2 of 33

PURPOSE OF THE PRESENTATION

Last fall, we had a very successful “Fuel the Find” activity here at Ogden FamilySearch Library so many of us are already familiar with the indexing program.

This presentation is intended to refresh our memories, call attention to some of the most important instructions, and point out a few changes and some extra features which we often do not use.

Next week during our hands-on activity, we will once again work as a team to index together.

3 of 33

COMPUTER-BASED INDEXING IS GONE

The old FamilySearch Indexing program which was downloaded to individual computers is no longer available nor supported.

4 of 33

WEB INDEXING IS NOW REQUIRED

The following few slides refresh our memories on how to sign into

Web Indexing and begin indexing a batch.

5 of 33

From the top of your FamilySearch page, click on the word “Indexing” and then in the drop-down menu, click on “Web Indexing.”

6 of 33

If you have never done Indexing before you should take the Guided Tour

12 of 33

If you close the Project Instructions you can always reopen them by clicking:

15 of 33

You will be asked to look at each image in the batch and decide if it contains information which should be indexed.

16 of 33

After you have checked each image, you are ready to index the information on the form provided.

17 of 33

If you have questions about what is required in each field, refer to the field helps and project instructions

18 of 33

Now a couple of tools to customize your indexing screen:

19 of 33

By clicking on the Data Entry tab, you can choose whether to use the default “Form Entry” mode down the side of your page

20 of 33

Or change to the “Table Entry” mode and type the information across the top of the page.

21 of 33

Column Entry: Some projects may allow you to go straight down a single column to enter data contained there.

Lookup: Clicking on this link will tell you if there is a lookup list attached to a specific entry.

International Characters: Use this to click on international characters in other languages which are not on an English keyboard

Other items under Data Entry Tab

22 of 33

Show Ruler creates a colored bar across your page which makes it easier to follow lines on an image which has many lines of information.

You can move the ruler up and down the page as necessary.

23 of 33

Page with ruler showing

24 of 33

Show Reference Images opens another window where you can look at, but not index, other images in the same batch.

25 of 33

Show Reference Image can be very helpful when information such as page numbers or dates might not be on the image you are indexing but could be found on the page before or the page after.

26 of 33

Another valuable tool is the little slider icon which allows you to change the brightness and contrast to make the image easier to read.

27 of 33

The same button can be used to invert the colors on the page.

Sometimes it is easier to read an image with white lettering on a dark page.

28 of 33

Now, a few changes in web indexing in the last few months:

29 of 33

Family Search has changed the ways that these three keys enter information. If you have been indexing for a while and have formed other habits, you may feel some frustration for a while.

30 of 33

Family search has added a few Quick Batches which usually contain only one or two images where beginning indexers can have a shorter, more successful experience.

31 of 33

Now, a couple of don’ts:

Don’t hesitate to send a batch back if it proves to be too difficult. Someone else can pick it up and do it.

Don’t get too stressed if you cannot finish a complete batch. Do what you can, but if you don’t finish in the allotted time (usually about a week) it will be taken back and given to someone else to finish. Your work will not be wasted.

Don’t hesitate to ask others for help. Nobody knows everything but together, we know a lot.

Don’t forget to seek the help of the Spirit in this work.

32 of 33

And a last Do:

If you have been indexing for a while and have been approved as a reviewer, please consider reviewing.

After an indexer has indexed 1,000 records, they are automatically given reviewer privileges. They are then given the choice of indexing or reviewing each time they open a new batch.

Family Search is sitting on millions of records which have been indexed but not reviewed.

These records cannot be released to the public until the review process in completed.

33 of 33

The End

Note: Screen shots used in the first part of this presentation

were taken from a webinar taught by Kathryn Grant

at the BYU Family History library in November of 2017.

If you would like to watch the full webinar (41:34) Click Here

1 of 33