James Tanner – The Family History Guide Blog

December 27, 2025

An Update of the Now Seventeen Rules of Genealogy

Note: This article appeared previously on the Genealogy’s Star blog site. The recent BYU Library Family History Center webinar “An Update of the Now Seventeen Rules of Genealogy” is also available on YouTube – https://youtu.be/mDIGO80_xCM. Here is a summary of the YouTube video. This presentation, delivered by James Tanner at the BYU Library Family History Center, provides a vital “reality...

Country Research/Research/YouTube Comments: 0

October 12, 2025

Finding Records Lost Online in the AI Universe

Note: This article was published previously in the Genealogy’s Star blog site. FamilySearch.org‘s Full-text Search capability is an overwhelming change to way genealogical searches are conducted and may well modify or replace any current way of searching historical documents. At the heart of using a previously unavailable tool for genealogical research is an artificial intelligence supported handwriting recognition. Currently, the...

artificial intelligence/Country Research/Research/Technology

September 6, 2025

What I Learned from 1418 Consultations for FamilySearch

Note: This article has been updated to reflect that FamilySearch consultations have not been discontinued. During the past five years, I have scheduled 1418 online consultations for FamilySearch.org. These consultations originated from the Salt Lake City FamilySearch Library website. There were dozens of people volunteering to respond to the consultation requests, mostly Church Service Missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of...

Country Research/FamilySearch/Learning/Training/U.S. Research

August 10, 2025

FamilySearch Improved Merge Experience

Note: This article appeared previously in the Genealogy’s Star blog site. One basic fact about online family trees is their propensity to create duplicates. This apparently stems from the belief by each family tree contributor that their work is somehow unique and completely accurate. When this belief in uniqueness and accuracy is extended to the large online family tree websites,...

FamilySearch/Research

June 1, 2025

Is AI Helpful or Merely Trivial?

Note: This article appeared previously on the Genealogy’s Star blog site. As a genealogist, there is a division between activities that help and support genealogical/historical research and those that are mere play-time diversions. AI is not my “companion.” AI is not going to help me with my daily schedule. AI is not going to improve the quality of my life...

artificial intelligence/Records/Research

May 25, 2025

Genealogy Is Not Just Copying Names

Note: This article was published previously on the Genealogy’s Star blog site. In some parts of the world, particularly for people who descend from ancestors from Western Europe, genealogy is not a particularly new innovation or pursuit. In my 43 years of doing genealogical research, I spent the first 15 or so years copying genealogical information from my ancestors. This...

Records/Research

March 9, 2025

Guidelines for the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Genealogy at RootsTech 2025

Note: This article was published previously on the Genealogy’s Star blog site. See CRAIGEN.org The Coalition for the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Genealogy will have a panel discussion at RootsTech 2025. The presentation will take place Friday in Ballroom B at Salt Palace and will also be live-streamed at 4:30 p.m. MT. There is a link for submitting...

artificial intelligence/RootsTech

February 3, 2025

FamilySearch 2024 Year in Review

Note: This article appeared previously on the Genealogy’s Star blog site. FamilySearch 2024 Year in Review FamilySearch.org I realize we are getting well into 2025, but I am always fascinated by what happened in the past year. FamilySearch.org had a banner year and from my standpoint, more than I can quickly learn about is coming in 2025. I do, however,...

FamilySearch

November 30, 2024

How to Analyze Genealogical Sources: Part Six

Editor’s Note: This article by was previously published in the Genealogy’s Star blog site . After you have reviewed a few thousand documents, you will work out your own method for analyzing the document or record and the information contained in the document or record. But meanwhile, it is a good idea to think about the process and make sure...

U.S. Research

October 27, 2024

Some Common Steps to Online Security

Note: This article was published previously on the Genealogy’s Star blog site. Security is one of the major concerns of the day. You can regularly read about huge websites and databases being hacked and the information stored compromised. Security on your computer or your smartphone should be as automatic as locking your door at night (or during the day...

Technology

The Family History Guide Blog

Author: James Tanner