Saturday, April 26, 2025

Know the FamilySearch Website: Unlock its Max Potential  
to Accelerate Your Research

IGS instructors will present four sessions about how to dig deep into the website to get the most effective results. AND you’ll learn how to use the newest FamilySearch tools featured at RootsTech 2025.

FamilySearch launched Full-Text search a year ago and it’s a game changer in the world of genealogy research. Everyone should be searching the records now available in full-text search. Learn how at the conference.

Session 1 — Get Started with the FamilySearch Family Tree

The FamilySearch Family Tree is a free, collaborative platform where users can build, connect, and document their family history. This presentation will introduce the basics of navigating the Tree, adding and editing information, and attaching sources to create a well-documented family record. Attendees will learn essential tips for avoiding common pitfalls and using this powerful genealogical tool. Presenter: Stacy Weaver

Session 2 — Navigate Historical Records and the FamilySearch Catalog 
FamilySearch started microfilming records in 1938 and created 2.8 million rolls of film. They transitioned to digital cameras for new records and have completed the scanning and digitizing of all the old microfilm. There are now over 14 billion records and images available online. Much of them have been indexed and can be accessed through a Records Search. There are other unindexed records that you can find through a Catalog Search.  And currently, record collections being added to FamilySearch do not appear in the catalog but must be searched through Images. This session will teach you how to use all three of these sources—Records, Catalog, and Images. Presenter: Theresa Liewer

Session 3 — Unlock Family History with the FamilySearch Wiki
The FamilySearch Wiki is a powerful and often underutilized resource that provides location-specific research guidance, historical context, and links to essential records. This presentation will explore how to navigate the Wiki effectively, uncover hidden genealogical gems, and use it as a roadmap for research in U.S. and international records. Attendees will learn strategies for leveraging the Wiki to break down brick walls and enhance their family history discoveries. Presenter: Stacy Weaver

Session 4 — Discover Hidden Records with FamilySearch Full-Text Search
 The new FamilySearch Full-Text Search feature allows researchers to explore digitized records in a whole new way, searching beyond indexed fields to find names, places, and keywords within historical documents. This presentation will demonstrate how to effectively use this tool, refine search strategies, and uncover valuable records that may have been previously overlooked. Attendees will learn how this feature enhances genealogical research by providing deeper access to unindexed and hard-to-find historical sources. Presenter: Sheri Snodgrass

Join the conference at the IGS Library in the East Village of Des Moines or join on Zoom.

All sessions will be recorded and available to all registrants for a limited time after the conference.  

We are extending the library hours before the conference. We will be open Friday, April 25th until 7:00 pm.