Family History Library, Salt Lake City

The Family History Library is a genealogical research facility provided and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The origins of the Family History Library can be traced to the founding of the Genealogical Society of Utah in 1894. The first library was located in the office of the Church Historian at 58 East South Temple. The library was located in the Church Office Building when it opened in 1971 but moved to its current location at 35 North West Temple Street in 1985. Its main purpose is to fulfill one of the LDS Church's fundamental tenets: that deceased family members, especially ancestors, can be baptized by proxy into the LDS church, as well as receive other saving ordinances. These ordinances are performed in temples. It is the largest genealogical library in the world and is open to the general public at no charge.