Familysearch website clunky and unreliable

[Gen List Lass]

I've been looking for miscellaneous records on Familysearch and after drilling down through several menus and ticking the box for Records Online (NOT those is Family History Centre) all I get are the records you can only see in Family History Centres. Why doesn't the filter work properly?

Gen in NBL UK

[goldie61]

If you could give a couple of examples of what has happened, we might be in a better position to offer an explanation.
In my experience, I've always found the familysearch website really good.

[Gen List Lass]

goldie

Here is my latest attempt

Catalogue
Search for place                Bellingham, Northumberland, availability Online
Church records             chose one below
Bellingham parish chest records 1793-1861
    To view digital images of these England, Northumberland, Cumberland, Durham, Miscellaneous
    Records, click here. Not available on microfilm.
Clicked on "here"
Result     "England, Northumberland, Cumberland, Durham, Miscellaneous Records, 969-2007"
"View Images in this Collection        Browse through 357,910 images"
 "Clicked on Browse through Images
Then clicked on "Northumberland
Then clicked on "Bellingham"
Then clicked on "Churchwardens Minutes 1793-1821"

I got the dreaded "To view these images do one of the following:
Access the site at a family history center."

An awful lot of choosing and clicking only to find it's not "online" as it states right at the beginning.

Before Covid, I could look at these at the Northumberland Archives ten minutes away. Now we are limited to any online resources. I am aware some of the records are not public because of the owner's stipulations. Is this a case of mis-filing?

Gen in NBL UK

[Tickettyboo]

I know its frustrating and feels like one of those game shows where the presenter points at a wonderful prize and tell the failed contestant 'This is what you 'could' have won!' :-)
However . . .

Anything in the LDS catalogue that has been digitised is 'online', so technically the filter is working as I assume it was intended.

 'Online' is not the same as can be viewable by any logged in user, from anywhere in the world.

I am unsure but think that 'perhaps' church members can see at least some of the restricted records as they would have a specific, church membership login.  As the LDS fund the whole shebang its not unreasonable for the site to be primarily aimed at church members - though its super for the rest of us that they share what they are allowed to.
 Though you can't see them unless you go to an FHC its at least telling you they exist and are freely available if /when the FHCs re-open.
The restrictions are decided upon by the record holders not the LDS and many people have a lot better chance of getting to a fairly local FHC than getting to the various archives where the records are held.

Boo

[Gen List Lass]

Thanks Boo

As you say "online" is ambiguous in this context, maybe they should replace it with "digitised but not available online to the public"

I have recently found that by going to "images" in the FS gateway, it will take you to actual images but, once again you need patience. At least they are THERE and you can see them without a visit to an archive. The images are not searchable and several places will be on the same film.

I AM grateful that LDS provide access to so many other resources but as a very technology savvy institution, they can be very old-school at times. (Remember the "new" version of the IGI that was very much worse than the old one?)

Sorry, rant over, it's a lovely sunny crisp day, I'm going out for a walk :-)

Gen in NBL UK

[Tickettyboo]

Hi Gen

lol nope! 'online' is not ambiguous, they 'are' online and the site is, not unreasonably, designed for church members, not the general public.

https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/2064374?availability=Family%20History%20Library

That is the catalogue entry for the records you quoted as an example.
The key above the camera icon tells you the record is locked (not available outside an FHC) the text highlighted in grey headed About this record explains the possible reasons why.

You can actually take it as read that just about any FS record images from Northumberland and Durham (with the exception of the BTs etc which are in the custody of Palace Green Library) are under strict restrictions placed by the relevant archives.

From what I can gather the thinking behind the archives putting these restrictions in place is that it would take income away from them.
Realistically what they are doing is severely restricting their potential income by limiting their customer base to those within the immediate area - if they had a subscription/ppv site they would have a worldwide customer base and subsequent increase in income.

They do an a remote order facility which I have used a lot -  £4.50 for a super digital image. But still no online ordering/payment system :-( I can pay over the telephone by card as I am in the UK, but the only other options are post a cheque or your credit card details.

Someday, maybe they will move into the same century as the rest of us.

Boo