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May P. ChanPrairie History Room

Regina Public Library© 2008

Getting Started with…

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Outline

Introductions Ancestry Library Edition

What is it? How does it differ from Ancestry.com or Ancestry.ca What resources are available in the database? How do I log in?

Search Tips Additional Resources Practice Session

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What is it?

Ancestry Library Edition is an enhanced library database version of Ancestry.com, the largest and most popular genealogy website on the market. Similar to the website, this database provides digital access to U.S., U.K and Canadian census returns, vital statistics, military records, ships’ passenger lists, directories, parish records, family trees, maps and forms.

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How does it differ?

Ancestry Library Edition is almost but not EXACTLY the same as Ancestry.com! In other words, the library version provides access to many of the same records as the website but not to some of the more “specialized” resources such as the historical newspapers collection, and the PERSI (Periodical Source) index.

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Accessibility

Access to Ancestry.com or Ancestry.ca is only available from home by personal subscription.

Ancestry Library Edition, however, is only available to an institution. It is only accessible in-house at the Central Library on any of the public internet terminals in the Prairie History Room, main computers area, or when the computer lab (upper level) is open to the public.

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Main Resources found in Ancestry Library Edition

Canada 1851-1911 federal Census returns 1906 and 1916 Prairie Census returns Canada Parliamentary Marriage and Divorces,

1867-1919 Ontario Birth, Marriage and Death records,

1857-1934 Ontario – Marriage Registers by Clergy, 1896-

1948 Quebec Vital & Church Records (Drouin

Collection), 1621-1967

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Main Resources – continued…

Canada… Canada Obituary Collection Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935 Border Crossings: From US to Canada, 1908-

1935 Canadian Soldiers of World War I, 1914-1918 Canadian Civil Servants List, 1872-1900 Canadian Genealogy Index, 1600s-1900s

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Main Resources – continued…

United Kingdom English & Welsh census records, 1841-1901 Scottish census records, 1841-1871, 1891 Free BMD indexes, 1837-1915 Indexes to English & Welsh civil registration

records, 1837-1983, 1984-2005 Pallot’s Baptism and Marriage Indexes for

England, 1780-1837

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Main Resources – continued…

United Kingdom & Ireland… UK Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960 British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920 British Commonwealth War Graves Registers,

1914-1918 British Phone Books, 1880-1981 England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892 Irish Records Index, 1500-1920 Irish Marriages, 1771-1812

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Main Resources - continued…United States

American Census records, 1790-1930 New York City Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1600s-

1902 United States Obituary Collection Social Security Death Index Border Crossings: From Canada to US, 1895-1956 New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 U.S. Passport Applications, 1820-1925 U.S. Naturalization Records, 1795-1972

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Main Resources - continued…

United States… Civil War Service Records World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 Daughters of the American Revolution Lineage (over

150 volumes) American Genealogical Biographical Index (over 200

volumes)

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Main Resources - continued…

Europe Hamburg Passenger Lists, 1850-1934 Baden, Germany Emigration Index, 1866-1911 German Phone Directories, 1915-1981 Mecklenburg-Schwerin Census, 1819, 1867, 1890

and 1900 (in German) Denmark Births, Christenings & Marriages, 1631-

190ss (in Danish) Norway Births, Christenings & Marriages, 1600s-

1800s (in Norwegian)

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Resources Not Carried in Ancestry Library Edition

(Note: most of these resources are available through HeritageQuest Online database)

Biography & Genealogy Master Index Family & Local Histories collection (primarily U.S.)

(*HeritageQuest Online) Freedman’s Bank Records (*HeritageQuest Online) Historical Newspaper Collection Passenger & Immigration List Index PERiodical Source Index (*HeritageQuest Online)

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How Do I Log In to the Database?

1. Log in to any public internet terminal at Central Library with your Regina Public Library card and PIN number (4 digits).

2. Click on the Internet Explorer icon.

3. Scroll down the “Databases by Subject” page (www.reginalibrary.ca/reference/central/) and click on the Genealogy category.

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Home Page of Ancestry Library Edition

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Other Features

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Practice Search

My relative, Henry Pittman, settled in Saskatchewan around 1904 and died sometime in the 1940s. I am trying to track down where he lived and to find out more about him. I know he was born in England in 1857.

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Possible Resources in Ancestry Library Edition

1906 Prairie Census 1911 Canadian Census 1916 Prairie Census Also…

English Census records (1850s to 1900s) Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935

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Basic Search

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Basic Search…Ranked Results

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Fine-tuning Ranked Results

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Same Search But…

1. Click on the radio button to enable “exact match” search

2. Select either “exact” or “soundex” from drop down menu

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Exact vs. Soundex

Exact = searches for the term EXACTLY the way you spell it

e.g. MacLeod but NOT McLeod

Soundex = searches for all of the various spelling of the ancestor’s surname.

e.g. Smith, Smythe, Smithe, etc.

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Exact Results

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2.

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Record Preview

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View Record

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Zoom, Print, Save or Email Options

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1911 Canadian Census – Library & Archives Canada

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Print, Save or Email…

Caution: Do not use the commands under the File tab at this point!!!

E.g. if you try to print, you will only print off a portion of the record/page you are viewing. Instead, use the “Print” feature (printer icon) located in the upper right hand corner of the screen! Follow instructions accordingly.

Users also have the option of emailing the records to themselves or saving them to a flash drive/usb key/memory stick. Simply use the icons (disc for save and email for share)

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Print or Save Screen

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Email Screen

Option to email the digital file to your account

If you don’t receive the email, remember to check your spam box!

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Other Search Options

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Advanced Search

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Browse By Location (scroll down on the Search page)

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Available Resources for Ontario

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Practice Search

I am looking for Aggie Macleod’s birth certificate from Ontario. Her father’s name was George. I think she was born around 1903-1905 in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

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1st Attempt

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No Matches

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2nd Attempt

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False Result

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3rd Attempt

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Results of Search

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Search Tips:

Less is more!!! If you don’t succeed with your current search terms, remove some of them & try again!

Use the “Soundex” feature to search for various spelling variations of surnames!

Leave the “first name” field blank because a first name can be a nickname or short for a longer name

E.g. Robert = Bob, Robbie, Robin, Rob, etc.

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Additional Resources - # 1My Question is…(http://tinyurl.com/alefaqs) Frequently asked questions when using ALE

database

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Additional Resources - # 2

Morgan, George C.

The Official Guide to

Ancestry.com.

Provo, Utah : Ancestry

Pub., c2007.

ISBN: 9781593313043 or

1593313047

025.069291 MORGA

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Additional Resources - # 3

Ancestry Magazine

(located beside the

PHR Reference

Desk)

- Back issues available for 3 week loan period with no renewals

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Additional Resources - # 4

Ancestry Insider Blog (http://ancestryinsider.blogspot.com) – unauthorized reviews of Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org websites

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Additional Resources - # 5

Ancestry Library Tutorial by Burlington Public Library (http://www.bpl.on.ca/internet/dbancestry.htm)

Ancestry Library Edition Tutorial by Timberland Regional Library (http://www.trlib.org/Tutorials/Ancestry-Tutorial.htm)

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Practice Session

Email: maychan@reginalibrary.ca