The move of historical records from the FamilySearch Records pilot site over into FamilySearch Beta has not been quite as smooth as might have been hoped. The navigation and search facilities of the Beta site are not the same as those previously available on the pilot site and/or the original FamilySearch site, and many users are finding the differences frustration. In many cases there are less options for narrowing down the search which ostensibly makes the site easier to use, but these and other changes are also returning a lot of irrelevant results. The best matches also don't always seem to filter to the top.
One of the changes in the FamilySearch Beta site that I find the most frustrating is the loss of predictive text for locations - which uses the "authority list" to help standardize place names for easier browsing and searching. I used to get annoyed with having to select a location from a drop-down box (e.g. Bristol, Gloucester, England) rather than just typing in "Bristol," but now I'm often finding it more frustrating having to guess how a particular location might be recorded in the database (since the authority list is no longer available). When using regular search, this isn't as much of an issue, but when using exact search you sometimes have to correctly guess the way a particular location was recorded to get the right results. This isn't always a problem - in some record groups, places have been helpfully categorized so that an exact search for "Bristol" in England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 returns results from Clifton, Gloucester (a parish in Bristol) as well as Bedminster, Somerset (a suburb of Bristol) - but other record groups such as Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1850 (one of the original pilot projects) are not as well standardized and organized.
Another stumbling block with the new FamilySearch Beta is that some of the features that do exist aren't as intuitive as they should be, so are often overlooked by researchers. For example, did you know the little down triangle that appears to the right-hand side of each record result opens up more information on the record without having to leave the results page (similar to the "mouseover for more details" feature in the FamilySearch Pilot)? This is something FamilySearch is planning to make more obvious based on the majority of users who apparently never see or use it. Also, if you're looking for more search options, be sure to make a selection from the dropdown "Relationship" box - spouse to enter a spouse's name, or parents to enter the names of either or both parents. For example you can search English baptismal records for anyone in Bristol (no primary name entered) with a father named Thomas Powell and mother Mary.
While there are a lot of wonderful things to like about the Historical Records in FamilySearch Beta (especially that they are available at all - and free to boot!), there are many search tips, suggestions and workarounds often used by genealogists that may help make the site less frustrating for other researchers, and also offer helpful feedback for FamilySearch programmers who are listening to their users and are constantly working to improve the search experience. How do you find what you're looking for in FamilySearch Beta? Do you use advanced search? Exact results? Parents' names only? Please share your best tip with the rest of us!
Share Your Best Tips for Using FamilySearch Historical Records Beta
You have addressed some of the problems I have noted. I try may different ways to search and have used advanced search options, but the problem is that every time data bases are moved or changes are made to the sites, the rules and procedures change. I’m never sure where I need to be looking, how I need to look for it, etc.
I too have found the “beta” results frustrating. The user is forced to sort through many pages of non-pertinent data to find what they are looking for. Example: Inputting a domestic birth and death still forces the user to sort through English birth indexes, interspersed with domestic results. Please keep refining…
Found practically the same problems. The old site is still available, except you can’t get copies of documents. But I still use for a printout and get info that way. Once you sign on and jump to something else, it automatically signs you off. Some of the searches take too long.
My philosphy on making changes is: give good, clear instruction on HowTo use the Beta program and what you are trying to accomplish. Keep the old way available so folks who aren’t comfortable with using Beta, until it actually works, can continue on their quest for answers in a tried and true manner.