The films are going online and you can read the actual parish registers in
the same way as when they were on microfilm. These are not transcripts.
Look up a register in which you are interested in the LDS Library Catalog,
glance to the right near where the film number is and if you see the image
of a camera, then the film is available to view.
Because of permission agreements, some films are restricted to viewing on
the computers in the centers. Heptonstall [and many other English parish
registers] have to be viewed at a FHC or an affiliated library. Or, if you
subscribe, through Ancestry at home.
On the other hand, most Dutch and German church books can be viewed at home.
Most were originally filmed at archives.
The LDS expects to have every film that ever circulated from Salt Lake City
online, full image, within about 3 years. Indexing is underway and several
volunteers at the FHC I go to are participating in that program.
Hello Elaine
Thanks for posting this information. My husband's great grandfather was from Germany - time spent trawling through church registers might be enlightening. Christine