Local and Institutional Records of the Church

“Keep a history, and a general church record of all things that transpire in Zion” (Doctrine and Covenants 85:1).

Imagine a Latter-day Saint pilot whose B-17 bomber was shot down over Germany during World War II. If he survived parachuting from his plane, he likely would have been captured and found himself in a prisoner of war camp. In such circumstances, how would he practice his faith in Jesus Christ?

One record housed at the Church History Library tells the story of a handful of young Latter-day Saints who lived that very experience. A group of young prisoners in Stalag Luft I, a German prisoner of war camp, recorded details about the Church meetings they held together. They also wrote down principles of their faith from memory, including information about baptisms and confirmations, sacrament prayers, and the Church’s Articles of Faith. (It appears that none of the group members could remember all thirteen Articles of Faith, as two are missing.)

Like these young men, Latter-day Saints around the world have kept congregational records so that people both living and yet unborn can better understand how the Church operates as well as how it impacts individual lives. Although the types of records kept by local congregations have changed over the years, they continue to flow into the Church History Library, which houses thousands of these documents.

The library collection also includes institutional records created by Church entities worldwide, such as local administrative offices, temples, and farms that produce food for humanitarian purposes. These records include minutes, correspondence, reports, and emails produced as part of the daily activities of these organizations. Once records become outdated, Church History Department staff members permanently preserve those that have historical value. The library houses tens of thousands of these institutional records.

Some records are restricted for reasons such as privacy or confidentiality (for more information, see our Access Policy), but researchers may access much of this voluminous material in the library. Here is how to access it.

Call Numbers

First, let’s look at the call numbers associated with local records. Call numbers are assigned to all items (such as local records, books, and photographs) at the Church History Library to help you easily find an item. We’ll be using LR 1140 2, LR 13533 11, and LR 6227 as examples of local record call numbers.

You’ll notice that all the call numbers start with LR, which stands for “local record.” LR is followed by two sets of numbers. The first set of numbers is one that staff members at the Church History Library assigned to a specific branch, ward, stake, or mission (collectively called units). For example, any record beginning with LR 1140 was created by the British Mission, and any record beginning with LR 13533 was created by the Fukui Branch (now Fukui Ward) in Japan. Whenever possible, we try to keep a unit’s call number the same even if its name changes. For example, LR 6227 is for the Illinois Chicago South Mission, but it also includes records under the mission’s previous names, such as the Northwestern States Mission and Northern States Mission. There are exceptions, of course, given how units are occasionally split or merged with another unit; for example, LR 6227 and LR 9361 both include records under the name Northwestern States Mission. However, whenever possible, we try to preserve call numbers’ continuity.

The second set of digits in the call number corresponds to the series of that collection. For LR 1140 2, the 2 means that the collection is the manuscript history, which was a yearly history kept by the mission. For LR 13533 11, the 11 signifies that the item is general minutes kept during sacrament and testimony meetings of the branch.

Series Overview

Here is a breakdown of the different series that are assigned to local records. More detailed explanations follow.

• Series 2 and 3: Manuscript histories and annual histories
• Series 11: General minutes
• Series 12: Aaronic Priesthood minutes
• Series 13: Melchizedek Priesthood minutes
• Series 14: Relief Society minutes
• Series 15: Sunday School minutes
• Series 16: Young Men minutes
• Series 17: Young Women minutes
• Series 18: Primary minutes
• Series 19: Miscellaneous minutes
• Series 20: Publications
• Series 21 and up: Unique or later acquisitions

You might occasionally see units that have a series 9 (missionary list) and series 10 (confidential minutes). Due to the large amount of private and confidential information that these include, they are not available for research. Some of the other series also have confidential portions or contain private information that are unavailable for research. You can find additional information on why a record may be closed to research in our access policy.

Please note that the amount of information available in the record depends on whether the unit leadership kept records and submitted them to the Church Historian’s Office.

Here is a bit more about each record series:

Series 2 and 3: Manuscript Histories and Annual Histories

Begun by staff members at the Church Historian’s Office in the 1890s, these series are compilations of historical information for Church units. Annual histories may include information on unit events and activities, lists of callings and releases, newspaper clippings, newsletters, programs, photographs, and so on. Manuscript histories (series 2) ended around 1980, when more formal annual reports (series 3) began. Due to privacy issues, the most recent 10 years of annual histories are not available for research.

Series 11 through 19: Meeting Minutes

Clerks were charged with keeping minutes during each unit’s various Church meetings. Minutes of auxiliary organizations were kept through 1973, and minutes of sacrament meetings were kept through 1977. Since 1978, minutes have not been kept or sent to Church headquarters. However, meeting minutes in our collection can provide insight into the experiences, callings, and lives of Church members in units around the world.

Series 20 and Beyond

Series 20 includes any unit publications, such as newsletters, that are submitted to Church headquarters. Other records that don’t fit the description of the other series and that vary widely in their content and type are numbered as series 21 and up. Look at the title and description of each of these to determine whether the series is applicable to your research.