The original IGI database used to be the main workhorse online for FamilySearch, but was taken away when the site was reinvented not too long ago. The new plan was to split the collections into those offered by patrons from various uncorroborated sources, and those formally indexed as part of a series of records extractions programmes designed for religious purposes for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The collection was therefore split on the new FamilySearch into two new databases - Historical Records (the extracted stuff) and Family Trees (the patron stuff), These have been slightly redefined as the site has been enhanced, and some of the patron material was not included upon launch. Now FamilySearch has put back the IGI, but has also split it into two databases called Community Indexed IGI (Vital and church records from the early 1500s to 1885), and Community Contributed IGI (Personal family information submitted to the LDS Church).
So the collection which was removed and replaced by two separate databases has now been reinstated and split into two separate databases itself, effectively doubling much of the two databases that were supposed to replace the original database which is now back and split into two. I hope that's clear.... :)
Please don't write to me asking for further clarification - someone, somewhere, will undoubtedly know what the master plan is that FamilySearch is working to! From a nostalgia point of view, it's nice to see the IGI back - but I'm not a hundred per cent sure what the point is?
Chris
Scottish Research Online - 5 weeks online Pharos course, £45.99, taught by Chris Paton from 26 SEP 2012 - see www.pharostutors.com
New book: It's Perthshire 1866 - there's been a murder... www.thehistorypress.co.uk/products/The-Mount-Stewart-Murder.aspx (from June 12th 2012)
We have been trying to figure this out for years, as they have gone from www.familysearch.org, to new.familysearch.org, back to www.familysearch.org. Combining all the records into one holding cell, to separating them out, then combining, but separating them. It is very tiring. The one thing that has stayed the same from the change to new.familysearch.org to www.familysearch.org is that the search engine is terrible. It has been consistently terrible for years now. The new FamilyTree which they will be releasing later this year (don't hold your breath), is new.familysearch.org with a different interface. Overall, I wish they would just bring back the indexes and leave it at that.
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