Free copies of PRs from FamilySearch ?

[jillruss]

A fellow Rootschatter has just informed me that Family Search do a free copying service of any entries in parish registers which are featured on their site.

https://lds.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_9tdS7lqbTCW30kR

This is news to me. Has anyone used it? Is it really free? Sorry to be so jaundiced, but I'm finding that hard to believe in this day and age. 

I'd be really interested to know more.

Jill

[stanmapstone]

All requests for information copied from films, book pages, CDs, marriage, death or birth certificates, wills and/or deeds, etc. will be copied in digital format and emailed to patrons in a zipped PDF or JPG file format. There is no charge for this service if we are able to email to information to patrons.
See https://familysearch.org/blog/en/policy-change-patrons-requesting-photocopies-family-history-library-salt-lake-city-utah/

Stan

[jillruss]

Have you used it, Stan?

[stanmapstone]

No, I did not know about until I saw Jill's post.

Stan

[sunflower]

Hi Jill

I was also told about it from another rootschatter.

I requested a copy of a marriage dated 1840 last week.  I filled the form in but haven't heard back yet, so will let you know if & when I do.  If it is true it would save us all a fortune in certificates.  I'm keeping an open mind at the moment.

Carol

[davidft]

I think the bit most people are missing is this

Photoduplication is a service provided to FamilySearch patrons who would like copies of records or pages in books that can be found in the Family History Library, but not elsewhere.

As most of the records the LDS has are available elsewhere that would say to me that most of the images they have will not be provided free by them as they are available elsewhere. When you think about this, this makes sense as if you go to a LDS family history centre you have to pay for copies

[jillruss]

I think the bit most people are missing is this

Photoduplication is a service provided to FamilySearch patrons who would like copies of records or pages in books that can be found in the Family History Library, but not elsewhere.

As most of the records the LDS has are available elsewhere that would say to me that most of the images they have will not be provided free by them as they are available elsewhere. When you think about this, this makes sense as if you go to a LDS family history centre you have to pay for copies

I can see the point you're making, davidft, and I'm still very doubtful that it is a free service. However, surely all the (legitimate) records on FS have been copied from registers and therefore are available elsewhere? On that basis, what is the point of offering this service at all? 

Jill

[davidft]

I think the bit most people are missing is this

Photoduplication is a service provided to FamilySearch patrons who would like copies of records or pages in books that can be found in the Family History Library, but not elsewhere.

As most of the records the LDS has are available elsewhere that would say to me that most of the images they have will not be provided free by them as they are available elsewhere. When you think about this, this makes sense as if you go to a LDS family history centre you have to pay for copies

I can see the point you're making, davidft, and I'm still very doubtful that it is a free service. However, surely all the (legitimate) records on FS have been copied from registers and therefore are available elsewhere? On that basis, what is the point of offering this service at all? 

Jill

I will be interested to see what response people get, I might even send in a request myself.

I do think the initial intention was only to provide copies of hard to obtain records eg in books out of print, records not generally publicly available etc

[Guy Etchells]

A fellow Rootschatter has just informed me that Family Search do a free copying service of any entries in parish registers which are featured on their site.

https://lds.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_9tdS7lqbTCW30kR

This is news to me. Has anyone used it? Is it really free? Sorry to be so jaundiced, but I'm finding that hard to believe in this day and age. 

I'd be really interested to know more.

Jill

The first thing you should remember Jill is that the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pay tithes to allow the Church to host family search and film/digitise all the records they hold.

Part of this service is free access to patrons.
In the past any additional costs, such as postage would be past on to the patron requiring the service, as still happens if a patron requests a film or microfiche loan.

I believe the present free duplication service is an email service where the scans are emailed to you.

Please remember the members of the LDS Church are actually paying the costs involved.
Cheers
Guy