Guide to using Ancestry Library: Recommended Resources

• Ancestry Library is a version of Ancestry.com that's designed for libraries 

• It contains the SAME primary sources 
• You cannot create your own family tree in Ancestry Library like you can in Ancestry.com (but you can still access family trees that have been made public)
• You cannot access the BC3 Library's Ancestry Library subscription from the Ancestry.com website, you MUST access it from the BC3 Library on Blackboard 

There are four main areas in Ancestry Library

1. Census records 
2. Vital records (birth, marriage, death)
3. Immigration records 
4. Military records 

Other types of records found in Ancestry Library along with links to external sites include 

• Church records
• Grave records 
• Family trees with public access--these are good resources but you always need to verify the information 

Think like a detective searching for clues

Each resource has the potential to provide another clue to the puzzle 

• Clues provided by census records: names, ages, birth dates, children, parents, place born, marriage date, places lived
• Clues provided by marriage records: maiden names, parent names
• Clues provided by cemetery records: birth and death dates, family members
• Clues provided by immigration records: date arrived, ship name, departure and arrival points

These pieces of information fit together like a puzzle, creating a family picture 

> Start with what you know

> Talk to people in your family and gather information 

       > Names-official, variations, nicknames 

       > Places--where lived 

       > Dates 

                          > Birth, death, marriage, dates lived at different places 

                       > Approximate dates are fine, you can search broadly 

          > Have a notebook to record information, develop a method of organization 

Government and Organizations