FamilySearch Center (FSC) Operations Guide

Note: This guide is intended to address general global policies and procedures pertaining to the operations of FamilySearch centers. For more area-specific information regarding policies and procedures, please refer to the area-specific items in the appendices of this guide. (Note: The appendices are only visible to those logged in with a Member account.)

1: Purpose of a FamilySearch Center

The Family History Department purpose statement reads: “We enable inspiring journeys that bring joy to all people as they discover, gather, and connect their family—past, present, and future.” Along with the purpose statement, the Family History Department incorporates quality standards in every interaction. The quality standards are inspiration, trust, kindness, effectiveness, and simplicity.

Because anyone is invited and welcome to use a FamilySearch center, we encourage you to use the purpose statement and the quality standards to guide all your interactions with visitors. Consider how to best provide individual help so that each guest will feel cared for and unique. FamilySearch center coordinators (leaders) may find it helpful to regularly meet with center workers to determine ways your center can meet the needs of its visitors. The FamilySearch center can be a great resource for reaching out to your local community.

Inspiration

We follow inspiration during each interaction with a guest. Inspiration comes through being humble and having the courage to act in the best interest of the center and the guest.

Trust

We want to create trust in everything we do. We also look for ways to increase the trust others have in us.

Kindness

We display kindness by treating individuals and their ancestors with love, dignity, and respect. Kindness is extended when we understand that every person is unique and valued.

Effectiveness

We show effectiveness by performing our roles in such a way that guests have a personally meaningful experience. Additionally, being effective means that we use our time and resources wisely.

Simplicity

We want to make family history simple. We want to provide simple experiences and focus on experiences that delight the guest regardless of age or geography.

2: Ministering in the FamilySearch Center

Ministering in a FamilySearch center provides an opportunity for guests to discover, gather, and connect their families in ways that are helpful and meaningful.

Discover

Guests can discover their family through discovery experiences that include a wide range of activities where guests can learn about and better understand their ancestors. A discovery experience may be as simple as reading a story about an ancestor, participating in an online discovery experience, or preserving a photo on FamilySearch. Discovery experiences may be provided for individuals or for groups. Whatever the setting, the discovery experience should encourage participants to continue on the discovery path.

You can also find ideas for discovery experiences here.

Gather

We help guests gather their families through personalized family history and, for Church members, temple experiences. These experiences should be prepared and taught with the individual in mind. Where appropriate, you should encourage people to gather names to the Family Tree, including what memories they might have of those individuals. You may find the information you need to help guests in historical records, books, or catalogs on FamilySearch or third-party subscription sites, or the guest you are helping may be able to recall information from memory. The important part is not how the information is gathered, but that it is gathered and preserved.

Connect

The experience of connecting with family members is available to all individuals who participate in seeking out their family. You can help guests find lasting connections that the human heart desires, and you can do so in ways that will bless their lives. There are countless ways a guest can feel linked and bound to their families. Providing these types of experiences will not only bring joy and healing, but they will dispel loneliness and build kinships.

3: Sharing the Gospel in the FamilySearch Center

Opportunities to share the gospel in natural ways abound at FamilySearch centers. Visitors come to a center to discover and understand more about their family, often hoping to feel the strength and joy that comes from a sense of belonging. Those who work and serve at a FamilySearch center can help visitors feel that joy and provide important context about where those feelings come from.

Plan for the General Public

Many visitors to a typical FamilySearch center are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In some centers, the percentage of general public visitors exceeds 80%. Somewhat like visitors to a visitor's center, those that come to your center will have varying levels of understanding and interest in the Church. Your visitors may include:

Active members of the Church
New or returning members of the Church
Friends of the Church, whether accompanied by full-time missionaries or not
People who are not members of the Church, who know nothing about the Church, but hope to receive help finding ancestors.

Visitors share a common interest in their families and discovery experiences encourage them to learn more about their heritage. It is the responsibility of FamilySearch center personnel to help visitors' interest grow as they begin to make family discoveries. Consultants or helpers may have opportunities to share their feelings about the importance of families.

Guiding Principles

As you seek natural ways to create opportunities for connection with visitors and community members at your FamilySearch center, you might consider the following:

Since many centers are located in a Church building, people who are not members of the Church may not be surprised that the services are funded by a church. They may, however, have a difficult time understanding why the Church would invest time and resources to fund FamilySearch centers.
Family history is a great common ground for people of different faiths.
Researching family history provides opportunities for the helper and visitor to share thoughts and feelings about the importance of families.
FamilySearch center personnel can find common interests organically through sharing and pursuing family history.
Visitors who want to know more can be referred to full-time missionaries.
People of other faiths may feel uncomfortable or pressured to learn about the Church, especially when they came to the center to do family history. Listen for questions or watch for clues that indicate the guest's interests.
Preparing to meet the needs of people of other faiths will also bless those visitors that are members of the Church.

Resources Available on FamilySearch.org

Visit the Helper Resources section on FamilySearch for specific ideas and resources for sharing family history experiences in a FamilySearch center.

Resources at FamilySearch Centers

Center staff members provide free personal help to anyone looking for family history information.
Centers provide limited-access records that are not available elsewhere, including family history website subscriptions for free.
Centers offers computers, printers, and internet access.

4: Roles in the FamilySearch Center

The following is a list of the main roles and responsibilities for those roles at a FamilySearch center. There may be additional or specific information regarding the roles at your FamilySearch center.

Role Requirements

Please ensure that the following things have been done at the time of your calling:

Make sure the ward or stake clerk lists you as the FamilySearch center coordinator in LCR (Leader and Clerk Resources). This is very important to ensure you have access to the systems needed for the center.
Create a FamilySearch account, if you do not already have one.
Create a Church account, if you do not already have one.

Note:

You will need your Church record number (found in the Church Tools app, on your temple recommend, or obtained from the ward or branch membership clerk).
FamilySearch accounts and Church accounts are not the same. Keep in mind that if you use the same username and password, the 2 accounts are not linked.
To avoid security risks, keep your username and password secure.

FamilySearch Center Coordinator

The FamilySearch center coordinator directs the day-to-day operations of the FamilySearch center. He or she serves under the direction of the stake president or an assigned high councilor. Responsibilities may include the following:

Helps Church members prepare family names so they can perform ordinances in the house of the Lord.
Coordinate center activities to help Church members and community visitors discover their ancestors.
Work with the 1) high councilor supporting temple and family history work and 2) the stake technology specialist to meet the center's operational needs and maintain its resources.

Updating FamilySearch Center Leadership Information

When there is a change in FamilySearch center leadership, the information is given to the stake clerk who enters the information into the LCR (Leader and Clerk Resources). The new leaders contact needs to be entered into CDOL. The new leader's information, however, is not moved into CDOL from the LCR, nor can it be entered in CDOL by the stake clerk.

The new FamilySearch center leadership must contact FamilySearch to update the information in CDOL by doing the following:

Email oiservices@churchofjesuschrist.org
Provide the FamilySearch center name or unit number.
Provide the title of the assignment as FamilySearch center coordinator.
Provide the new leader's full name.
Provide the new leader's Church membership number.
Provide the new leader's preferred email address and phone number.

Administrative Roles and Responsibilities

The following information details some of the roles and responsibilities within a FamilySearch center and provides information about how the FamilySearch center coordinator interacts with these individuals.

Ward Temple and Family History Leader or Elders Quorum Presidency Councilor:

Works under the direction of the bishop and with a member of the elders quorum presidency to assign temple and family history consultants to serve in the FamilySearch center, as needed.
Directs the work of temple and family history consultants in the ward.
Interacts with the FamilySearch center coordinator who supervises and trains assigned consultants on their center duties.

Temple and Family History Consultant:

Provides one-on-one family history help.
Helps members identify ancestors and prepare names for temple ordinances.
Interacts with the FamilySearch center coordinator who supervises and trains assigned consultants on their center duties.
Interacts with the FamilySearch center coordinator, when requested by the high councilor supporting temple and family history, who assists consultants in teaching members how to use center resources.

Volunteer:

Provides one-on-one family history help.
Helps guests identify ancestors to add to Family Tree.
Interacts with the FamilySearch center coordinator, who supervises and trains volunteers in their center duties and resources.
Interacts with the FamilySearch center coordinator, who assists volunteers in teaching guests how to use center resources.

High Councilor Supporting Temple and Family History:

Trains the ward temple and family history leader and members of the elders quorum and Relief Society presidencies.
Coordinates the stake's efforts in FamilySearch indexing and at FamilySearch centers, as needed. (They may be assisted by a FamilySearch center coordinator.)
Interacts with the FamilySearch center coordinator by meeting regularly to review operations for the center and evaluate how well the stake local unit’s goals are being met.

Stake Communication Director:

Helps increase positive awareness of the Church and builds bridges of friendship and understanding in the community.
Interacts with the FamilySearch center coordinator to notify the Stake Communication Director of classes, workshops, or open houses that should be announced to the community.
Interacts with the FamilySearch center coordinator to notify the Stake Communication Director if contacted by the media.

Stake Technology Specialist:

Ensures that all technology in the center is functioning properly including hardware, software, and internet access.
Interacts with the FamilySearch center coordinator to resolve technology needs for the center.

High Councilor or Individual Serving as Stake Building Representative:

Works with the facilities manager to coordinate all physical facilities matters for the center, such as designated space, equipment, and supply ordering.
Interacts with the FamilySearch center coordinator to request needed maintenance and repair of the facility, furnishings, and equipment.

Note: Equipment in a center does not include computers and printers. FamilySearch determines when computers and printers need to be replaced.

Family History Department:

Supports local leaders with anything related to family history in the wards and stakes.
Encourages FamilySearch center coordinators to go through their local leaders for help. For additional help, contact the Family History Department.

Work Closely with the High Councilor Supporting Temple and Family History Work

Authorized priesthood leaders hold the keys to do temple and family history work as part of the work of salvation. The high councilor supporting temple and family history work, under the direction of the stake presidency, oversees the FamilySearch centers in the stake. For centers supporting multiple stakes, leaders of the participating stakes organize to provide priesthood direction.

Counsel with proper priesthood leaders about ways the center can assist with priesthood efforts and goals. To understand stake goals and support priesthood efforts, periodically meet and counsel with the high councilor supporting temple and family history to discuss the following:

How to best support priesthood efforts, understand yearly goals, and improve the ability of the center to support those goals.
How to support stake and ward goals and plans, especially regarding temple and family history work.
How the center can best organize and prepare to support stake and ward goals and plans.
How to support, as directed, temple and family history consultants, bishoprics, elders quorum presidencies, Relief Society presidencies, youth presidencies, youth groups, new and returning members, and local missionaries.

Staffing and Training

FamilySearch centers are staffed by a FamilySearch center coordinator, stake and ward temple and family history consultants and community volunteers.

You can find training and resources for the temple and family history consultant calling on the Church website.

FamilySearch Center Guidelines for Consultant Training

FamilySearch centers support priesthood leaders in accomplishing temple and family history work. Temple and family history consultants serve under the direction of ward and stake leaders, who are responsible for their instruction and support. FamilySearch center coordinators are encouraged to communicate consultant needs to appropriate stake leaders, including the stake presidency or assigned high councilor. Consultant training should be provided only at the request of or with the approval of local priesthood leaders and should use only approved Church resources.

When requested by local leaders, FamilySearch centers may support leadership-directed training efforts by providing meeting space, offering individual assistance, and helping consultants become familiar with FamilySearch tools and resources. The role of the center is to strengthen and support the efforts of priesthood leaders, not assume responsibility for consultant training.

Training and instruction should focus on consultants fulfilling their sacred responsibility to help individuals and families come unto Christ through temple and family history work. Emphasis should be placed on simple and meaningful experiences, individuals taking the next steps in their family history journey, and Spirit-guided assistance centered on individual needs. Training should encourage consultants to minister to individuals and families and should not rely primarily on classroom-style instruction.

Using approved Church resources helps ensure doctrinal accuracy, consistency, and alignment with the direction established by Church leaders. Consultant training should not include locally developed curricula, courses, or programs.

Approved Church resources include:

FamilySearch.org
Gospel Library
General Handbook

Calling resources include:

Official Church training materials and presentations include:

When consultant training is requested by local leaders, FamilySearch center coordinators should work closely with ward and stake leaders to identify training needs and objectives. Training should align with the direction established by local leaders and should rely on approved Church resources.

Youth Participation in FamilySearch Centers

FamilySearch centers welcome and encourage youth participation in temple and family history work. Under the direction of parents and local Church leaders, youth may visit the center, work on their own family history, attend classes and activities, and participate in family history efforts.

To ensure the safety and protection of youth and uphold supervision standards, individuals under age 18 may not serve as official FamilySearch center volunteers, be assigned regular shifts, or receive ongoing center responsibilities or projects. Youth who desire to serve may do so through family history callings, assignments, and opportunities provided by their ward or stake leaders.

FamilySearch center coordinators should encourage youth participation in meaningful and appropriate ways while ensuring compliance with Church policies regarding the safety and protection of children and youth.

Youth who visit FamilySearch centers must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult at all times. FamilySearch centers do not permit unaccompanied minors.

When youth are present in a FamilySearch center, at least two staff members should be present. FamilySearch center coordinators, missionaries, and volunteers should follow Church policies and guidelines for the safety and protection of children and youth.

Beginning at age 18, individuals may be eligible for approved FamilySearch center service opportunities, including assignment as a young service missionary through established Church processes.

5: Administration of the Center

Dress Standards

FamilySearch center staff should be appropriately dressed and well-groomed while serving in the center. Name tags may be purchased using center or stake budget funds. The use of Church or FamilySearch logos on locally made name tags is not approved.

Logo Usage

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints logo and the FamilySearch logo have copyright restrictions and should not be used on locally produced materials, without permission from the Church Visual Identity Office. You may request permission to use logos.

Request to Create, Relocate, or Close a FamilySearch Center

To request a new FamilySearch center, to relocate an existing center, or to close a center, submit a completed request form to your area's FamilySearch Support. The form needs to be signed by the stake president, local facilities manager, and area temple and family history consultant.

Authorized centers are given a Church unit number separate from the stake unit number and a Certificate of License. The Family History Department specifies the type and quantity of furnishings and equipment for authorized centers.

Hours of Operation

Opening on Sundays—to help support family history activity on the Sabbath, the center can be open on Sunday. If the FamilySearch center is open on Sunday, the hours should not prevent staff or church members from attending their regular worship services.

Monday nights—centers can be open on Monday evening with an emphasis on Young Single Adult (YSA) home evening groups, families, or full-time missionaries serving in the area.

As you counsel with local leadership about what hours your center will be open, be mindful of all the people you serve—including those who cannot visit on weekdays, those who cannot visit during the day, and those who may have unique needs. Avoid choosing your center hours solely based on what hours staff members want to work.

To make updates to center information, see Section 10: Church Directory of Organizations and Leaders (CDOL).

Safety and Security

Working with local priesthood leaders and the high councilor or individual serving as stake building representative, establish and communicate safety and security policies and procedures for the center. All who serve in a center should be familiar with the following Church policies and procedures:

The high councilor or individual serving as stake building representative, under the direction of the stake president, determines who will have keys to the center.
At least two staff members must be present when the center is open to the public and is the only activity going on in the building. If other activities or meetings are being conducted in the building, one staff member is sufficient.
Each center must have ready access to a communication device. If making a landline telephone available in the center is not feasible, a mobile phone should always be made available.
Contact local police and emergency medical personnel when faced with security incidents and emergencies at church facilities.
After a serious security incident is under control, report it immediately to priesthood leaders and to the church's 24-hour Global Security Operations Center at 1-844-537-7000. The Global Security Center will connect you with your local area security manager.
Know where first aid kits and fire extinguishers are located.
Pertaining to guests visiting or accessing the center who may have been exposed to a communicable disease, you may need to contact your local area to determine and abide by specific guidelines. For example, you need to know recommendations regarding the wearing of masks, social distancing, and quarantining.
During times when the center is not in operation, lock the room or area housing center computers.
Secure access to the center. If needed, the outside door may be locked, and a system can be added to notify center staff when someone needs access. Speak with a member of the high council supporting physical facilities who can talk to the local facilities manager to add this system.
Keep a digital or paper inventory of center equipment, research materials, and licenses. The inventory should be stored off-site in case of loss due to disaster, theft, or vandalism. As an extra precaution, you can also provide a copy for the stake clerk.

Temporary Use Agreement

Genealogical Societies using FamilySearch center facilities need to sign a temporary use agreement. The signed form should be obtained from and returned to the local Facilities Manager. There are legal and tax implications for the Church when groups use Church facilities. Meetinghouses can be used by groups once the temporary use agreement has been signed and returned. If a FamilySearch Center Coordinator or Area Advisor is aware of groups using meetinghouses, the temporary use agreement should be signed and returned as soon as possible.

Physical Collection

Centers may accept donations of research materials. Donated software should include valid license documentation. Donations become the property of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and will be used at the Church's sole discretion to further the overall mission. If you are unsure about any type of material being donated, please contact books@familysearch.org for information about donating materials.

Do not accept furnishings, computers, or printers. Centers may accept donations of VHS players and digital media conversion equipment, such as photo scanners and audio recorders.

You may purchase a few research materials that are used often by your guests, such as reference books, maps, forms, etc. These items are acquired with center or stake operating budgets. Maintain an inventory of research materials. Because space is limited, do not maintain large collections of materials. Do not store materials owned by another society or group.

Discard old publications, notices, memos, and instructions regularly. Contact books@familysearch.org for more information about this process.
Check with the FamilySearch Library by sending an email to books@familysearch.org before disposing of books or periodicals to see if the library could use or would like to digitize the copy. Keep books that are used by guests and pertain to the local population. If the library does not need the book or periodical, it can be donated or discarded.

FamilySearch center coordinators and consultants should counsel with priesthood leaders to decide whether to maintain microfilm or microfiche collections. Centers and affiliate libraries can return microfilm that is available online or otherwise not needed. Return unneeded items to FamilySearch. As more images become available online, periodically reevaluate whether to retain microfilm holdings.

Microfilms or microfiche in your center or affiliate library are on loan and are the property of FamilySearch. Long-term loans also belong to FamilySearch. Do not donate, give away, sell, or relocate microfilms or microfiche to another facility, individual, or organization without permission from FamilySearch. If you want to relocate microfilms or microfiche to another FamilySearch center, contact FamilySearch Support for permission and instructions.

Returning Microfilm and Microfiche

When contacting FamilySearch Support for instructions on returning microfilm and microfiche, note that you need to provide the FamilySearch Center Unit Number, contact name, phone number, total number of boxes to be returned, and the dimensions of each box to be returned. See Unneeded microfilm or microfiche for more details. The numbers and dimensions of each box are necessary to determine shipping weights and costs. FamilySearch Support will share the information with the contracted agent to have the films destroyed. The center returning microfilm or microfiche should only contact FamilySearch Support and should not contact the company or individual contracted to destroy the microfilm or microfiche.

For donation guidelines and a complete list of what donations are accepted, see the Library Donations page.

Guests should email FamilySearch at books@familysearch.org for information about donating materials.

Learn more about family history gifts and donations here.

Disposal of Microfilm and Microfiche Readers

If a center no longer needs or uses a microfilm or microfiche reader, there are 2 options to dispose of the equipment:

The Facilities Manager for the center can dispose of the reader.
The reader can be donated somewhere it is needed and used.

Donated Funds

Monetary donations can be made online at https://donate.churchofjesuschrist.org/contribute/familysearch. Under the address fields, click to check the box next to Comments. In the text box, indicate that the donation is for FamilySearch. If no indication for FamilySearch is given, the donation will go to the Church General Fund.

Donations from guests should not be used to purchase computers, printers, other equipment for the center, or furnishings for the center.

Community Group Use

If community groups are interested in using the center for meetings, follow meetinghouse guidelines as outlined in the Church Handbook.

Photocopies Made by Guests

Guests are welcome to make photocopies that comply with local copyright law. Post a copy of the Church’s copyright printing policy sign. Do your best to ensure trust with both copyright owners and guests.

Post the copyright printing policy sign near computer printers or the photocopy machine. Refer to the knowledge article titled, How do I know if something is copyrighted?
In a kind way, explain the policy to all who may violate it, and try to provide them with ways to be successful while still complying with the policy.

Guests are always welcome to:

Copy family history materials that are produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for personal or group use. For professional use, they should contact the Family History Department for permission by going to permissions.churchofjesuschrist.org.
Take photographs of microfilm or microfiche.

FamilySearch Center Printing Policy

Policy Statement

Printers are available in FamilySearch centers to support temple and family history work and research. Centers ensure responsible use of Church resources and equal access for all guests by limiting printing to 20 pages per visit. This printing limit excludes temple ordinance cards. Exceptions must be approved by the FamilySearch center coordinator.

FamilySearch centers are not intended to function as public printing or copy centers for personal, business, school, commercial, or other purposes. Guests are encouraged to save and share documents electronically whenever possible. Consultants should help guests identify digital alternatives when appropriate and encourage effective use of available electronic resources.

Identifying individual FamilySearch Center needs

For more information, click here.

Games in FamilySearch Centers

For mobile centers, the provided devices only allow access to genealogical sites to prevent excessive use of metered data hotspots.

In permanent centers using ChromeOS devices, blocking access to websites is not typically done. If offensive or questionable sites are seen or reported, FamilySearch can and will block sites on all devices. Many centers have parents attending to do genealogical research. Parents may bring their children to the center as long as the children are supervised. Children may play games on center computers while at the center; however, access to games on center computers should not be a substitute for parents tending their children. Some centers have bookmarked a list of family history-related games for children to play while at the center. Such activities allows the parent(s) to work on their family history while tending to their children rather than entertaining them.

Children should never be in a center or on a center computer without parental supervision.

6: Appearance and Atmosphere of the Center

Ambiance

Every effort should be made to create an appropriate ambiance in the center. Reach out to your Facilities Management for details on the Standard Guide for how a center should look: graphics, wall colors, furnishings, lighting, etc. If your center is remodeled, the design of the center will follow the guidelines in the Standard Guide.

Centers should be clean and uncluttered.
Dusting, vacuuming, and general cleaning should be done regularly.
Artwork and displays should be approved by the facilities management group as appropriate for a church building.
Store office supplies in a place not visible to center guests.
Keep equipment and guest areas tidy.

Furnishings and Equipment

Standard furnishings are listed in the Family History Department Purchasing Reference Guide, which is available to facilities management. Consult with the high councilor supporting physical facilities who can contact the local facilities manager.

Maintaining Room Furnishings and Equipment

Work with the high councilor supporting physical facilities to maintain the room furnishings and equipment to the same standards as the meetinghouse. At the beginning of the year, meet with a member of the high council supporting physical facilities to discuss any needs. The facilities manager can then incorporate requests as part of the annual meetinghouse or FamilySearch center budget plan.

Replace and dispose of broken furnishings or equipment that cannot be repaired. Remove surplus furnishings or equipment no longer needed. The local facilities manager should dispose of broken or unneeded items.

Signage

As announced in a letter from the Temple and Family History Executive Council dated January 10, 2023, to better align the identity of family history centers with FamilySearch.org, all centers have been renamed FamilySearch Centers. For more information about the changes to signage, see the announcement from the Meetinghouse Facilities Department.

Post only approved signage. For a list of approved signs, contact the high councilor supporting physical facilities who can contact the facilities manager.

7: Communications

FamilyHistoryMail

The Family History Department has established a FamilyHistoryMail email account for each FamilySearch center. This is the official email address for center communication. Use this account to view communication from the department as well as to send emails for center operations and request changes to center information. You will receive updates and news from FamilySearch. Check this email at least weekly.

Contact the previously assigned FamilySearch center coordinator responsible for FamilySearch centers for the log-in information and password. If they are unavailable, contact FamilySearch to change the password.

The FamilyHistoryMail sign in page is located here.

Frequently asked questions can be found here.

Changing a FamilyHistoryMail Password

A FamilySearch center coordinator can decide to change the password for a center FamilyHistoryMail account. Most often this change is for security reasons or because of a change of leadership.

To request the change, please call the Global Service Department at 1-855-537-4357. Ask for the Account Management Team and explain the need for a new FamilyHistoryMail account password for a FamilySearch center. The same information can be found in KA 6275: Changing a FamilyHistoryMail password.

My Calling Newsletters

Periodically the Church will send out a My Calling Newsletter through email to all temple and family history consultants, containing essential information related to your calling. To receive this email communication, you will need to opt into receiving the My Calling Newsletter in your ChurchofJesusChrist.org account.

To opt into the newsletter, follow these steps:

In a web browser, go to ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Sign in.
In the top right corner, click your profile image.
Click Account Settings.
Click Subscriptions.
Check My Calling.

If you have opted into the My Calling Newsletter and do not receive it, depending on your calling, you should check with your stake or ward clerk to ensure your calling is correctly entered into the system.

FamilySearch Blog

The FamilySearch blog has articles about family history that you may find useful to help fulfill your calling.

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator Map

Previously, FamilySearch centers maintained their own Wiki pages. On 1 July, 2024, the Locator Map was released. Wiki pages in the English Wiki are no longer needed with a few exceptions. For more information, see Help: FamilySearch Center Wiki Pages and the Locator Map.

8: Financial Management

Financial Records

Work with the stake financial clerk, or agent stake clerk to determine what financial forms or records to use. Stake auditors normally review the financial records and procedures twice a year.

Handling Money

Please follow your area-specific guidelines for handling money.

9: Church Directory of Organizations and Leaders (CDOL)

As a FamilySearch center coordinator, keep your personal contact information current in your Church account. Keeping the center hours updated is your responsibility and is important for the success of the center.

When there is a change in FamilySearch center leadership, the information is given to the stake clerk who enters the information into the LCR (Leader and Clerk Resources). The new leader's contact information needs to be entered into CDOL. The new leader's information, however, is not moved into CDOL from the LCR, nor can it be entered in CDOL by the stake clerk.

The new FamilySearch center leadership must contact FamilySearch to update the information in CDOL by doing the following:

Email oiservices@churchofjesuschrist.org.
Provide the FamilySearch center name or unit number.
Provide the title of the assignment as FamilySearch center coordinator.
Provide the new leader's full name.
Provide the new leader's Church membership number.
Provide the new leader's preferred email address and phone number.

For more information about updating information in the CDOL, see knowledge article 6289 titled How do we update FamilySearch center information in the CDOL?

Center Tools

Center Tools is available for all centers to update and maintain the center hours, contact information, services provided, and other center-related information.

If a center requests a change to the center name or address, contact Support for your area and provide the information that needs to be changed in the CDOL. Changes made in the CDOL reflect in Center Tools and the public locator tool every Sunday.

10: Computers, Printers, and Software

Internet Connection

All computers in a FamilySearch center should be connected to the internet through the Church-approved firewall as part of the building connection. Computers may be connected by network cable or wireless connection. When possible, a wired connection is preferred.

Visitors may connect their personal computers, handheld devices, or other equipment to the wireless internet connection in the church.

Note: Computers using the Windows 7 operating system will not be able to connect to the church internet connection.

If you have internet connection issues, work with the stake technology specialist or the high councilor supporting physical facilities to verify the internet connection. For more specific information pertaining to your area processes, see the Table of Contents for your appropriate area appendix. If the computer in the center still cannot connect to the internet, contact FamilySearch.

11: Bring Your Own Device

A web browser extension is available for users who choose to bring their own devices to a FamilySearch center. The extension only works through the FamilySearch center portal while at a FamilySearch center in a regular center or meetinghouse location. The extension allows users access to premium websites, including free access to many third-party subscription genealogical sites. The option to bring your own device to a center for access to the browser extension is not the same as a mobile FamilySearch center.

For more information about accessing the web browser extension and bringing your own device to a FamilySearch center, click here.

12: Mobile FamilySearch Centers

Note: Mobile FamilySearch Centers are intended for international locations outside of Canada and the United States.

For more area-specific information about Mobile FamilySearch Centers, refer to the correct appendix section of this operations guide.

Appendix C: Africa Specific Guidelines

Appendix D: Asia Pacific Specific Guidelines

Appendix E: Europe Specific Guidelines

Appendix F: Latin America Specific Guidelines

Appendix G: United States and Canada Specific Guidelines

Purpose of Mobile FamilySearch Centers

The purpose of mobile FamilySearch centers (FSCs) is to provide FamilySearch guests the ability to discover, gather, and connect their families by using Chromebooks to provide easy and safe access to FamilySearch.org. Multiarea operations and area managers may use this information to get started with a mobile FSC in their area.

What Is a Mobile FamilySearch Center?

A mobile FSC is a group of Chromebooks purchased and assigned to a stake or district. The Chromebooks can access the Church’s wi-fi network and provide access to preconfigured websites.

Each area should work with FamilySearch to order Chromebooks for mobile FSCs. When a mobile FSC is approved, an order is sent to acquire the following items as part of the mobile FSC:

Chromebook
Google Chrome Management Software (about $30 USD)
- An enroll.fhd@familyhistorymail.org email address
- Access to the Church’s Liahona wi-fi network
Asset tag (obtained through your local ICS or headquarters contact)

The email address associated with each Chromebook is not unique to a FamilySearch center.

What Comes with a Mobile FamilySearch Kit?

Mobile FSCs allot 1 kit per stake or district. Each kit comes with the following:

6 Chromebooks
1 power strip (voltage and plug types depend on location)
1 hard suitcase
6 USB mice (optional)
Laptop sleeve (optional)
Bike lock (optional)

Note: A best practice is to only use a hard suitcase. The reason for this is to protect the Chromebooks as they travel. If it is not possible to obtain a hard suitcase, please reach out to your area office buyer for possible alternatives. The area office buyer will be familiar with vendor contracts for your multiarea.

Additionally, the Chromebooks are preconfigured to contain the following:

Option to reset the Chromebook
Option to join additional wi-fi networks
A warning message that the Chromebook is monitored by the department
Global white list (list of websites the Chromebooks can access)

For inventory purposes, provide the following information for each Chromebook to the Operations Technology team:

Asset Tag ID
Chrome Serial Number
Location
- Multiarea
- Ecclesiastical Area
- Country
- State or County
- Stake or District Name
- Stake or District Unit Number

Power the Chromebook On and Off for Guests

Each Chromebook is associated with a single account, and the account will appear as a guest account. The account is confirmed using the enroll email address associated with the Chrome Management license for that Chromebook. No password is required to access the Chromebook.

For more detailed information, see Appendix A.

Liahona Wi-Fi Network

Chromebooks are preconfigured with the Church’s Liahona wi-fi network. The stake or district may use additional Wi-Fi networks based on their location. Additionally, only specific websites have been added (known as a white list) as options.

Determine Wi-Fi Spots

The Church Liahona network should already be configured on each Chromebook. The stake or district can add additional wi-fi networks, as needed, if their location necessitates additional wi-fi networks.

For more detailed information, see Appendix A.

White List

A white list is a list of preapproved websites that have been approved for use with the Chromebooks, with FamilySearch.org, and have been deemed safe for general audiences to access. The white list may be changed or updated depending on the specific needs and access abilities of the area, or when it is determined that a website does not meet FamilySearch’s or the Church’s guidelines.

Guests who attend and use the MFSC will need to know that only certain websites will be accessible on the Chromebooks. You may need to answer questions or explain why this is the case. The main reason for maintaining a white list is to keep all MFSC guests safe while using the internet on a Chromebook to access family history information.

Reset the Chromebook

For more detailed information about how to reset the Chromebook, see Appendix A.

Recover the Chromebook

Recovering a Chromebook is generally reserved for use if the Chromebook’s operating system is not working properly. Recovery means you will remove and reinstall the operating system.

Note: This option should only be used as directed by a supervisor or manager and after all other efforts have been made to resolve issues with the Chromebook.

Some reasons a Chromebook may need to be recovered include:

You see the error message “Chrome OS is missing or damaged.”
You have tried troubleshooting other solutions and nothing has fixed the issue.
You have asked experts in the Chromebook Help Community and the issue has not been resolved.

For more detailed information, see Appendix A.

Where to Get Help for Mobile FamilySearch Centers

The multiarea operations manager will provide the stake or district with support. If the multiarea operations manager cannot provide support, that person can reach out to the Operations Technology team for assistance. For area specific instructions regarding Mobile FamilySearch Centers, see the Table of Contents for the appendix related to your area's processes.

Use and Promote a Mobile FamilySearch Center

Information for ATFHA and MSTFHC

This section contains information and ideas for area temple and family history advisors (ATFHA) and multi-stake temple and family history consultants (MSTFHC).

The following are suggestions for promoting and using the mobile FamilySearch centers (MFSC):

Establish a calendar of movement. For example, when will the MFSC be in a location and for how long?
Display posters or notices in a meetinghouse listing the dates when the MFSC will be in the meetinghouse that year.
Correlate the MFSC calendar to a unit’s temple trips to ensure the MFSC will be available, maybe multiple times, before the temple trip.
Train local consultants to use the new Instant Family Tree app, and practice teaching others how to use it with the Chromebooks.
Hold a “capture living memories day” where people can visit the MFSC to use Instant Family Tree and the Chromebooks to enter what they can of their 4 generations or more. For example, you might have 6 appointments at a time on a Sunday. Be sure to have the guests use Instant Family Tree on their smartphone to make their time at the MFSC more productive.
Invite local consultants to work with the leadership councils to determine how their units would like to use the MFSC.
Teach local consultants how to schedule the MFSC to come to their unit for unit-driven events or activities.

13: Family History Experiences for Local Opinion Leaders

Family history is a powerful way to touch hearts, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is uniquely positioned to help people connect with their ancestors. Through the nonprofit FamilySearch International organization, the Church has a wealth of resources and knowledge to offer those who want to learn more about their family history.

For many years, FamilySearch has produced family histories under the direction of the First Presidency for high-level opinion leaders as a way of building friendships and increasing understanding of the Church. These projects include books of documented and sourced genealogies and a framed five-generation pedigree chart. Because of the research, production time, and cost involved, these family histories are expensive and the number of projects is limited.

However, there is a way for communication councils and temple and family history consultants to work together to provide another type of heart-turning experience for local opinion leaders. This type of experience does not involve extensive research and the presentation of books with detailed information about multiple generations. Rather, it involves using local expertise to help opinion leaders begin their family history journey. This model is similar to the personalized family history experiences currently being used to help Church members.

In this model, communication councils identify opportunities for strengthening relationships with opinion leaders in their communities. Under the direction of priesthood leadership, local communication councils request help from temple and family history consultants to conduct basic research about the opinion leader’s family history. Information already in the Family Tree is verified and linked, while new information is added and sourced. Then, the communication council organizes a meeting with the opinion leader to explore the photos, documents, and stories in the Family Tree. A local Church leader should be there, as well as a temple and family history consultant, if needed. Looking at this family history information together results in a more personal, powerful experience than merely presenting someone with their completed genealogy. In addition, the information is preserved, easily accessible, and can be enjoyed by the opinion leader’s entire family.

General Guidelines

Before approaching an opinion leader with this opportunity, the communication council should obtain approval from their priesthood leaders. The priesthood leader who should give the approval will depend on the level of the opinion leader and their geographic sphere of influence. Leaders of national importance require the approval of the Area Presidency. City-level leaders should be approved by an Area Seventy or stake president, depending on the size of the city.
With priesthood leader approval, a member of the communication council should meet with the temple and family history consultant to discuss the possible project and who would be best qualified to help with the genealogical research. The area temple and family history consultant should be informed of the proposal and can provide additional names of qualified researchers, if needed.
Before any work is done, permission should be obtained from the opinion leader to work on his or her family tree. The opinion leader must create a FamilySearch account and give the researcher permission to access his or her family tree.
Once the opinion leader has given permission, he or she will need to provide a contact person that the temple and family history consultant can work with to obtain family information.
Once the opinion leader has provided a contact, work with this person to obtain as much information as you can about the opinion leader’s family history.
The utmost care should be taken to protect the opinion leader's personal information and assure him or her that FamilySearch adheres to the highest standards of privacy.
Avoid giving the impression that this project is officially endorsed by the Church. Make it clear that this is a service being provided by local Latter-day Saints.
The Church symbol and FamilySearch logo should not be used on any printed material.
The discovery experience can be held in the opinion leader’s office, a private home, or a FamilySearch center. The important thing is to choose a location where the opinion leader will feel comfortable and you can have a strong internet connection to be able to look together at the Family Tree.
The meeting should typically last about 30 minutes. Be responsive to the opinion leader’s questions and requests while also being sensitive to his or her time. This initial experience should be brief enough to respect the leader’s schedule, yet long enough to provide a good overview of his or her Family Tree. If necessary, an additional meeting can be scheduled to review the information.
If appropriate, something about the experience should be shared through social media. This could involve the opinion leader sharing something on his or her social media channels or the Church posting something on our local social media pages.
After the meeting, a report of the experience should be provided to the appropriate presiding Church leaders.

Guidelines for Communication Councils

Choose the opinion leader carefully. It should be someone who will truly appreciate the experience. Because of the time and effort involved, it is best to choose leaders who will likely have a long-term association with the Church. For example, a mayor who was recently elected in a city where the Church is growing rapidly would be a much better choice than a mayor who is leaving office in a few months and will have limited influence on matters important to the Church. In addition to government, community, and interfaith leaders, consider extending invitations to reporters, bloggers, and other influential communicators.
Keep in mind that many politicians are restricted in the kinds of gifts they can accept. Even though there is not a financial cost involved in this effort, it may still be considered a gift. Before any work is done, research the rules in your city or state. Also ask whether the individual is comfortable accepting your offer.
Find out what the opinion leader is interested in learning. Perhaps there is a specific ancestor they feel connected to. Maybe they want to learn more about their heritage in a certain part of the world. If possible, give priority to what most intrigues the opinion leader.
Be clear that we are not offering to research multiple generations of the family and create detailed binders and framed family trees. We are offering to use FamilySearch expertise to start the research in the Family Tree and help the opinion leader begin their family history journey.

Guidelines for temple and family history consultants have been shared on the consultants blog.

Rev. 07.13.2026

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