Issue 31.14
July 20 and 21 FamilySearch held a Worldwide Indexing Event. The goal was to break the July 2, 2012 record when a total of 49,025 indexers joined together to set the all-time record for the most indexing participants in a single day. This goal was 50,000 indexers and arbitrators to submit at least one batch in the 24-hour period.
So many people were participating that the servers were overloading, the engineers had to come in on Sunday evening and boost things even more. There was a backlog of batches coming into the system, an overwhelming response. The record was broken and the goal was hit with three hours to go. The final total was 66,417 people participating! That effort provided 4,668,164 names indexed or 164,985 batches, plus 941,527 records arbitrated.
FamilySearch Indexing has been around for seven years; it replaced the old extraction program, and is done at home, using the internet. It is easy to do, fun, helpful and addicting! The records indexed so far have made a monumental difference in how simple sourcing and researching can be. The images are linked to the index and we link those records right to the ancestors listed in FamilySearch.org Family Tree. What used to take me weeks to find can now be found in seconds. If you are an indexer, thank you so much for your efforts!
FamilySearch first started preserving and providing access to ancestral records in 1938. It took FamilySearch a total of 58 years, until 1996, to record 2 billion images onto microfilm. In 2007, FamilySearch first started to digitize their extensive collections. It has taken just 7 years to create the first 1 billion digital images. Of the current digital images going online, approximately 70% come from digital conversion of existing microfilm records, 25% come from new sources and 5% come from partner organizations like Ancestry.com. There are 275 camera teams digitally recording historic images in 45 countries. The run rate is currently 500,000 new digital images a day.
FamilySearch has worked with more than 10,000 archives in over 100 countries. FamilySearch has 2.4 million rolls of microfilm, 742,000 microfiche, 310,000 books and 4,500 periodicals, so there is no shortage of digital imaging to be done. FamilySearch estimates the next 1 billion digital images should take just 3 to 5 years to complete and put online. So the record collection is expected to double in the next 3 to 5 years.
For more information, contact Shanna S. Jones shannasjones@msn.com (435) 628-4900.