Ancestry and Familysearch

[clematised]

Mormon church’s FamilySearch joins forces with Ancestry.com

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/56830408-79/ancestry-records-com-online.html.csp

When will Familysearch records stop being free

Edna

[Olde Crone Holden]

I knew about this and it doed worry me.

However, I THINK that the church records on the LDS site will always be free because of the terms under which they were gathered. They (the Mormons) were given permission to film the records on the strict understanding that such records would always be available to ANYONE, of any or no faith, free of charge. I'm not sure whether that means they have to maintain a website though.......

OC

[Caroline]

There's some information here on their blog:

https://familysearch.org/blog/en/familysearch-ancestrycom-working-records-online/

https://familysearch.org/blog/en/familysearch-ancestry-partnership-frequently-asked-questions/

[clematised]

Thanks for the link Caroline

Edna

[PhotoFamily]

I wonder if the model for the partnership will be similar to that with FMP: familysearch carries the index to the record, and access to the index is free, but to see the image - and the details - you must go to the pay site.

[kylejustin]

seems to be that they ancestry will upload the images, whether you can view them or just the transcripts on familysearch is the bone of contention. they have partnered with FMP on the welsh records, you can find them on familysearch but the images are on FMP.

someone was saying it is a benfeit to both companies, as ancestry will pay for the costs of releasing more records, and familysearch volunteers will transcribe the records, so ancestry doesn't need to pay foreigners to transcribe, hopefully making the transcripts correct.

[Janet in Yorkshire]

I'm very interested to read everyone's comments.

One thought I had was that it's only fairly recently that we've been able to view any images or detailed transcriptions on familysearch. Previously we regarded the site as a source indicator, reminding people that it was a useful tool which gave us clues as to precisely when and where we should look in the original records.
The internet age has made us expect ALL records to be put on line and NOW, and all accessible from our homes. The more that goes on line carries the danger of assumptions that "if it's there, it's got to be right" - with the old IGI (the original backbone of familysearch) we always knew there was three times as much information NOT included as there was in the database.

Another thought is that, at present, admittance to public libraries and record offices is FREE, but paid for indirectly out of public funds. If they are not used, or usage declines, then funding could be withdrawn. There is so much material in these places, it could never all be available on line - we must ensure it doesn't become "you didn't use it, so you lose it."

Jay

[Olde Crone Holden]

Janet

Yes, I agree. The LDS to ME has always been the place where you could hire the film of the original record and the online website was/is merely a sort of catalogue and finding aid, a very useful one too.

My uneasinessd is that the LDS do not actually own the images of parish registers, the church own the copyright and the LDS were allowed to film on a not for profit basis.

The LDS church is a registered charity and until now, they have been scrupulously careful to keep their free charitable work completely seperate from Ancestry, which is the commercial arm of the LDS church. I for one do not like the merging of the boundaries.

OC