Hi Mary MK, You need the 42 Power lens. It's the same one they use for Soundex. Ask them if they have it. If not, ask them if it's possible for them to order one. Or depending on where you live, it may be worth the drive to an area that has some Portuguese researchers (North Dartmouth has ALL the Azorean films and George will spend a little time showing you the ropes (he is a researcher for hire, so sometimes he's working on projects for clients); Oakland has a large collection and many on this list use their FHC - you may be able to meet up with someone; I can get to the Los Angeles FHC is you are in southern CA, etc).
Reading the script does take some training. There's a little paleography online (paleography - reading the script, for those who are wondering) here on the Azores GenWeb: http://homepage.mac.com/kmacardoza/Genealogy/HowTo_Part_3a.html#reading and here (also on the Azores GenWeb, but will take you out to Family Search): http://homepage.mac.com/kmacardoza/Genealogy/Paleography/paleography_01.html There are many brave people on this list who have read the above or have seen me, George Pacheco, Rosemarie Capodicci, Doug da Rocha Holmes, or Joao Ventura speak and have picked up a tiny bit. They find a record and they say they think the father is ______ and the mother _______ and that is all they got. A few records later, they post the mother and the father and they think the grandparents are ______ and _____ . And over time, they pick out more bits and pieces. Some people on this list do hold indices for some freguesias (villages) that their ancestors are from. Most researchers don't look for you until you find the village or the freguesia. So you'll need to narrow down from Sao Miguel island (with around 70 freguesias) to at least a council (county) if not the village. It's can be tedious and take a bit of time. Back in the day, when, I started (19 years ago), I had NO online sources to check at all. I had to write letters or send people to check records for me. It took me 4 years and 25 records before I found the freguesia that my ancestors were from. I think that today, if I knew nothing, it would take me only 2 - 4 weeks for me to obtain that information. Others have taken more time. And there are still others on this list with nothing more than "Azores" who are stuck and need more research to be done or more records to become available for them to be able to research in the Azores. Basic rules for keeping track of what you look at: Hmmm. OK, when Rosemarie and I did our Salt Lake class and we ran out of time (the library said they were closing and to come back tomorrow), I told people to tear a corner of scratch paper and put it on the take up reel and start rolling it up. Then tomorrow, you get the roll of film and you'll be close to where you left off. It also helps if you write down on the main piece of scratch paper that you are on Item 4, 1873. page 41LB (for Left Bottom) and maybe the name, so you know where you left off. (The "tear off the corner" idea I learned from my cousin, Jim Costa). Hope this helps! Cheri Mello Listowner, Azores-Gen Researching: Vila Franca, Ponta Garca, Ribeira Quente, Ribeira das Tainhas, Achada -- To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. Follow the confirmation directions when they arrive. For more options, such as changing to List, Digest, Abridged, or No Mail (vacation) mode, log into your Google account and visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Azores. Click in the blue area on the right that says "Join this group" and it will take you to "Edit my membership."
