Each of the large online genealogy family tree/record websites advertises the large number of records they have available for doing user research. In many cases there are various levels of indexing to support the records they claim to have available. But access is not determined by the number of records digitized or otherwise available.
Let’s suppose that you are looking for a record in the U.S. National Archives. First of all, only a vanishingly small percentage of the National Archive’s holding are digitized or even on microfilm. However, all of the present microfilm publications from the National Archives are digitized and available on CD or DVD. See Record Reproduction and Microfilm. By the way, during the COVID pandemic, all reproduction and digitization services have been suspended. What this means is that research in the National Archives will often require the researcher to personally visit the facilities or hire someone to do the research. Here is a description of all of the National Archives repositories across the United States. See National Archives facilities.
If we expand our concept of valuable historical and genealogically helpful records to other repositories. We will find the same conditions. Some of the records are digitized and available online, some are indexed but not digitized, and some are sitting in piles and boxes and no one really knows what is there. For example, one major state archive has millions and millions of stored paper records. The index to these records is a huge 3×5 inch paper card catalog like the one I used 50 years ago at the University of Utah. Not even the indexed catalog is entirely digitized. So, once again, research in the archive will frequently require the researcher to personally visit the facilities or hire someone to do the research.
You might get the impression, with all the hoopla about huge online collections that almost everything is available. Here is one example: Indonesia. Her is the link to the Indonesian National Archives. Here is the statement about record availability.
The National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia (ANRI) through the work unit of the Archives Service Center carries out services in the field of services that are offered, namely the creation of archival guidelines and applications as well as improvement, maintenance, maintenance and archive storage. Archival services are provided to central and local government agencies, educational institutions, BUMN, BUMD, private companies, and the community. Service tariffs are fixed and definite based on Government Regulation Number 53 of 2019 concerning Types and Tariffs for Types of Non-Tax State Revenues Applicable to the National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia (download). Likewise, the mechanism for providing services must comply with regulations according to the mechanism for non-tax state revenues where the Archives Service Center is not a business entity. See Records Services.
My point is that the pile of records online on the large genealogy websites is helpful but not complete. In addition, the records, when digitized, have to be online, indexed, and accessible for someone who does not have physical access to the repository. Just for information’s sake FamilySearch.org has some Indonesian records. Neither Ancestry.com or MyHeritage.com seem to have any records at all.
What does it take to have access to records?
1. The records need to have been preserved. Obviously, if the records were destroyed they are no longer available in any format.
2. The records need to be stored and preserved in way that researchers have access to examine the records and do research. This may involve fees, restrictions, and other impediments such as the times the archive is open for research. Some libraries and archives require a membership or even an academic certification to gain access. See The Huntington Library for an example.
3. For most genealogists, the records need to be online, available in digital format, and reasonably accessible. This may include a pay wall or subscription.
4. For genealogists, indexes are a help and can expedite research where they are accurate and complete.
This outline does not include the time and effort it takes for researchers to find out that records exist and where they are located. It does not include the time and effort to actually access the records as my visit to the Philadelphia City Archives is a good example.
