The Family History Library (FHL) is a

genealogical Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kin ...

research facility in downtown Salt Lake City. The library is open to the public free of charge and is operated by

FamilySearch FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization and website offering genealogical records, education, and software. It is operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and is closely connected with the church's Family His ...

, the genealogical arm of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...

(LDS Church).

History

The origins of the FHL can be traced to the founding of the

Genealogical Society of Utah FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization and website offering genealogical records, education, and software. It is operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and is closely connected with the church's Family H ...

(GSU) in 1894. Through time the FHL has changed locations within Salt Lake City as follows: * The GSU's first library was located in the office of the Church Historian, 58 E. South Temple Street * Church Administration Building, 47 E. South Temple Street (1917–1933) * 80 N. Main Street (1934–1962) * 100 S. Main Street (1962–1971) *

Church Office Building The Church Office Building is a 28-story building in Salt Lake City, Utah, which houses the administrative support staff for the lay ministry of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) throughout the world.Taylor, Scott"For 3 ...

, 50 E. North Temple Street (1972–1985) * 35 N. West Temple Street (1985–Present) The current building, just west of Temple Square was opened on October 23, 1985, and cost $8.2 million. In 1938, the GSU began to

microfilm Microforms are scaled-down reproductions of documents, typically either films or paper, made for the purposes of transmission, storage, reading, and printing. Microform images are commonly reduced to about 4% or of the original document size. ...

records which contained genealogical data from around the world, and today this microfilm makes up much of the library's collection. Today the GSU is more commonly known as FamilySearch, and in September 2021, completed digitizing many of its microfilm collections to be shared online. In 2017, the FHL opened a new center for interactive discovery experiences.

1999 shooting

On April 15, 1999, 70-year-old Sergei Babarin entered the FHL's lobby and began shooting. A security officer and one female patron were killed while several others were injured. One hour and 45 minutes after the shooting began, Salt Lake police shot and fatally wounded Babarin in an exchange of gunfire. Babarin's family indicated he had a history of schizophrenia, a claim not corroborated by the Valley Community Mental Health Clinic. This occurred only four months after a separate shooting incident a block away at the Triad Center.

Purpose

Its main purpose is to fulfill one of the LDS Church fundamental tenets: that deceased family members, especially ancestors, can be baptized by proxy, as well as receive other saving ordinances. These ordinances are performed in temples.

Services

The FHL is located

Salt Lake City, Utah Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the capital and most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in Utah. With a population of 200,133 in 2020, t ...

. It is the largest genealogical library in the world. The library holds genealogical records for over 110 countries, territories, and possessions. Its collections include over 1.6 million rolls of microfilmed records onsite and access the total collection of more than 2.4 million rolls of

ed genealogical records; 727,000 microfiche; 356,000 books, serials, and other formats; 4,500 periodicals; 3,725 electronic resources including subscriptions to the major genealogical websites. The FHL offers research assistance to help patrons trace their own family history. Professional genealogists and volunteers offer assistance in about 30 languages, which includes reading and translating genealogically relevant documents. The FHL also offers free one-on-one consultations on difficult research problems. Additionally, there are classes on genealogical research topics free to the public and classes available online.

Branches

Branches of the FHL are called Family History Centers (FHC). While there are over 4,400 FHCs operating in more than 134 countries there are only about 17 major regional branch library class facilities. The others are ward, branch and stake facilities with at least one or more genealogical computers.

References

External links

* {{Authority control Religious buildings and structures completed in 1985 Library buildings completed in 1985 Buildings and structures in Salt Lake City Genealogy and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Libraries in Utah Properties of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Genealogical libraries in the United States The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah Latter Day Saint church buildings 1985 establishments in Utah de:Genealogische Gesellschaft von Utah es:Centro de Historia Familiar pt:Centro de história da família