In 1996, the Ancestry website went online. Today, Ancestry has over 27 billion online records and is considered one of the largest and most popular resources for online genealogy research.
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Ancestry Library Edition Deep Dive
January 2025 | By Shannan
Ancestry was established in 1983 as a genealogy book publishing company. Later editions of some of their early published books can still be found at Indian Trails Public Library today, including Red Book: American State, County & Town Sources and The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy.
In 1996, the Ancestry website went online. Today, Ancestry has over 27 billion online records and is considered one of the largest and most popular resources for online genealogy research. Within Ancestry, you can search for a variety of records ranging from birth to death in the United States and internationally.
The Indian Trails Public Library’s Ancestry Library Edition can be found under our Resources page either by “A-Z list” or by “Category,” which is shown here.
Difference between Ancestry.com and Ancestry Library Edition
The main difference is how these two databases are designed to be used. Ancestry.com is designed to be personalized to an individual account. For Ancestry Library Edition, you do not need to create an account to access the information, but this means that no information you access can be saved. You need to either print, download, or email the information to yourself. Additionally, since information cannot be saved there is no family tree making function, AncestryDNA access, or apps available.
The second largest difference is where you can access the databases. The Ancestry library edition is only available within the library and you do not need an Indian Trails Library Card to use it. You can use a library computer or access the page through the library’s Wi-Fi. Ancestry.com is a paid subscription for those that want to access it from home or on the go.
Lastly, there are certain records that are not available in the Ancestry Library Edition. For more information on those records, here is a list. Some features that are only in the Library Edition include the Learning Center and their forms/charts section. The Learning Center offers guides from getting started to specific topics like military records. This is where I learned some of the tips I am sharing below.
Tips and Tricks
These tips are geared towards Ancestry’s search engine but can be applied to all genealogy databases.
- Don’t stop your search after using their full name in the search bar. Try a few name variations since documents can include different spellings, nicknames, middle names or more changes, but reflect the same person. This can be caused by a variety of reasons. From the individual originally writing out the information or the person that transcribed the document for online use. Another option is to check mark “similar”, “sounds like”, and “initials” next to the first and last name section to change up your search, shown on the photo to your right. This recommendation can also be applied to dates as well by expanding to 1+/- year or more. Ancestry gives more information on these options and more under “About these settings.”
- If you are searching for a specific document, do not include information not related to the document. It will not help your search. For example, if you are looking for a birth record do not include the information for their spouse or children, since that would not be located on their birth record. It can impact where certain documents end up in your search results.
- When looking at the results you have found, always look at the original document whenever possible, not just the transcribed section. There might be additional information you can glean.
RESOURCES
Comparison between Ancestry.com and Ancestry Library Edition
OTHER ITPLD DATABASES
Indian Trails Public Library has a variety of databases that can help you in your research. Many of them can be accessed from inside the library and at home, if you have an Indian Trails Library card.
Here are the steps:
- Type indiantrailslibrary.org in the search bar.
- Click on the “Resources” tab at the top of the page.
- Choose the database by title from the A-Z listing or click on the arrow beside “Genealogy” if you search the resources by category. There are other relevant categories including “News,” “Reference” and “Classes.”
- Accessing from Home: After clicking on the link, most databases will require that you enter your Indian Trails Library card number (located on the back of your card).
The databases include:
America’s Historical Newspapers – Includes historical newspaper articles and obituaries search.
FamilySearch – In-library use only access to affiliated FamilySearch’s genealogical records. General records accessible with a personalized account outside the library.
HeritageHub – Explore your family history with U.S. obituaries and death notices for genealogical research from 1704-today. Coverage includes all 50 states and original obituary images.
Chicago Tribune Historical – Houses newspaper articles from 1849 to 1984.
Heritage Quest – Search options include Census, family histories, military pensions, land warrants and the Freedman’s Bank.
Gale Courses – Offers a Genealogy Basics Class. This is a 6-week online course on learning sources, search strategies, terminology and evaluating results.
There are websites not listed on our database page but are great options in your search. Two of the best to get started with are Cyndi’s List and FamilySearch Wiki. They offer a list of free and paid resources on any topic you can think of, which will help you see what is available and the best next steps.