Family History Library

The mecca to all family history researchers. (Yes, that’s a joke.) This place is staffed with friendly and helpful volunteers who will assist you if you are a beginner. If you are advanced, you will not need their help. Many of the records are in the process of being digitized, but their collection of unpublished surname projects is unbelievable. The resources here are priceless. If you have any interest in your past, then come here. The official volunteers have never been preachy or proselytizing to me. However, I have been approached by other patrons and had a few awkward conversations. That is not the library’s responsibility. They have many computers for you to use. It’s all pretty amazing.

Being the #1 Trip Advisor attraction in SLC, I had to see what the big deal was. It is really a library geared to helping people find more about their ancestry. The library uses a variety of websites (that anyone can pay to have access to) for tracking family genealogy. I do recommend having some birth and death dates of family members if you really want to narrow down your search. I think the biggest benefit is having staff volunteers really assist you in your search. I might come back here with guests but having started the research, I can continue the rest at home or another library in the area.

We came here with some family members, it was pretty busy but they managed to find us a few computers together. The young man that was helping us was a little impatient, but if you don’t have someone helping you for the first time it’s a little hard to navigate. I didn’t like the fact that people who you are linked to don’t show up on your family tree unless they’re dead. My cousin & I were sitting right next to each other, linked to the same grandparents & didn’t show up on each other’s family tree. The young man explained that it’s because we’re both still alive… the good part is that once you’ve signed up you can access it from home so you don’t have to go back there to make any adjustments/​additions.

Unable to reach on phone. Just a run around on voice recordings. Worse than hunting the dead. Trying to get a hold of these guys.

If you’re serious about researching your family tree, I’d suggest going to the National Archives.
But I am in SLC for an event and thought I’d check this out since it got a lot of good reviews, but I found out that there are mistakes in their database (people in the wrong spots) and some of my aunts and uncles are missing. Accuracy of information, I’d give a grade of D (on an A to F scale).
The first guy who helped me was nerdy LDS guy (who knew?) and the second person who helped me was more skilled in the verbal department, but I spent about 2 hours looking and found dead ends with no real answers.
You’re asked to fill out your family tree as best you can, so I gave THEM information on my family which is now in their database. So I spent those 2 hours adding info for their benefit, not gleaning info from them (as is implied in their intro video). If I could do over, I would have skipped this and gone to the public library.

I cannot believe you could visit this place and manage to complain. No matter what your opinion of the LDS faith may be, they have given the world an incredible gift in the form of this library.
I am currently here doing genealogical research on family in Poland. There can be significant challenges with research pertaining to Poland, due to the destruction and movement of records during World War II, frequently changing borders (Poland has variously been Prussia, Germany, Russia, Poland, you get the idea) and then changes in the languages spoken within those borders, depending on who the oppressor du jour was (your Polish ancestor may, for instance, have been considered one of many Germans coming to America). For these reasons, many Polish people lose the trail once it gets back to Poland.
Again, say what you will, but if a church is going to send a bunch of missionaries all over the world, at least they thought to have them put a bunch of ancient records on microfilm. I’ll be eternally grateful for that.
No problem. The Family History Library has it more than covered. When I arrived yesterday, I was shown a very brief orientation video. It was very helpful, and what alerted me to the fact that so many records from within Poland were available in the first place. I was then ushered to a Sister born in the Ukraine, who speaks German, Polish, Latin and Russian, so she could help me search for and read whatever documents I found. There are also certified, professional genealogists on staff who will just help you. FOR FREE. This is all FOR FREE. You literally have a team of people helping you make the most of your time, for free.
I cannot thank the volunteers and staff at this place enough.

18 years looking forward to go and when I finally get the opportunity… I had a horrible experience. I had a person that was more interested in getting my husband to find all his a ancestry although he wasn’t even looking or interested. I knew some Argentinians didn’t like Mexican nationals, but this was ridiculous… As soon as that lady who «helped» us found I was looking through the Mexican archives, she immediately started treating me badly and placed her focus on husband who is from the US. It was so harsh I even startef to think she had a romantic interest in my husband… she completely concentrated her attention on him even though my husband kept telling her that we made the trip exclusively for me, so I could get help with my difficult italian/​iberian/​mexican ancestry.
They shouldn’t advertise they can help any nationality if they don’t want to do it. I drove 900 miles to get a 2^nd class citizen treatment… it broke my heart… I’m very disappointed.

I started working on my family tree back in 1995. I finally had a reason to travel to SLC in 2012 to do some research at the Family History Library. It is amazing!
The best advice I can give you is to make sure you are focused during your visit. I wasn’t…I was rather scatterbrained and spent too much time jumping from this branch of my tree to another because I was so excited about being at the library. Come prepare and stay focused!
I learned a lot from the volunteers especially about census records. A man helped me find my Great Uncle’s naturalization paperwork. It was so cool to hold a copy of this paperwork he filled out 90+ years ago. The papers also filled in some gaps and answered some questions I’ve had for 15+ years.
I’d love to take a trip back when we have a chance. This time I will stay focused! :) easier said then done because I am so easily distracted by shiny objects.

Love this place. Too helpful, never an issue! They have volunteers who speak several languages and are very help. You can spend about 8 – 12 hours here a day just researching and the volumes of micro-​film is incredible! I plan a yearly trip to this place.

In town for a weeks’ conference. Spent most of the time at the library. I had a list of about 600 films to scan. Got thru about half of them.
Pros:
1. Relatively well laid out. The 2^nd floor has clear zones for computers, hand-​powered microfilm readers (if you’re into building up your arm muscles) as well as the ScanPro scanners/​printers as well as the aisles of microfilms.
2. Bathrooms are very clean and maintained.
3. Lockers are cheap — 10 cents for all day (one time in, one time out) usage.
Cons:
1. The ScanPro microfilm readers/​scanners are in an area manned by overly zealous volunteers. If you so much as make eye contact with any of them, they immediately descend on you (like sharks) with «Hello, let me show you how to do that» or «Do you need my help?». That’s all well and good for those who don’t know how to use the machines, but heaven help you if you do and you decline their help. I have my own method of scanning, which is not their method and they at first refused to give me an open take-​up reel because I had the skinny microfilm «Oh no, you can’t use that reel with that film». Well, excuse me but the normal take-​up reel a) takes too much time to load and b) is hard on hands and fingers with arthritis. Oh, and don’t leave your seat or else they will clean up the area, take away the take-​up reel, remove your personal property etc.
2. I felt like wearing a t-​shirt with «No thanks, I don’t need your help» on the back just to get them to stop bugging me.
3. Food room is filled with vending machines filled with overly processed chemicals masquerading as «food». If you value your health, bring your own food in a cooler and keep it in the lockers.
4. Hours of operation is incorrect. They do NOT close at 9pm. Everyone is kicked out at 8:45pm. Why say you’re open until 9 if the reality is 8:45?
5. Your time on the ScanPro machines is limited to 30 minutes. That’s OK, except it takes 10 minutes to locate the films (and you are only allowed to take out 5 at a time) and to put them back. That leaves you with 10 minutes to go thru the films. Not enough time when you have to locate the item, adjust it, scan it and rewind it. Heaven help you if you go over, because then the «ScanPro Police» tell you that you can’t «camp out» at a machine. That’s understandable when others are waiting to use the machines, but its ridicuous if its late and you’re the only one in the machine area. FLEXIBLITY, people, FLEXIBILITY. Sometimes it makes sense to bend the rules to make a customer happy. Unless of course, you are male and wearing a suit. They didn’t bother the 2 young men who sat on the microfilm readers for a good 1 – 2 hours every night I was there. You would think that in a place that has sooooooooo many volunteers, they at least could help us out by reshelving the films and give us a few more minutes when copying.
6. If you do ask one of the volunteers for help, it’s like they’re programmed to recite a checklist of questions. If you tell them you’ve already looked in A, B, C, D, E and F for your information and what do you need to do next… the first question out of their mouths is «Let’s check A». They don’t listen to you telling them you’ve already done it. They have to waste my time checking for themselves. So I stopped asking for help. It’s just too frustrating.
Guess I’ll just have to settle with online ordering of what I want. No hassles that way (except for the 2 months it takes to get the copies).

If you’re into genealogy, everyone tells you the library is a must-​visit. I am, and so when I got the opportunity to stay with friends in the area, I flew out.
The library facility itself is nice — very clean, hi-​tech, lots of equipment (microfilm machines). There’s also lots of help available for every little question you might have. And it’s all free, so you can’t beat the price. The publications and microfilms are all very, very well organized.
I brought several families I was working on, for myself and also for friends, and I did find a couple of items (a will and a book) that were simply not available elsewhere. I was able to go through a ton of Pennsylvania church record books, more than I’ve seen anywhere else.
Maybe it was my frustration at not finding anything useful in those books, but I’m not convinced the library is worth the trip, if you have to do any more than drive. Many of the books I saw were things that can be found fairly easily online. A lot of the other records are also online, or will be soon enough (thanks, FamilySearch!)
What I did find that was useful, I already knew what I was looking for and that it existed. I guess if you’ve done your homework and plan very well, you could have a productive visit that’s worth the travel costs. I think dollar for dollar, for myself, it makes more sense to simply write away for the things I need, and search online.
Certainly if you have another reason to be in Salt Lake City, stop by the library, leaving plenty of time, and with a list of items you want to see. You never know.

A trip to this library was my Christmas present from my husband. We planned and organized our stuff, checked their website to get prepared and then spent 32 hours over 4 days researching their collection. We have decided to make it an annual trip.
When you arrive for the first time, let them know at the front desk. They will give you a «first time visitor» name tag to wear, show you a brief orientation video, then give you an orientation to their computer system. After that, you are off to research! They have 4 floors open to research, one dedicated to the British Isles, one to the US and Canada documents, one to the US and Canada books and one to all other countries. The missionaries were so helpful and kind. Whenever we had a question about anything one was there immediately to either answer are question or to take us to someone who could.
There are professional genealogists on staff as well, who will listen to your questions and point you in the right direction to perform your own research. Prior to our visit to the library we had no idea how important immigration records are!
You may bring a flash drive and download documents you find to it to take home with you. You may also purchase a prepaid copy card, copies cost 5 cents each, and make hard copies. They have lockers available to store your stuff in during the day or hen you go to lunch. They cost 10 cents each. There is lots of parking available, but we think the best is a lot just one block north of the library. You can park there for $ 8 per day.
You can tell that lots of thought has gone into this library.

They claim to have the dutch Reform Baptism Records for South Africa. There are huge holes in their baptism and marriage records. No doubt because there are three branches of the Dutch Reform Church in South Africa. The folks in South Africa at the real church offices are wonderful people who located my baptism record in a matter of days. I was discouraged because
is not up front on how incomplete their records are. Thanks to the real church in SA a conditional baptism to become Catholic is not needed.

Everyone was helpful, but you have to come prepared!

This is like the hub of all family history right? Sure seems like it. I’m not into family history but I did come through and read stuff on the walls, talk to some of the folks around, it was an overall great experience. People were extremely kind and helpful really wanting me to get some work done, which I truthfully had no intention of. But I did enjoy the stories that were being shared with me from the workers. Who doesn’t like a nice person? From the looks of the other reviews it seems like the actual family history part of the library is equally impressive.

For the 15+ years that I’ve been doing genealogy — be it squatting in weedy cemeteries, wearing out my welcome at the interlibrary loan desk, badgering both strangers and cousins, or just sitting in my jammy-​pants at midnight clicking through
— I have long dreamed of visiting the genealogy holy ground: The Family History Library in Salt Lake City. This summer I finally booked the flights, prepared my notes, and went to see the wizard.
The short version: if you can’t find it here, you’ll be hard pressed to find it anywhere. And the things you can find here… oo la la.
Am I so ebullient because I got lucky and took my family back to Charlemagne? Pft. Did that yonks ago. Actually, I hardly found ANY new people during my visit, but that’s more about my past efforts (toot-​toot! there goes my horn) than any lack on the FHL’s part. I did get to eliminate several sources I could only find here (they don’t lend books to the FHCs), and I also investigated sources from online researchers that sometimes turned out to be miscited or incorrectly interpreted, so although my «people collecting» was minimal, I still came home with plenty of new ideas. It’s all a process.
That said, my husband — the newbie — added 3 – 4 generations back in almost every direction with solid primary source documentation and some great stories, mysteries, and ideas of where to go next. JACKPOT!
New or experienced, a single trip to the FHL will shave years off research done any other way. Yes, even if you use Ancestry. Ancestry is great, and their mobile app was a must-​have accessory for my FHL trip, but they cannot compete with 2.3 million rolls of microfilm and so many new books being added every month. Don’t even get me started on Ancestry’s shoddy indexing. Again, I pay for Ancestry and wring it dry, but it’s not the FHL. It’s not even a tiny fraction of it.
Neither are the library’s satellite FHCs: three-​roll microfilm limit, paying for each roll, waiting for each roll, very limited hours of operation, waiting for the one reader that prints well (or some other issue)… good, but not even close to what the mothership can do.
As a lone wolf who’s been scared off by «more DAR than thou» types at other libraries, I wasn’t planning to talk to the FHL staff. But guess what? They’re amazing. They don’t preach (religion or research methods). As I listened to them help patrons, I heard nothing but patience, interest, and sincere kindness. I couldn’t believe how willing they were to sit down and work side-​by-​side with people, never fazed by frustrated or rambling patrons. In just my short time there, I saw them do this in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Swedish, and sign language. Sign language!
After hearing several other people ask for translations, I got my husband ask if someone could read the faded, squiggly German on a marriage document. (I don’t like to be a bother, but I also reaaally wanted to know what this record said.) The people who translated for us seemed as interested in our ancestors as if they were their own. I truly felt like everyone was there to support our goals and to help us get the most out of every resource we used. (Yes, even a pants-​wearing heathen like myself.) Anyone who finds the library confusing (hard to imagine, but perhaps some are overwhelmed) shouldn’t hesitate to make a friend at the info desk, where the staff is always warm, respectful, and lighthearted.
My favourite part of the FHL has to be that you can save anything on microfilm or in a book to a flash drive. I saved about 300 pages of church records to peruse later at home. For free! If you want hard copies, just buy a copy card from a vending machine. So efficient.
Every level has banks of computers to look at the catalog, subscription databases, and records the FHL has already digitized. Each level has copiers for both film and paper. On levels with books, someone is always reshelving them as soon as they are put back. Every film reader (most are hand-​crank) was working, with special left-​handed and magnified options available. Pencils and paper are everywhere.
I traveled light: ring of index cards with film/​call numbers I’d looked up on the website beforehand (
— you can order vault films there, too), a pencil, and a smartphone for taking photos and consulting my family tree (using the Ancestry app). But if you want to haul in a file cabinet of rolling luggage, plenty of people do that, too. Lockers are available. Outlets for laptops abound.
The only downside is that I couldn’t get AT&T cell service and the FHL wifi was too squirrely to run apps on my phone, but that could’ve just been me.
Pretty much all of YOUR recorded family history (besides the things only Grandma can tell you) is sitting there in Salt Lake City, and it’s completely, totally free. Draw a star on a Post-​It and stick it to your monitor, because five stars isn’t enough for this national treasure.

I love visting Temple Square in Salt Lake… something about the whole place just makes me happy.
I always wanted to visit the Family History Library. I am a history nut and being able to look up stuff about my personal family history really had me interested.
For some reason it seemed like every single time I visited the Temple and wanted to go the Library was either closed or closing.
I finally got to visit one day and was darn impressed. For first time visitors they have you watch a nice video explaining some basic info about the Library and how it works and then they set you off to do your research.
Now I will tell you that it seemed like there are a good number of «regulars» there and I did feel a little out of place in my shorts and t-​shirt but it didnt really bother me. Temple Square as a whole is the number one visited tourist destination in Utah so I assume they are used to that sort of thing.
The only reason I give it 4 and not 5 stars is that the resources are very confusing for the first time user. There are many different resources and the user interface is a little out of date. But other than that I had an awesome experience spending time learning about my family.
I plan to return and spend lots more time finding out all the «interesting» stuff about my family.
Thats right… interesting.
:0)

Summary based on 1 visit:
–free
–great, helpful genealogy resource, regardless of religion
–extensive resources, including international civil and church records on microfilm, including, for example, Roman Catholic baptism records from Europe in Latin and the local language.
–many computers with web access in case youve done and recorded research previously, but didn’t bring it with you
–two hour free street parking a couple of blocks away

BIG does not mean better if you can’t find anything.
Honestly? I was not that impressed.
My short summary? Save the money on the trip… put it into
, and hit it hard. Then go to local family history libraries that can request films and books shipped in then wait for them to come in.
Let me start with one thing that bothered me. Because ALL the LDS women wear skirts? If you are a woman and you do not wear a skirt? EVERYONE knows you are NOT from there. This is seriously a safety concern.
We were instantly targeted as a tourist. We got hit up for money CONSTANTLY. We got hit up for money on the street, at a very nice HOTEL (we had points, was free) in our own parking lot! It was positively nauseating, if not a little scary for someone who is uncomfortable with that. We did not even look that different… I was just not wearing an ugly, awful skirt.
Ugh…anyway…
…back to why I was disappointed in the Family History Library.
First, this is the biggest genealogy library in the world. You can’t beat that, right? But, because it was not organized well? I was not able to find much. I think that takes talent to be that unintuitive… but, they achieved that. I walked away after 3 solid days with only one new piece of information.
Let me clarify. I am on
, I am in with all kinds of free and paid memberships. I am good at what I do, and, of course, I still have harder mysteries to figure out… like Irish connections.
I discovered more on my own at home — than at that Family History Library in SLC, considering the time spent there. I walked out of there with one (1) piece of data. THAT is PATHETIC. I am still in shock that that was ALL that was yielded after busting my a** to drive there (12+ hours), do three (3), solid, hard days of research, and then drive home again. Thank god the hotel was free due to hotel points from mom.
Knowing what I know now? I might go but 1.) I would not go out of my way to go there. 2.) I would focus in other areas and simply hit the county specific shelves. You know, pour over the cemetery books, ect, for Linn County, IA… then move on to Ulster Co., NY.
Some volunteers were awesome and genuine. Many others seemed like they looked down on myself and my husband because we are not «one of them».
I was told, and I got the sense real quick that I knew more than anyone with a black and white badge and simply stopped asking.
The ones to save your questions for? The ones with a business type badge that has a photo of the person on it. They are employees behind the library counters who have a background in library stuff.
I see it this way:
I pay them to use Ancestry (the LDS church «owns”/runs
) and I work hard on my family tree… which then plugs the pieces together to reach their goal of one giant family tree, or whatever they believe. I do not take well to being looked down upon because I am not one of them. Don’t *even* get me started on righteous people. I am a person who will do anything for you… provided you are not an a** to me. Maybe that is more of a rant… but, it is honestly what I felt when there.
The searching tools they had? ie: Their computer website to look up documents? They were SO NOT intuitive. Thank god
is not that obnoxious to figure out (just hard to edit unless you have Family Tree Maker which I had to return because it would not work with an emulator!).
My husband did not like the placement of the youngest, prettiest girls at the places that gave tours. (he reviewed it)
Aside from that?
It was a VERY odd town. Gorgeous, they have better taste in building structures than most white people (I am white so calm down, people)…but, it was a freaky a** town.
I was so looking forward to this. You have NO IDEA how much as I live and breathe genealogy… but, it was just a super big disappointment.
My husband gave it very good reviews. I am not sure what the hell happened to him. He was there with me. He had a hard time searching their databases, too… he said he did not like the righteous attitude he often got from «the Elders». He *hated* that we could not simply get there without getting hit up for money.
I think if you LIVE there and get to know how the hell they organized this place? You might get something out of it. But for most people who only have a few days to spend? It did not yield enough. Maybe they created it for people who are not seasoned genealogists like me. If you walk in knowing nothing? You will be thrilled with what you find. But, hell, I can find all that for you without any of us ever leaving our couches.
NOTE. I did *NOT* deduct any stars simply because I know more than the volunteers. Not at all. I am good at what I do, and I had a hell of a time navigating. I rarely took breaks… all I did was research for days. Even at night I researched more so as to make the most out of the next da

Great resource for finding ones family history. Spent 4 days researching. The volunteer staff is extremely helpful and will go out to their way to help one track down family history. I was amazed seeing books dating back to the 1400’s. Didn’t help in my family search but amazing it is in the library. Well worth the trek out to Utah for serious genealogy research.