Ancestry Library Edition
Ancestry library edition is a free service that provides access to the same information that paid subscribers
Search
To search on Ancestry library edition, you will need to log in with your library user name and password. To get the most from a search, try to have as much information as possible. A researcher can begin by entering First & Middle Name(s), Last Name, City, County, State, Country, and Birth year. Advance searching can be utilized by selecting events like birth, marriage, death, lived in, any event and more. By adding additional information like a family member father, mother, sibling, spouse or child, or searching by keyword, gender, race etc. can fine tune a search the best match The database includes a built-in thesaurus to automatically search for synonyms of search terms as well as city, state and country locations.
The following is an example of a basic search for family information on Ancestry.com
Frist & Middle Name: John
Last Name: Doe
City, County, State, Country: Lexington, Fayette, Kentucky, USA
Birth Year: 1952
Ancestry also pulls the data from many resources to allow the researcher the most accurate and up to date information. The special collections databases include birth, marriage and death records, Census and voter lists, immigration and travel records, military records, school and church histories, tax, criminal, land and will information, plus reference, dictionary, and almanacs. This database collection also allows that users to add their own stories and publications, photos and maps. There is also a card catalog search that allows a title and keyword search.
The following types of keywords can be used to begin a search for family records.
- Personal name
- Family Surname
- Geographic Locations
National Archives
The National Archives is a federally funded service that is free for researchers to use and provides access to many federal databases including but not limited to census and military records. This database also hosts immigration, social security and tax records. Making this a one stop show for federal documentation that may be needed to find relatives information.
Search
This database supports the ability to perform a basic search or an advanced search. The basic search allows users to enter the term, terms, or phrase regarding the information they are seeking. The advanced search allows for the entry of multiple terms with the use of Boolean operators such as AND, OR, and NOT. It also provides the ability to search full-text as well as browse through various publications. The database contains a built-in thesaurus that can be used to check similar terminology.
The following keywords can be used to begin search on genealogy or family history research.
- Census Records
- Ethnic Heritage
- Military Service Records
- Immigration Records
- Naturalization Records
Beyond the Shelves... 