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I crafted this citation for the death certificate of Frank A. Joy. Although I know the template in EE4 states to use the website's description for the "citing..." layer, I have included the information found at image 1, which is the book's spine:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C34G-N98Y-H?view=index&action=view&lang=en&groupId=TH-909-87976-35395-84
FamilySearch, "Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1638-1927," database and images(https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1928860 : accessed 4 May 2025); Frank A. Joy death certificate, 19 January 1922; citing "Deaths 1922 Leominster to Longmeadow Vol. 39," p. 21.
Should I go with "citing Secretary of the Commonwealth. State Archives, Boston," instead?
Hello, mbcross. Let’s back…
Hello, mbcross.
Let’s back up a bit and rethink this. You are working with FamilySearch images of original documents and you want to feature the FamilySearch database. That calls for two layers:
It’s also important to remember EE 3.16, “The Rule That Has No Exception: Details that describe one entity must not be attached to a different entity.”
Your draft citation is this:
FamilySearch, "Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1638-1927," database and images(https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1928860 : accessed 4 May 2025); Frank A. Joy death certificate, 19 January 1922; citing "Deaths 1922 Leominster to Longmeadow Vol. 39," p. 21.
You also state that Image 1 presents the cover of the original book—i.e. “Deaths 1922 Leominster to Longmeadow Vol. 39.” That information goes in Layer 1 where you provide details for the original record, your item of interest.
You would not put details from the image in Layer 2 where you report additional information the website provides about the source and its location, Nor would you put the page number there. FamilySearch does not cite a page number. FamilySearch presents an image number that is different from page number.
Bottom line: The book title, the page number, and the certificate details are all details that you glean from the image.
EE’s suggested citation for this document would be this (with alterations in red):
FamilySearch,"Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1638-1927," FamilySearch, database with images (https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1928860 : accessed 4 May 2025), “Deaths, 1922: Leominster to Longmeadow, Vol. 39,” p. 21, Frank A. Joy death certificate, 19 January 1922; citing “Massachusetts State Archives.”EXPLANATIONS: