A Visit to the Family History Library

I was able to visit the Family History Library in Salt Lake City in September, something I've been wanting to do for many years but never had time. It was amazing! You've never seen so many microfilm rolls in one place. The building is located in the pretty downdown area (near Temple Square).

The Pros:
Hours are reasonable and parking isn't too much of a problem (free on Saturday). The library has five floors: US books (3rd), US films (2nd), family histories (Main), Europe and Latin America (B1), UK & Ireland (B2). There are dozens of computers on each floor - scores of film readers - row after row of research materials. There was a whole section with special documents that don't ever leave the FHL - so if you wanted to view one of those, you'd obviously need to go there. The people who work there are very nice and I saw several of them assisting newbies - and making some progress. I spent three full days there - taking breaks out in the Square and eating nearby. Each evening I checked out something nearby before heading back to my hotel (Mormon Tabernacle Choir, LDS Church History Museum and some of the historic buildings and art - all very interesting). Salt Lake City is a great place to visit!

The Cons:
After the visit, it is my honest opinion that only a hard-core genealogy nut would actually enjoy a trip to the FHL. Most of the material that was easily accessible to the average visitor can be ordered through a local Family History Center. A lot of the resources that I used while there were on the computers! To maximize your success, you also need to prepare for weeks to be ready for the trip - it isn't something you can decide to do on the spur of the moment as you pass through town on I-15. I was fortunate because I was doing a surname survey, which meant I powered through every book I could and wrote down all the listings I found on that last name. I did attempt to locate something for a friend, but was overwhelmed by the size, scope and sheer magnitude of everything that was available (can you say "kid in the candy store"). A visit to the place is definitely Big League Genealogy - not for the weary-eyed or easily discouraged.

If you plan to take a genealogy research vacation to the FHL, I recommend you utilize their website to prepare. You will want to be prepared to use every available minute looking at specific microfilms or books - and not be sidetracked by the shiny computers! I am aware of the irony: this is a blog about online genealogy. But, as you've seen from earlier posts, I'm also a supporter of pursuing the hands-on resources whenever possible. If any others of you have ever visited the Library, please post something about your trip in the reader comments. For the rest of you, put it on your "Bucket List." Happy hunting!