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from my email:-

For Immediate Release
02 February 2009

Volunteers Rally to Bring Last National Census Online
1875 Norway Census Transcription Initiative Is Underway

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH—FamilySearch International, the University of
Tromsø, and DIS-Norge announced today a joint initiative to transcribe
the 1875 Norway Census for free online access. It is the only Norway
census that has not been indexed and the first to be tackled as a
global, Internet-based effort. Volunteers who can read Norwegian are
being sought to complete the project at www.familysearch.org. (Go to
FamilySearch.org, then click Index Records, and then click Volunteer.)

The 1875 Norway Census is valuable to researchers because it was the
last national census taken just before the great Norwegian immigration
period that started in 1878. Researchers will not have to wait much
longer for convenient, online access to the historic census.
FamilySearch digitized the census images and is using its Web-based
transcription tool and volunteers to create the automated index. The
University of Tromsø and DIS-Norge are sponsoring the project, but many
more online volunteers are needed to transcribe the 1.6 million
individuals found in the tens of thousands of census sheets.
Although FamilySearch has done other major international indexing
projects, this is the first one for Norway. “The biggest challenge is
the Norwegian handwriting and names,” said Jeff Svare, collection
management specialist. “Most of FamilySearch’s current volunteers are
not skilled at reading Norwegian names or handwriting. Native Norwegian
volunteers would be much more effective and efficient at transcribing
the required information from the census sheets,” concluded Svare.

Volunteering is simple. Volunteers with Internet access register online
at FamilySearchIndexing.org. Once they have downloaded the transcription
software, there is an optional, but very helpful, tutorial. They then
select the Norway 1875 Census project, and a digital image of a census
page will appear. The volunteers then enter the highlighted information
they see on their computer screen. That information is saved and
compiled online in an index that will be made freely available to the
public. Each batch should take about 30 minutes.

Indexers do not need to worry about their skill level at reading
censuses. Each census page is transcribed by two different indexers. Any
discrepancies between the two entries will be arbitrated by a third
indexer. The result is a highly accurate, free index of tremendous value
to family history enthusiasts. The more online volunteers that help, the
quicker the free census index will be available online for all to enjoy
and benefit from.

There are other hidden benefits to volunteering. Volunteers become
familiar with historical documents, the valuable stories they can
conceal, and their usefulness and application to genealogical research.

The FamilySearch Records Access program has already generated over 500
million names and images through its volunteer initiatives. The
collections can be searched for free at FamilySearch.org. (Go to
FamilySearch.org, then click Search Records, and then click Record
Search pilot.)

Gunnar Thorvaldson, professor of history and manager of research for the
Norwegian Historical Data Centre at the University of Tromsø, said, “The
University welcomes the cooperation with the FamilySearch Center to
extend our sample of computerized entries from the 1875 census for
Norway. This will significantly increase the potential use of the first
high quality Norwegian census both in statistical and ancestry-related
research."

“We are happy to be able to assist FamilySearch in indexing the 1875
Norway Census,” said Torill Johnsen, president of DIS-Norge. “Lots of
important genealogical information has limited access because it is
still only available on paper in archives and libraries. Online access
to those reliable sources makes it available for genealogists from their
own computer when they want it. Active involvement from volunteers will
hasten the completion of the 1875 Norway Census and increase the number
of digitally accessible sources,” added Johnsen.

FamilySearch manages the largest collection of genealogical records
worldwide. In 2007 it announced plans to begin digitizing and indexing
its collection for broader, more economic online access—starting with
popular collections like the U.S., Canada, and U.K. censuses.
FamilySearch has created free online indexes to date for the 1850, 1860,
1870, 1880, and 1900 U.S. Censuses. FamilySearch is working with The
Generations Network to provide enhanced, free indexes for the remaining
U.S. censuses.


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ABOUT FAMILYSEARCH INTERNATIONAL


FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the
world. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and
services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great
pursuit, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and
sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. FamilySearch
is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and
resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,500 family
history centers in 70 countries, including the main Family History
Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/indexing/frameset_indexing.asp