You've got questions about discovering, preserving and celebrating your family history; our experts have the answers.
Q. I have been asking for a film from the LDS; they say it's restricted. Restricted to whom? Whom could I get to read it? There's no mention of restriction in the library catalog. The film is St. James Ireland No. 0962524. LDS branches here do not know.
A. It's likely that the microfilm you're seeking via your local Family History Center (FHC) has a circulation restriction. This is not a case of being restricted to specific persons—rather, it's usually a contractual restriction placed by the holder of the original records. This film will be available for use in the Family History Library (FHL) itself in Salt Lake City, however.
Many restricted films are so noted in the catalog, but not all. Your FHC should have a listing of restricted microfilms. One large collection that's restricted is the published books. If these books haven't been microfilmed or microfiched, the library won't circulate them to FHCs. When you look at how many materials the FHL has available for circulation to the FHCs, the number of restricted ones is quite small by comparison.
To access the information from this film, you might hire a professional genealogist in Salt Lake City to search the material for you. Contact the Association of Professional Genealogists www.apgen.org, the Board for Certification of Genealogists www.bcgcertification.org or the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen) www.infouga.org/icapgen. Another option is to plan a trip to the Family History Library yourself!