Dec 16 2008
Using Ancestry.com–for FREE! (Well, almost…)
Ancestry.com is one of the most well-known Internet genealogy databases. It is also one of the most expensive. Subscriptions start at $19.95 per month, or you can save $7 per month by purchasing an annual subscription for an up-front fee of $155.40. If your ancestors lived in a place other than where you currently reside (a situation common to most researchers at one point or another), then it might be worth your money to pay to access Ancestry, especially if you’ve already exhausted all the free web sites out there.
What do you do if you simply cannot afford to spend that much money on a hobby? Why, go to your library, of course! While Ancestry.com’s personal subscriptions are well-known (and the cost well-lamented), far fewer researchers know that they offer a Library Edition to which many public libraries choose to subscribe. This database is not as full as what you would access through an individual subscription, but the difference between the two is, in my experience, negligible. All the census data is there, as are most of the databases. In fact, I can’t recall right off the top of my head an Ancestry database I haven’t been able to access through my local library’s subscription.
What if your library doesn’t have a subscription? If your library provides Internet access, there’s no reason they shouldn’t be able to provide a subscription to Ancestry.com…except for the cost. In this era of budget cuts and shrinking revenue, many libraries are feeling the squeeze. If your library is one of those, talk to the head librarian about what you can do to help the library gain access to this important resource. Ask the local historical society if they can cover part of the cost, take up a collection amongst local researchers, or petition the Friends of the Library to set aside money for a subscription. Remember, though, that your local public library is funded, in part or in whole, by your tax dollars (which is why a library subscription isn’t exactly free). If you meet a lot of resistance at your library (i.e. the librarian won’t work with you, period) try going to the library’s board of trustees or the local government to plead your case. But don’t do that until you’ve exhausted every possible avenue at the library level first.
If you travel a lot, stop in at the public libraries along the way and ask if they have a subscription to Ancestry.com or other genealogy databases. Most libraries offer limited, free access to visitors as part of their services. If you’re a frequent visitor to a certain area, but not a resident or local property owner, it might be worth your time and money to pay for a temporary card, which usually will allow you greater access to that library’s resources.
No matter where you research, always ask the library’s policies on research and computer usage before you start. This (along with the common courtesies of politeness and respect) will virtually guarantee superior service from the library’s staff.
