Wilmette Illinois FamilySearch Center

02/12/2025

the Wilmette FamilySearch Center is closed today (2/12) and will reopen on Saturday (2/15).

10/29/2024

New changes to the FamilySearch Catalog.

Read about recent improvements to the FamilySearch Catalog.

09/07/2022

Back to our normal hours of operation: Tuesday: 10-6, Wednesday: 10-9, and Saturday: 9-1. Other hours by appointment.

Any programs you would like to see or attend? We are looking for topics for our next presentation series. We have a wide range of talent and knowledge in our volunteers who are waiting to hear what you'd like to learn!

Also, we could always use a few more volunteers to have backups and alternates to our existing team.

08/02/2022

The indexing team from FamilySearch has released over 35 million new searchable records from 49 countries - including US states!

FamilySearch expanded its free online archives in July 2022 with over 35 million new indexed family history records from all over the world.

07/29/2022

In the past, the Wilmette Family History Center has been closed during the month of August, to give the staff a break.

This year, WE WILL BE OPEN, BUT BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.

In order to request an appointment, please call and leave a message on our phone, 847-251-9819,
or send an email to [email protected]

It would be helpful if you include a very brief description of what you want to do, or what you are searching for, so we can match a volunteer to your request. This can be for on-site research or requested on-demand research.

04/11/2022

With the success of the renovation of the Family History Library, David Rencher now can step back and focus on Genealogy and turn the day-to-day operations of the Library to his right-hand man, Lynn Turner.

Lynn Turner, AG®, is the new director of the FamilySearch Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. He replaces David E. Rencher, who …

03/27/2022

The Wilmette Family History Center will be closed on Saturday, April 2nd for the General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

02/25/2022

The Wilmette Family History Center has resumed its full schedule of in-person hours. Once again you are welcome to our facilities:

Tues 10 - 6
Wednesday 10 - 9
Saturday (alternating) 9-1
and by appointment.

I advise calling ahead (if you need computer access) to ensure that there is an open computer as we are limited to 8 persons on-line at a time.

Remember we also house the largest set of microfilms for Cook County and a substantial number of Immigration and Naturalization records.

12/11/2021

You learn something new every day. I had thought the latest upgrade to the FHL network eliminated the ability to be outside the building or inside the FHC on your own computer and access locked records. But I was wrong!

You can still pull premium content from outside (or inside) one of the Family History Centers on your own laptop if you have a Chrome extension installed on your computer. Just follow this link https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/family-history-center-premium-content-browser-extension

to learn about it, and this link to install it:

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/family-history-center-pre/kpmeinlohefglphoflpoblpphppnokap?hl=en&authuser=0&fbclid=IwAR0T-yr1SdK0nEq0xyCZbfwJoVHhjpepmixxhoRlrwTK6IOWe0ZAwvGDZcQ

Once you have the Chrome extension installed, you can go to a FHC, login to the network there, and the extension will automatically detect the network and allow you access to the premium content.

Allows access to premium websites and other content from a Family History Center.

12/07/2021

David Rencher says, "In several presentations I’ve made I indicated that we were rebuilding the book collection in the FHL. In 2021, we’ve restored 15,000 published family histories to the open shelves, added 5,916 new and donated books, and added 1,112 serial publications. Enjoy!"

12/06/2021

https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/record-collection-november-2021?fbclid=IwAR0UU41Po27sAixcPSQISGaIaA1eD6iijhIbWKrRHeHjOUEeh8fVC8E9nu4 #.YamiIgLU1px.facebook

FamilySearch expanded its free archives with over 28 million new indexed family history records from all over the world. Come see what's new!

09/23/2021

Please update your calendars - The Family History Center will not be open on Saturday October 2nd as there is a General Conference of the Church.