The new FamilySearch Get Involved App will have you obsessed in no time. It’s the perfect “game-app” for genealogy and family history enthusiasts. Read further to learn about the app and then check our Facebook Page to log in your stats!
What is the FamilySearch Get Involved App
The Get Involved app was announced during RootsTech and introduced on the FamilySearch blog. You can read the announcement, here.
Get Involved is an app created for both Android and Apple devices. It was created by FamilySearch to help with the great task of indexing millions of rolls of digitized film. With state-of-the-art handwriting recognition artificial intelligence, these records are already starting to be indexed. The next step is for human verification and that’s where the app comes into play.
How does the FamilySearch Get Involved App Work
The app works together with the handwriting recognition artificial intelligence. The cutting-edge technology is able to know when there might be a problem with it’s transcription of a word. It then flags these words and volunteers using the app look at these flagged images and help correct them, if needed.
If the word has been indexed correctly, tap “Match.” If it isn’t quite right, tap “Edit” and make the changes. If you have no idea what on earth that word should be, you can tap “Unsure.” Lastly, and this is important, note the little flag icon just above the blue “Unsure” box. That flag should be tapped if the word you are being asked to review is not a PERSONS NAME. I get a lot of these. Words like “Recorder” or “Clerk” often appear after someone’s surname and that gets picked up as part of the person’s name.
Steps to Begin
- Download the app on your smartphone, iPad, or other smart device. Use the Google Play Store for Android devices and Apple Store for iOS/Apple devices.
- At the screen titled “Find Names to Review,” choose a country you would like to review records for, a state or province within that country, a language, and a family surname (if wanted).
- Tap on “Find Names” at the bottom of the screen and let the fun begin!
If you want an even greater challenge, consider reviewing records in your second language. Better yet, brush up on those old language skills from high school or college by indicating within the app that you would like to verify records in Spanish or Portuguese. [More languages to come!]
At the opening screen of the app, you can choose a country/location and a language.
Keep an eye out on your stats. This is where you can review how many names you have reviewed on a certain day, week, month, or year. Make it a game and see which of your friends can do the most names in a week! Personally, I plan to challenge my sister.
Where Can I Use the Get Involved App
Everywhere! Got to wait in the car at the school pick-up line, use the app. How about waiting for the kids after practice…use the app. Wind down from a tough day and de-stress by using the app. Use if for homeschooling the kiddos on cursive handwriting. There are likely more than a dozen reasons to join me and get obsessed with the FamilySearch Get Involved App. Oh, and let me know your progress in the comments below or on our Facebook page, The Genealogy Reporter.
no matter what I search, it’s not coming up in the Play store 🙁
Teresa, You should be able to find it by typing in “Get Involved.” If that doesn’t work, perhaps you have some sort of protection on your phone or smart device that is not allowing the app to be found.