Around the World in 60 Minutes: What's New in FamilySearch Collections

The presenter expresses gratitude to John for the introduction and welcomes attendees to the Family Search presentation, which is focused on new global collections. The event is likened to a 'world tour' in 60 minutes, highlighting updates in family search collections. The speaker mentions the noisy expo hall setting and emphasizes the excitement of sharing new content. They clarify that the presentation won't cover new features or technology for Family Search, and note that the chat will be monitored for questions. Six presenters are introduced, each focusing on different global regions.

Megan McClanahan discusses 'Global Accounts,' which are corporate entities and societies that do not focus on a single geographical location. She emphasizes Family Search's commitment to uniting families through the family tree of humanity. The presentation highlights a collaboration that led to the publication of the 1931 Canada Census, involving Family Search, Library and Archives Canada, and Ancestry.com. The census contains over 10.3 million records and is a valuable resource for finding historical figures and ordinary citizens alike.

The presenter delves into specific Canadian collections, including the 1931 Census and the Canada Chinese Exclusion Act records. The latter contains registration packets from Chinese immigrants required by law between 1923 and 1924, offering rich genealogical information. The New York land records collection is also mentioned, which at over 65 million records, is the largest for the state. The presenter's personal anecdote about searching for John D. Rockefeller in the collection highlights its extensiveness.

Marlene Hernandez introduces new collections from Latin America, with a focus on Argentina. She discusses the importance of the Argentina military records collection, which contains around 8 million records from 1911 to 1936. The presenter also highlights the Argentina Buenos Aires passenger lists from 1901 to 1922, which document immigration trends from Europe and are a valuable resource for genealogists tracing ancestors who immigrated to Argentina.

The presenter moves on to discuss Colombian and Paraguayan collections. The Colombia AO districtal obituary books from 1900 to 1957, kept by the Bogota archive, contain vital information about the deceased. The Paraguay civil registration collection from 1842 to 2012 includes birth and death records, with marriage records to be added later. These collections are beneficial for research and for adding new ancestors to family trees.

Hawan Lee presents new collections from Asia, focusing on Korea and Japan. The Korean 'Chuko' or genealogical records are detailed, with the presenter noting the need for understanding the Korean ancient language, Hanja. The Family Search website has over 10 million images of these records, and indexing efforts are underway. The Japanese 'Kesu' or family trees are also discussed, with 2 million images published and an indexing project in progress.

The presenter discusses a digitization project in Thailand, which included cremation books, ear books, newspapers, and biographies. The project was a collaboration with a major university and resulted in the digitization of over 93,760 images. Additionally, the Palau church records from 1921 to 1940, consisting of 7,374 records, have been published and indexed, covering birth, marriage, and death records.

Arena Anderson covers European collections with a focus on Ukraine, Greece, and mentions other upcoming collections. Ukrainian records are particularly highlighted, including World War II filtration records from Soviet filtration camps. These records provide detailed information on individuals' lives during wartime. The Greek refugee farmers index, a new collection for the country, documents the movement and relocation of refugees following the Greece-Turkey population exchange in the 1920s.

Sean Canny discusses collections for Africa and the Middle East. The Democratic Republic of the Congo ID cards, spanning from the late 1800s to the present, are highlighted for their detailed information on families. The presenter also mentions the ongoing indexing of these records. Additionally, the Palestine Nablus population registers, Ottoman census records, provide foundational information for future collections in the region.

The presenter introduces a new search experience for African genealogical research, which includes a mobile-friendly interface focused on building family trees, finding ancestors, and recording stories. The platform allows for streamlined searches by surname, village, or tribe. The presenter also mentions 'hidden gems,' lesser-known collections that hold significant value for researchers but may not receive much traffic.

Katie Poppleton discusses various US collections, including naturalization records with millions of documents being indexed for easier access. She also highlights the cohabitation records in North Carolina from 1866 to 1868, which were used to officially register marriages of formerly enslaved couples. The presenter mentions the Alaska village census rolls from 1919 to 1972 and the Montana tribal area records, emphasizing the importance of these records for Native American research.

The final paragraph announces the implementation of full text search for billions of documents, including wills, deeds, and plantation records. This new feature allows for keyword searches within these documents, making it easier to find family information. The presenter also expresses gratitude to volunteer indexers, whose efforts have made many collections searchable and emphasizes the ongoing need for volunteers in combination with artificial intelligence.