Family History Library research

 I've been researching in the stacks for two and a half days because I like looking through books more than I like the films but I've run out of books to look at and started looking at films.  This is what just one of the films aisles looks like.  They are very long aisles.  See that little bitty stool at the end?  That's a full sized stool and gives you an idea of how long this aisle is.  There's just enough room for two people to pass if they each turn sideways and shimmy past each other. 

There are many dedicated and helpful volunteers and staff members to help you if you need it, but the patron is responsible for getting their own films and returning them when they are finished.  Each film has its own unique number from six digits to seven digits long. 

This is just one of my films in a film reader.  This one is fairly easy to read but this page didn't have what I was looking for so it was on to the next page and the next page and the next page, and so on.   When you find the information you're looking for, and I did, you take both film rolls, the original roll and the uptake roll, to the copy station where I take full advantage of the staff.  The image can be printed on the copier or downloaded to a thumb drive.  The image appears on a monitor and must almost always need some kind of adjustment, such as clarity or brightness or straightening or perhaps you just want to use a portion of the image and then you must zoom onto the portion you want.

Today is the last day for me to research.  I'll be back to the films first thing and study those til I run out of time.  If, and that's a big if, I have time, I'll go back to the book floor and peruse more books on the Schoharie County, New York shelf.