Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=us-ascii
Newsgroups: soc.roots
Date:         Thu, 7 Jan 1993 09:52:27 -0800
Reply-To:     Lisa Oberg <lisanne@U.WASHINGTON.EDU>
Comments:     Warning -- original Sender: tag was
              lisanne@CARSON.U.WASHINGTON.EDU
From:         Lisa Oberg <lisanne@U.WASHINGTON.EDU>
Subject:      re: FHC computer knowlege
Comments: To: Graves-Maureen <MSMAIL.GRAVESM@TSOD.LMIG.COM>
Comments: cc: Multiple recipients of list ROOTS-L
          <ROOTS-L%NDSUVM1.BITNET@uwavm.u.washington.edu>

Maureen--

I regularly frequent a FHC in Tacoma, Washington and they are for the
most part very much oriented *to* the computers.  Perhaps one explanation
for the push to fiche is that right now the fiche are more current that
the Compact Disks.  Or too, it could just be the difference in styles of
the volunteers.

Regarding Catholic Church records:  I have been told [I have had the same
question/observation] that the LDS have been granted rather limited access
to filming church records, mostly pre-1800, and therefore New England.  I
am not sure of the reasons for this.  One alternative that I have had
good success with is writing to the Archivist of the Diocese or
Archidiocese to which the Parish belongs.  These addresses can be found in
the _Official Catholic Directory_ by P.J. Kenedy & Sons, available in most
public libraries.

I have had limited success writing to the parish priest himself.  Either
they are too busy or I have even encountered one who thought genealogy was
for the birds.  [I later met him in person when I was prowling through the
Church's cemetery and he told me that himself.]  I believe however that more
and more of the Church records will be filmed in the future.

Title:          The Official Catholic directory.

Other Titles:   Catholic directory, almanac and clergy list, Hoffmann's
                Catholic directory, almanac and clergy list.
Publisher:      Wilmette, IL, P. J. Kenedy.
                v. illus., ports., fold. col. maps. 20-29 cm.
Date:           1886-

Notes:          Title varies: Catholic directory, almanac and clergy list,
                1900-05. Hoffmann's Catholic directory, almanac and clergy
                list, 1886-99.  At head of title, 18 -1905: Official directory.
                Other slight variations in title.  Vols. for 1886-1982
                published in New York, N.Y.; 1983 published in Skokie, IL
                Considered as successor to the Catholic laity's directory
                to the Church service (1817), the Laity's directory to the
                Church service (1822), and Sadliers' Catholic directory,
                almanac and ordo (1833-96)

Subject:        Catholic-Church -- Directories

On Thu, 7 Jan 1993, Graves-Maureen wrote:

> I agree with many of Rob Bongiovi's observations.  I went to a FHC for
> the first time, and while the volunteers were wonderful, they seemed to
> want to steer me away from the computer.  They, obviously, were much
> more comfortable with the fiche system.  I know someone else out there
> will tell us if we want to improve things, then we should volunteer
> ourselves.
>
> Also, I was dissappointed that I could not find my relatives on the
> fiches!  Evidently, they have not extracted much information from the
> Albany NY area for the period 1850-1870.
>
> When I checked the locality list, I saw lots of sources for protestant
> churches and cemeteries, but nothing for catholic institutions.  Are
> some groups more hesitant to release their records to LDS than others?
>
> These are my obversations after one visit.  I may look back on this note
> in a few month and laugh at my own naivite!