to earlier is "Images Only" to be browsed. They are not indexed.

The listings are more specific than I have talked about. You would need to check which cities, etc. What I spoke of are new records that have been put online. Again, you can just put in a name and search that way but need to go through each image.

lilbees

Lilbees,

I was referring to records like these:

https://beta.familysearch.org/s/recordD ... u8TUc%253D


I can't seem to find the collection you're talking about. Could you provide a link?

Thanks!

[lilbees]

Nope what you showed is not it. You went past the first page.

On the main page of Beta Family Search

1. Scroll down to "Browse by Location"
2. Select Europe
3. Scroll down to (in this example)

Germany, Hessen, Darmstadt City Records Browse Images
You then select Event Type of records (in German) that you want to go through.

or any other available German City record images.

As I said earlier, none of the records are indexed.

Check out some of the other countries of interest to see if they have posted the images.

Working through them can be time consuming.

lilbees

[Squigy]

Nope what you showed is not it. You went past the first page.

On the main page of Beta Family Search

1. Scroll down to "Browse by Location"
2. Select Europe
3. Scroll down to (in this example)

Germany, Hessen, Darmstadt City Records Browse Images
You then select Event Type of records (in German) that you want to go through.

or any other available German City record images.

As I said earlier, none of the records are indexed.

Check out some of the other countries of interest to see if they have posted the images.

Working through them can be time consuming.

lilbees

Oh, I know it isn't what you were talking about, I was just saying they do have indexes, too. Although, as I said, the collection I mentioned doesn't have images or sources.

[oilman19]

You folks are getting me anxious. Aside from the convenience of searching from home, more and more of the better microfilm readers at the FHC are breaking with no promise of repair since they are obsolete and apparently the parts are not available, including the right bulbs.
It is very frustrating to pay the rental fees, adjust to the scant hours the center is open, and then have to find a machine with the right magnification, correct bulb, and still works.

So, I am holding out hope that my ancestral town will show up on line soon. I have gone from enthusiastic to frustrated trying to find the records I seek. I am willing to use Family Search or Ancestry to achieve my goals.

I am hoping for an early Christmas present.

[Squigy]

You folks are getting me anxious. Aside from the convenience of searching from home, more and more of the better microfilm readers at the FHC are breaking with no promise of repair since they are obsolete and apparently the parts are not available, including the right bulbs.
It is very frustrating to pay the rental fees, adjust to the scant hours the center is open, and then have to find a machine with the right magnification, correct bulb, and still works.

So, I am holding out hope that my ancestral town will show up on line soon. I have gone from enthusiastic to frustrated trying to find the records I seek. I am willing to use Family Search or Ancestry to achieve my goals.

I am hoping for an early Christmas present.

I'll be crossing my fingers for both of us!! I imagine your town will be online pretty soon, but again, we won't know till they actually release the records. Which should be soon, because the email said the beginning of the month.

[oilman19]

Ill be watching for Santa.

Thank you for the encouragement.

[Eleven]

When I began my genealogy in the early 90s, none of the readers at the FHL had the right lens to see the film. They let me use their reader/copier..because that had the proper lens. Although this was very convenient for me..it wasnt so convenient for the other people. Instead of walking over to the copier when they found something, they had to make a notation and wait for 15 minutes before closing (when I had to be off the copier), find what they wanted to copy on their films, then copy.

This went on for 2 years. Imagine? Two years, before they got ONE lens for a reader. By then, I was done. Even back then, the FHL wasnt too quick to provide what people needed and I KNOW my FHL was trying to get that lens.

Last year, I found online, a woman who had connections to my husband (in her genealogy). We were exchanging info..when I discovered, she had no copied documents to back herself up..she had only taken notes. She used the same FHL as I did. She told me the new rule there was NOBODY uses the copier except the volunteers. If you wanted copies, you had to wait for someone to do it for you. This insured that I would never go back to the FHL..even tho they had some records for my mothers town.

About ancestry records (for the towns that I need).

This might provide clues to everyone waiting for records.

For my mothers town (Rionero in Vulture), the FHL only has from 1865 back to early 1800s. They have had them for quite some time. They never added 1866 to 1900s (like I had see them do for my father in laws town). I couldnt figure out why.

I was thrilled, this summer to learn ancestry had the province of potenza. I quickly went to look. It looks to me like they have dozens of towns, some right near Rionero, but they had no records for Rionero. (and still dont). Ancestry seems to be putting out records from 1866-1900s.

At first, I thought that the records werent there, because the FHL doesnt have them.

Later, I figured out ..I dont think thats the case. These places that copy records (FHL and Ancestry) are getting them at the province level, not from the individual towns. If the province isnt holding those records, then nobody is going to go to these towns to get them. I doubt we will be seeing them, anyplace, any time soon.

I am not 100% sure of this, but this is how it looks to me. So..if the FHL has your town, there is a good chance that ancestry will put what you need out there (but only from 1866 to 1900s, they dont seem to be adding the earlier records at this time). But, if the FHL doesnt have them..I dont think Ancestry will either.

If somebody here thinks this isnt the case, please let me know. I have been so disappointed since I formed this conclusion.

[oilman19]

I fear that my enthusiasm would have turned to frustration much earlier if I had to deal with all that you describe. Without portraying a negative image of the nice people at the FHS, I am hard pressed to understand how microfilms can be rented to patrons, that must remain on the property at all times, but the necessary equipment to read the films is not always made available. Shouldn't they have the responsibility to warn the patrons that even though they rent the films, there are no guarantees they can be read or copied.

[Eleven]

They dont warn you, because they dont know. The volunteers are just regular people who have done their own genealogy (if they have done that much).

Since I was there for two years, and was doing Italian genealogy (which I had to figure out on my own, using a couple of books, since there was no net at the time) they had me help people with questions.

When I ordered my films, these FHL ladies had no idea that I wouldnt be able to view them on the readers. It wasnt until I put the first one in, couldnt see it, that they realized I needed a different lens..and lucky for me..the reader/copier had that lens.

Now, this isnt the case at every FHL. Before i found out about the FHL I ended up using for two years, I went to one an hour away. I ordered a couple of Italian films there. I was able to see those..they had the proper lens. But, they had the rule where the volunteer made the copies. Again I lucked out, because there was only one other person doing their genealogy. I think I only went to that FHL a couple of times..then used the other one.

Ya know..if I had to do it all over again today, I dont think I would be able to do it...or, I wouldnt have made any copies..just like that woman I met online.

And now..that I have experienced what its like doing it from home, using ancestry..nothing could entice me back to the FHL.

I cant stress enough..how clear and crisp the ancestry copies are. The copies I made at the FHL are black on gray and in some cases black on black. You can hardly see some of it. The ancestry copies are beautiful (that is..if one can find beauty in old documents). Not to mention..how easy it is to use..clicking is way easier than scrolling.

I only wish they would get the town I need..and somehow, I feel that they wont.

Once more..I used to say (way back then) that I would pay ANY price, to be able to view these Italian records at home. I never believed that would ever happen. This makes the ancestry fee..nothing. Doing this at the FHL is more expensive and inconvenient.

Oh..getting back to renting film. People would be wise to just rent one first. Make sure you can view it. I dont think the place gives refunds.

[Squigy]

Hi, Jim. Merry Christmas!

They have the Caserta records online! They do have both of our towns, but it seems the the (birth) records only go back to 1876

At any rate, I'm still really happy they have that on there.

Have a great Christmas!

[lilbees]

Eleven, I just received records from the comune that I have been waiting for about 2 years. Ironically, they sent duplicates of records I had received from the Archives in addition to new records that I was hoping for.

What a difference! The Archive records had no notations on them but the record copies I received from the comune had notations all over them. I would think this would support your conclusion that records were filmed at the Archive or Provincial level and not the comune.

I am now taking the chance that I can acquire more records from the comune by writing to the staffers in the Anagrafe office who responded to me. Interestingly, the Director had written me in also stated in a phone call that was made on my behalf, that they had no records prior to 1860. He must be on vacation and his staffers filled my order.

lilbees

[Eleven]

Thats why I dont think that the records for my mothers town will ever be online. I have gotten some records by writing to the town, also. When I first wrote, in the early 1990s, I got no reply. Then about 12 years ago, I tried again. This time, I was getting replies in 2 weeks, only, they were sending me extracts. (I guess thats because I didnt ask for copies..I just sent whatever formletter I had).

My problem is, what I really want..I cant get. I want the siblings of my grandparents. I have two for each and I am sure there are more, but without the names..I cant get them...and even if I had the names, it might take several attempts because they only look at the year you sent, plus the one before and the one after.

[oilman19]

Hi Squigy,

You have me excited.

Did you find my town on Family Search or Ancestry?

[Squigy]

Hi Squigy,

You have me excited.

Did you find my town on Family Search or Ancestry?

Hi, Jim.

Yes, your town (Santa Maria Capua Vetere, right?) is on Ancestry.com. I don't know about the marriage/death records but the birth records go back to 1876.