Issue 28.12
Part 2
Today’s implementation of the International Genealogical Index (IGI) improves key deficiencies in the previous implementation, but it didn’t fix all of them. Previously, the IGI could not be searched by city or parish name, but only country and one other area like state or county. Users compensated by searching by batch numbers. While batch number searching is still supported, most users will prefer searching by name instead of number because it provides a more thorough search.
Previously, indexed entries and community contributed entries were mixed into a single collection. The reliability of the two is different, so users needed to know the source of each result. We compensated by examining the first digit of the batch number of each result. Batch number charts assisted users in recognizing extracted entries and user contributed entries. Now the two types have been separated, forcing users to distinguish between them.
While it grew to contain a tremendous amount of duplication, the IGI was originally envisioned as a file containing just one entry for each birth and each marriage that has ever occurred. When new records were indexed, entries were discarded that duplicated existing IGI entries. So if you don’t find it in one of the indexed entries, search the community contributed entries as well.
The original sources for entries in the IGI are not shown. For an indexed entry, look up the film number in the FamilySearch or Family History Library catalog. For a community contributed entry, the contributor may or may not have specified a source.
Because the classic site is going away, we must learn to use the new search page at https://www.familysearch.org/. To find the IGI, click on Historical Record Collections and either scroll down to International Genealogical Index (IGI) in the Titles or type in the Search box the word international and it will go right to it. Remember the community indexed (extracted) IGI are vital and church records from the early 1500s to 1885 and the community contributed IGI are personal family information submitted to the LDS church.
For more information, contact Shanna Jones (435)628-4900 or shannasjones@msn.com.