Lynn Turner, AG®, is the new director of the FamilySearch Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. He replaces David E. Rencher, who will continue as FamilySearch’s Chief Genealogy Officer.
Turner’s Genealogy Fascination Started in El Salvador
Lynn’s interest in family history was nurtured in his youth by stories, memories, and photos his parents and grandparents shared with him. His interest in genealogy as a possible career materialized later in 1998–2000 in El Salvador where he was serving a proselyting mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Lynn says he distinctly remembers the experience when his interest in genealogical research was piqued. A gentleman he had befriended was not sure of his actual birth or marriage dates. This was not uncommon. El Salvadorans he worked with were struggling to make ends meet. They lived in thatched roof huts with dirt floors. Life was very, very rudimentary.
“Even if they would have been given a printed birth or marriage certificate, they’d have no way of protecting them from the elements,” Lynn reminisced.
To help his new friend, Lynn went to the local archives to attain a copy of the friend’s vital records. He began doing the same service for others. Those experiences going into local record offices and finding birth and marriage records whet his appetite for genealogical research and helping others make personal discoveries. It’s also where he developed his Spanish language expertise that would serve him well in his profession as a genealogist.
Becoming a Pioneer Accredited Genealogist in Spanish Research
Lynn graduated from Brigham Young University with a BA in Genealogy and Family History in 2004. In his studies, he learned there was growing family history interest in the Latin America and Spain markets. He decided to support the expanding Hispanic community who were seeking their ancestors by focusing on the history of Spain because of its influence on Latin American (Spain significantly influenced local record keeping practices in its territories).
While studying at Brigham Young University, Lynn had the privilege of learning from and being mentored by Dr. George Ryskamp, a pioneer in Spanish genealogical research. In 2006, Lynn became the first person in over 30 years to become an Accredited Genealogist in Spanish (Spain) research. In fact, the previous AG was his professor, George Ryskamp.
Lynn Turner’s Career at FamilySearch International
Lynn began his career at FamilySearch shortly after graduating from BYU. In the past 18 years, he has presented professionally at conferences in Brazil, Peru, Spain, and the United States. He enjoys seeing the convergence of technology with genealogy. He helped test the scanning software developed to digitize FamilySearch’s 2.4 million rolls of microfilms (See “FamilySearch Completes Digitization of Massive Microfilm Collection”). He worked in FamilySearch Research Support, where he oversaw all outside correspondence for Spain and Latin America for the Family History Library. It was during this time that he and others began to develop the foundation of the FamilySearch Wiki, a rich genealogical resource guide online.
Lynn was the Assistant Director of the Family History Library from 2019–2022. In that capacity he led the creation of state-of-the-art patron workstations and new customer service experiences—like the launch of free online genealogy consultations, the Records Lookup Service, and new webpages for the library. He has also worked with FamilySearch software engineers to develop systems and processes to help facilitate the publication of millions of images and indexed records online. He has worked extensively with co-workers in Latin America and Spain to increase access to more records in these areas.
The Future as Director of the FamilySearch Family History Library
As the Director of the FamilySearch Family History Library, Lynn says he will take his experiences of merging technology and genealogy and continue to make the library a premier destination for genealogists and family historians. He says the library will continue to focus on making resources and personal patron discovery experiences more available globally through technology.
“We are now sharing knowledge and support virtually, making more and more books available online through the FamilySearch Digital Library. We will also continue to leverage technology to enhance our in-person experience. As the field of genealogy shifts, we will adapt to help people discover, gather, and connect with their ancestors,” Lynn said.
The library will continue to expand its global reach through online services and develop the Family History Center and Affiliate Library programs. Locally, Lynn says the library will continue to be a community pillar with continually improved in-person assistance, and more space for patron services like photo scanning and video conversion.
