What's is New In Family Search-February 2016

Thank You Family Search Blogger-Steve Anderson!

What’s New on FamilySearch—February 2016

February 23, 2016 By Steve Anderson

Each month, FamilySearch publishes a list of new changes and updates to the FamilySearch.org website. This list includes changes to Family Tree as well as other parts of FamilySearch.org. In some cases, these changes will also be published as individual articles where the need to do so exists.

Recently Released

Descendancy View: Add Spouses and Children

You can now add spouses and children when you are using the Descendancy view. If you choose to display the Add People option, plus signs appear by the names of the people. If the plus sign is gray, the Add function is disabled. You will need to expand the family to enable the Add functionality.

Click the arrow next to the person to expand the family. When the family is expanded, you will see a black plus sign. A black plus sign means that you can add a spouse or child.

The add options include add a spouse, add a child to the person and the person’s spouse, or add a child with an unknown mother or father. When you click a black plus sign, you will see a pop-up indicating what people can be added. Click the option you need.

This feature is on by default. If you don’t want the option to appear, click the Descendancy icon. Then click Show in the upper right. To unselect the option, click the Add People box .

Family Tree: Change the Order of the Sections on a Person’s Details Page

You can now change the order of the sections on a person’s details page. The smaller sections on the right can also be collapsed or reordered.

Just click the gear icon (located in the upper right) so you can reorder the sections. (When you click the gear icon, hash marks appear in the upper right of each section, and the gear icon spins.) You can drag the sections to the order you prefer. You may find it easier to drag a section to a new position if you collapse it first. When you have finished, click the gear icon again to save your changes.

The way to expand and collapse a section is now an arrow rather than text that says “Open” or “Close.” If the arrow points down, the section is expanded and displays all the information for that section. If the arrow points to the right, the section is collapsed. To see the information in a collapsed section, click the arrow.

Memories Gallery

We have been testing a new gallery concept for organizing artifacts you uploaded to FamilySearch.org. After extensive testing and user feedback, we are now releasing the new gallery to all FamilySearch users.

In addition to the articles in this issue of “What’s New on FamilySearch,” here are links to blog articles describing the new gallery:

• org/blog/en/memories-gallery-upload-organize-photos-family-tree-albums/
• org/blog/en/share-tales-family-tree-memories-gallery/
• org/blog/en/upload-documents-family-tree-memories-gallery/

Filtering Artifacts

You can see all your artifacts together, or you can filter them to see only photos, stories, documents, or audio. You can also arrange them by the date they were added, by their titles in alphabetical order, or by artifacts that have no titles or aren’t tagged.

Albums

Family Tree had a feature that let you organize artifacts into albums, but the feature was difficult to find and slightly cumbersome to use. Now all of your albums are listed on the left side, and you can drag and drop artifacts into the albums. You can either drag the artifacts one at a time or select multiple artifacts to drag and drop.

Uploading

To upload photos, documents, and audio files, you can drag and drop them into the gallery.

If you prefer, you can upload files by clicking the green plus icon and then using those upload options.

Gallery: Changing a Photo to a Document or a Document to a Photo

You can now easily make changes if you added a document to the photo section or a photo to the document section. Right-click on the artifact, and in the drop-down list, click the option you need (Change to Document or Change to Photo). You can change a single artifact at a time, or you can change a group of artifacts.

Gallery: Contextual Help Added

You will now find contextual help in the gallery. Just click the purple light bulb icon to learn how to perform various tasks available on that page. This icon can be found in the lower right corner of the page. When you click the icon, a panel slides out that gives you access to the instructions. Help is currently available on how to add a new memory, create a new album, add memories to an album, and find specific memories.

Gallery: Additional Options (Rotate, Download, Add to Album, Move to My Archive)

After you select a memory, a new actions bar appears on the screen indicating what can be done with the artifact. Options for a photo now include opening it in a new window, rotating it, downloading it, adding it to an album, changing it to a document, moving it to My Archive , or deleting it.

If you select multiple photos, the rotate and download options are not available, but you can still move the selected photos to an album or My Archive, change them to documents, or delete them.

Gallery: Comment Badge

When an artifact has a user comment associated with it, a badge indicating the number of comments is displayed on the bottom right of the thumbnail image.

Memories: Send a Message

When you click a contributor’s name within the Memories pages, the contributor card that is displayed now includes a messaging link. This link lets you contact other patrons via the FamilySearch messaging service.

Rootstech 2016

Roots Tech is the largest Family History conference in the world.  This year there were 25,000 registered attendees and people from every state and 40 countries.  Everything is done on the grand scale and the Salt Palace is an incredibly huge and user friendly facility.  It takes up two immense blocks in downtown Salt Lake City and from end to end is one half mile.  The room where the General Sessions are held each morning holds 23,000 people.  And yet the crowd is manageable because you are so spread out in the Salt Palace.  It is the biggest building I have ever been in but then...I don't get out that much and mingle with huge crowds.    Check out the video it is a virtual flight through the building just to give you the idea.  https://youtu.be/eycXsFxQ8lM

As James Tanner this is no place for a fashion show.  Comfort and good shoes are important.  I did see one woman in stilettos. I only saw her once.

The Man at Family Search

Ron Tanner

Ron Tanner is the mastermind behind The FS/FT.  Each year he does a presentation about what is new in Family Tree this year.  What they have just done and what they plan on releasing this coming year.  This presentation should be mandatory for anyone working with people learning Family Tree.

https://www.rootstech.org/video2/4739804694001

The is more...so much more.  Go the http:rootstech.org

"Watching" on Family Tree

Pinterest

Since the beginning of our use with Family Tree I have recommended that you "watch" all your people.  This seems like a bit of a hassle but when you remember that this is a wiki-based program and anyone can edit what you have entered. It may be worthwhile for you.  

FS/FT is different than any other online tree.  What you have added is not static.  It can change with every new person that shares an ancestor with you.  If you have gone in and cleaned up your person's page and someone else does the same with different info...you need to be aware of that.  Not just that they are messing up "your stuff" but they may actually have new information for you.  That is the whole idea of a collaborative tree.  Trying to get it right.  Documenting, etc.  By clicking on the little star on the Person Details Page you will be generating a list of people you want to keep an eye on.  Once a week FS will send you an email with the current changes for "your" people.  This is not nearly as bothersome as going in to print a pedigree chart for your ancestors and seeing you have been disconnected from some of them by a well meaning FT user.

Sometimes if you have a lot of people it can be hundreds of changes in a week.  Skim through.  Did you know there are some popular people in the tree and a lot of people what a piece of them?  It is pretty annoying to sees hundred of changes on Mayflower ancestors as an example.  My suggestion.  Write down what you have in a safe place and WAIT until FS has completed the transfer of everything from NewDotFamilySearch.  These IOUS accounts are impossible until then.  They say it will be this year.  Fingers crossed.

Linda has prepared a great lesson below for us on watching with some added tips for using this feature.

The Watch List is found on the drop down menu called Lists on the Family Tree toolbar.  Click Lists.  The list that comes up is your Watch list.  You will see People I'm Watching and ways to filter your list to see various categories in the list like Surnames, ID numbers, Gender, Birth Year, Death Year.

You can go to the drop down menu by your sign in on the home page and select Notifications and select weekly update.  I personally like to save mine.

Tips:

1.  Type the word DELETED in the box to see who has been deleted and by whom.
2.  To link to the person from The Change List left click on the name then right click to open their    
     summary card in a new tab.
3.  The Watch List has a 3,000 name capacity.  You can unwatch at any time from the List Page on          the right hand side by each person on on the Person Page. 

 https://www.dropbox.com/s/c538hmsnwjnyqu4/Watch.pdf?dl=0

I love adding the content from the blog from Steve Anderson.  His writing is concise and easy to understand.  he really has a handle on all that is coming and I appreciate him putting it all together for us to help us get the big picture for the future.  Carol mentioned some of the things in the newlsetter this week.  James Tanner also blogged about it.

12 Things You Will See from FamilySearch in 2016

January 12, 2016 By Steve Anderson

FamilySearch is headed towards another innovative year as it streamlines online accessibility and provides increased family discovery experiences. New developments in 2016 will focus on 5 areas.

1. Family Tree
2. Memories
3. Discovery
4. Records
5. Help

Here are 12 new FamilySearch.org changes and additions patrons can expect in 2016:

1. The free Family Tree, used for building and collaborating on your family history, will be more robust and dramatically faster. Patrons will receive quick record hints from FamilySearch’s billions of online records when records containing an ancestor are added or modified. Hints will also begin to originate from more online collections and additional record types. In addition, increased collaboration options with improved views will be available.
2. Improved guidance will help users achieve family history goals or provide direction when and where they need it.
3. A new relationship feature will enable you to easily identify how you are related to people in the Family Tree.
4. More user-friendly search capabilities will provide less duplication, better search results, and more insight at a glance across the many record sources on FamilySearch.org.
5. The process of adding family photos, stories, documents, and audio files will be easier.
6. A dynamic, personalized home page will help you find more family information. The offering of simple tasks while using the site will help you discover more ancestors and improve the quality of your personal family history and information in the FamilySearch Family Tree.
7. Partners will be offering more exciting third-party products and apps integrated into the content of FamilySearch that will offer fun and enriched experiences.
8. More digital camera teams will be added to preserve historic records and make them accessible online. There are 319 digital camera teams producing 125 million images per year currently. Additional cameras in 2016 will focus on more international records.
9. More mobile apps on IOS and Android platforms will become available through FamilySearch.
10. A new, web-based tool will allow more volunteers to help index more historic records online from any web-enabled tablet or computer. This will also help engage more foreign language volunteers needed to index a growing tide of new international historic records.
11. RootsTech, a global event hosted by FamlySearch, will expand its streaming audience and provide recorded, useable content to reach more people worldwide.
12. New developments will encourage younger patrons to participate in family history. Building from the base created by family historians and older patrons, there will be an added emphasis on attracting youth.

Steve Rockwood, president and CEO of FamilySearch International, said, “We want to give youth a much earlier and much more relevant experience than ever before. We have a real specific desire to give youth a connection to their family, to provide spiritual and emotional help to them that strengthens their relationships with their parents and grandparents to give them identity. For example, we have seen tremendous growth in youth when they discover the stories of their ancestors.”

Rockwood feels FamilySearch has only just reached the tip of the iceberg with its successes. “We hope to shine a light on the life-changing nature of family history so our patrons personally experience the emotion, understanding, and joy that comes from discovering family, both past and present. Our areas of focus in 2016 will encourage families to work together more to make connections that touch our hearts and fill our lives with a sense of heritage and purpose.”

Rockwood believes RootsTech, with its streamed and recorded content in multiple languages, and the growing number of local family discovery day events, is one way FamilySearch can, as a nonprofit organization, meet the needs of more individuals in local areas throughout the world.

“We love RootsTech because it is a gathering place that brings our customers and partners together. It helps inspire us collectively to see how we can work together to grow the market space worldwide and really improve the discovery experiences of patrons on a local level. That’s a huge, huge global challenge we’re excited to tackle,” Rockwood concluded.

Family Search Statitics for 2015

This is pretty amazing the Work is rolling forth!

Keeping Up With Family Search/Family Tree

As i was reviewing the three posts I added yesterday I ran across this previous post that I felt is good to review for the overwhelm we often feel in January as we try to reorder our world, work smarter and progress in our learning and its application.

We all know that keeping up with family history and genealogy is no easy task.  We have talked many times before about some of the best ways to accomplish this.  The answer truthfully is that there are many good ways.  No one better than the other.  It depends upon your learning style, what motivates you and how much time you are able to put into the learning process.

Learning genealogy is a bit like physical exercise.  A little bit of something each day works best.  If you always do the exact same thing, in the exact same way it can get monotonous.  I like to change it up.  I do radio shows, podcasts, videos, I read various things, blog posts, etc.  I love training videos as well on all the sites. I especially like them for learning about Ancestry.  Crista Cowan is their guru and has many youtube videos that are very informative.  Now we have all the partner sites as well.    There is just a lot to learn.  There is no chance for boredom.

I like to learn from others because they are great at aggregating information.  Our newsletter written by Carol is a perfect example.  She scours the various sources to find gems for us each week that she thinks will help us the most.  That is no easy task and a lot of thought and planning goes into her choices.  It can be a thankless job but she is very diligent as you know.  I hope we are sustaining her efforts in her calling by reading and learning what she is imparting to us.

As we help our patrons it is so important that we have resources for them.  To me one of the most important things is telling a new patron about the Family Search home page where they can get to any information they will need to help them with FS/FT.  That way they can go home and continue working.  It is very frustrating when you try to remember what you learned and forget one step... you're done.  Showing them how and where to go to get help is essential to their success. Be aware that each of the major sites has their best and unique features.  We will need to become aware of how each site works and the differences between them.  All of them have a get help section that is very valuable.

***Something that has made a big impact since I wrote this last April is the launching of The Family History Guide!  This is the best way to learn and train people to do their genealogy and family history out there.  Does it take effort to learn the basics and apply them?  Absolutely!  Is the effort worth it as we serve in the FS Library?  Yes!

This lesson below tells you where to look to find the current updates on FS/FT and even how to receive notifications when changes are made.

This is very helpful for all of us in learning FT and keeping current.  And you can always google and follow James Tanner, who in the opinion of many, is the best at aggregating all the info on the major sites in a very timely manner.  How about we all give this a try and report back at our next staff training?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ww5xf2bqqkpu50p/Keeping%20Current.pdf?dl=0

YouTube Video Channel For BYU Family History Library

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/252272016605081957/

I try to add a tree photo to most of my posts.  It is just a little brand I have adopted for this blog to remind us how each family tree is beautiful and different from all the others.  I really like this photo.  It reminds me of how some family trees are harder than others to see and appreciate because they are obscured by the fog around them.  We can bring our own tree out of this obscurity by learning a little more each day.  The more we add to our cadre of knowledge, the more the color and beauty of our tree emerges as we draw closer to it.  Not only is the visibility sharper, but its nearness to our hearts is more pronounced.  

YouTube is one of the best sources of information out there and it is so readily available on any topic you choose.  Did you know that you can subscribe to various channels on YouTube?  The BYU Family History Library has a channel!  James Tanner has added over 100 videos on a myriad of topics in the year he has been working at the Library in Provo on the BYU campus.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7hqNOQt-2AfeVEpDuc7sCA

I thought from time to time I will post some of the links to some videos that I have reviewed and thought were good.  The one I am including here is on The New Ancestry.  How do you like it? Have you even seen it yet?  What do you think?  Here's what James has to say about it.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Vv_NiOUgYI