Microfilm Rental Program with FamilySearch to be Suspended

Here’s the latest: the microfilm rental program from LDS will be discontinued as of September 1st, this year. Maine State Library has been an affiliate library for a number of years. The main benefit of that designation was to act as a location where microfilm could be sent for patron use. FamilySearch cites “significant progress…in microfilm digitization efforts and the obsolescence of microfilm technology”; they also state that they have “now digitally reproduced…over 1.5 billion images”, and “remaining microfilms should be digitized by 2020” (e-mail dated June 26, 2017). A number of us affiliates have been troubled by the seemingly inaccessible digital images that are offered; luckily, there are some workarounds to this issue, (If you’d like a copy of the tips given by Lauren E. Kuntzman of the St. Joseph County Public Library in South Bend, IN, please let me know!)
Meanwhile, I will keep you posted as we transition out of the microfilm program. Onward!

Emily Schroeder

About Emily Schroeder

Greetings to everyone who’s into genealogy! I’m Emily Schroeder, and I’ve been at Maine State Library since 1980. I just retired this year. My latest incarnation transformed me into the genealogy specialist. I got to visit other libraries and do genealogy workshops, have classes onsite, teach adult ed., write newsletters, join genealogy groups, and generally try to keep myself “in the know”. I’m hoping that through this blog we can share ideas, review resources and databases, and maybe introduce something new to readers in the genealogy field. You can always e-mail me at: buffywg@yahoo.com.