The Family History Center will be relocating to the former testing center, hopefully by Fall Semester 2006, said David O. McKay Library administration.

With the Testing Center’s relocation to the John L. Clarke Building, the empty space was left for the library to use.

The Family History Center is expected to take up half the space in the basement of the McKay Library, while computers and study areas will fill the remainder, said Martin Raish, library director.

“For over a year the idea has been in the works, and many people have been involved with this decision,” Raish said. “There were six or eight options to choose from, but this one seems like it will work best.”

When the Family History Center moves, Special Collections, including old books, photos and archives, will be moved to the library’s second floor, where the Family History Center is located now.

The major challenge for this project will be making the old testing center more accessible for students with disabilities, Raish said.

However, the benefits of this modification will far outweigh the remodeling that needs to be done in order to facilitate the move, library administration and Family History Center personnel said.

Now when student wards come to do family history work on Sundays, the entire library does not have to be open. Instead, only the basement area will need to be open for family history work.

This move will affect many students involved in family history work.

Aside from students personally doing their family history, many come as home evening and ward groups.

Students taking family history courses as part of their religion curriculum also use the facility.

The Family History Center has been a part of the university since it was Ricks College.