Located in the east side of the Malad Stake Building, the Malad Stake Family Search Center (formerly Family History Center) hosted a tour of 4th and 6th Ward Relief Society members on Wednesday, February 26.  New technology available at the Center was explained and some of it demonstrated by volunteer consultants Alyce Lewis and Wendi Alder.

The book scanner will quickly copy any size page, including full pages of newspapers. The scanned copies can be downloaded to a printer or saved to a flash drive. As an example of the versatility of the book scanner, Brent Bowen is currently scanning all Malad High School yearbooks, which will then be archived at the Center.

Photographs of all sizes can be quickly scanned and downloaded to a flash drive or printed out. Simple editing of photographs is possible; cropping, rotating, and changing the lighting can easily be done.

VHS tapes can be downloaded so that they can be easily viewed on computers or smart televisions. Some commercial tapes cannot be copied due to copyright laws, but home movie videos, for example, can be preserved in a digital format.

Although it has not been used, yet, by the volunteers at the Center, a brand new machine will download 8-mm film (like the film used in old home movie cameras) so it can be digitally preserved.

Besides all the technology, the Center has binders full of printed obituaries and other archives of documents and information pertinent to residents – past and present – of the Malad Stake. Biographies and pictures of some of the earliest pioneers of Malad Valley are available at
the Center.

The Center volunteers are available to assist patrons in using the technology and finding the information they seek.  The volunteers can teach patrons how to use Family Search, a computer platform developed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Family Search provides multiple resources, including a place to upload family histories, pictures, and documents so that families can access materials pertinent to their ancestors. Family trees, fan-shaped lists of ancestors, and other types of family lists can be developed from Family Search records. One can also search for famous people to whom they are related and access other unique records.

A person does not have to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to access Family Search or to get assistance at the Family Search Center. The Center is open and staffed by volunteers on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 1:00 – 8:30 p.m. Kay Buttars and Jan Edwards are the directors of Malad Stake’s Family Search Center. Appointments are not necessary by individuals as the Center is staffed by 5-6 volunteers and has several computers for use by patrons. Group tours may be scheduled by calling 208-766-2332.