Free Ancestry.com Data

I know, you wish that everyone could afford their own subscription to Ancestry.com but we know that's not possible. Even when visiting your local Family History Center you can access some data from Ancestry.com, but not all. Currently you have to use a subscription at your local library or one of the Family History Libraries for more complete access to the Ancestry.com databases.

However, there are over 260 FREE databases with information that might help you with your genealogical research and you can use them from the comfort of your home. You have FREE access to the indexes and in just a few cases you have the images. Then you ask, "What will indexes tell me when I can't see the images". Typically you get more clues and some direct evidence to help you piece together your jigsaw family history puzzle. But the trick here is to maximize your time and energy BEFORE you travel to your local library or Family History Center. Spending some time making your way through the free indexes and documenting what you find will help you do some final searching of the databases later, in less time.

The Ancestry Insider has put together a terrific spreadsheet of all the free databases on Ancestry.com, complete with links to each database. Check out the AI's list here. Utilize the data and then take your trip.

Ancestry.com Library Edition Updates

Surprised?  Are you surprised to know that your local Family History Library, (yes, all of them) have or should have access to SOME of the Ancestry.com databases?


As some of you already know, the desktop at our Family History Center has a shortcut link to the Ancestry.com Library Edition right on the desktop. But did you know that a few more records have been recently added?


The "Ancestry Insider" (AI) has been kind enough to make a great chart showing what is now available at your local center, and also some of the databases available at the Family History Libraries in Salt Lake City, Riverton Utah, and  Los Angeles California.


Check out the AI's Ancestry Chart here.

Changes in the Family History Library Catalog-Old vs New

You know how I hate to reinvent the wheel so I am going to point you in the right direction today.

Recently, FamilySearch announced a new version of the Family History Library Catalog. This is one more piece of the puzzle in creating a self-contained FamilySearch website, instead of having all the various parts and pieces spread around several websites. The old version of the FHL Catalog is still available to search online even though the new one has now been published. Keep in mind that the new FamilySearch website is still evolving and considered a beta version.

If you are like me, you want someone to show you the differences between the two rather than having to do the comparison yourself. So here's where I want to redirect you to the Ancestry Insider's article about the current differences between the two versions of the catalog -- the great, the good, and the not quite so good. Enjoy!

More Important News for the Utah/Idaho nFS Rollout

This is important enough to post about, so I'm giving you a permanent link to The Ancestry Insider's latest article about the new FamilySearch roll-out for Utah and Idaho.

For those of you who have never heard of The Ancestry Insider, let me "sort of" tell you who he is. He wishes to remain anonymous even though many of us do know him. In a nutshell, he used to work for Ancestry.com and now works for the LDS Church. He's an expert genealogist and always in the "know". You can trust that what he publishes on his blog is as accurate as can be.

So today he published an updated article on the roll-out with extensive information about how and why the roll-out is happening the way it is. He explains those infamous IOUSs that we all have, or will have, to deal with.

So read the June 8, 2009 article "NFS Rollout News: IOUs, IOUSs and IOSs", at The Ancestry Insider.

15 June 2009: I'm adding another link here to help us all keep up-to-date on the rollout of nFS in Utah/Idaho. The Ancestry Insider's articles on the roll-out are on one page. So check often to see the latest news.