September 1, 2019, SeekingMichigan.org Begins Transition to Michiganology.org; Digital Items Move First, Later the Guides

A date has finally been announced — September 1, 2019. That is when the digital collections at Archives of Michigan website, SeekingMichigan.org, will be removed and Michiganology.org the Archives' new website takes over access to the digital collections.

The change in this case is a good thing. It is based on giving the Archives of Michigan website's users — us — a better and more powered experience. Instead of having to search three different collections for death certificates separately the new site will be able to search all three together in one search. A new feature, standard at many other websites, will be the ability to just browse a record collection.

The ability to search on the Michiganology website actually begins August 31, so there will be a day or so of overlap between the websites and on September 1 the digital collections will no longer be at SeekingMichigan. The various guides (county, subject, indexes and general information) will be moved over to Michiganology at a later date. The Archives will send out a notice when that move is complete. It is planned that there will be no loss of record access during the changeover.

According to a Q&A over at the SeekingMichigan website, the current Michiganology.com storefront for Michigan-themed merchandise and the new Michiganology.org websites will be merged. The Research Requests currently found at SeekingMichigan under Services will be found at the new website under Shop and then Research Requests.

One downside to the move is if you have used the URL for an image at the SeekingMichigan website that URL link will be broken. For example, as a link on the FindAGrave website. The Archives tried very hard to come up with a redirect but was unable to do so.

Have you been waiting for the 1943 Michigan death certificate images? From a presentation given at one of our MCGG Friday meetings earlier this year, at the time of this website changeover the images for the 1943 death certificates should be included on the new website. The yearly release of an additional year's worth of death certificate images usually has occurred around February. The new website delayed that release this year.

Hopefully we will find other useful features and options added to the new website!

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE