Freeport Community Library
207  865  3307
www.freeportlibrary.com
Accessing Ancestry Library Edition
at Freeport Community Library
Find out how to access and use Ancestry
Library Edition within the library and learn
about other Maine genealogy resources
February 27, 2013
Robin Lowell, MLIS
Technology Librarian
Freeport Community Library
10 Library Drive
Freeport, ME 04032
207-865-3307 – [email protected]
It’s exciting to think about
researching your family tree!
Before you dive in, it’s important to
do your homework first – otherwise
your research might be frustrating!
Write down as much information
as possible about your family
history and bring it with you
• Talk with other family members to fill in any gaps
in your knowledge
• Even old stories might contain a tidbit of
information that can help further your research
• Memories can be wrong, so prepare to be flexible
with names and dates until you can back them up
with records or other confirmation
Genealogy worksheets & charts can help
you pull together your family information
How to get copies of these
worksheets & charts
• I’ve made copies of these two forms and
you’re welcome to take a few and make your
own additional photocopies
• You’ll also be able to get these and other
forms in the “Charts and Forms” area of
Ancestry Library Edition
How do we get access to Ancestry
Library Edition for free?
Statewide licensing for the MARVEL! databases
(including Ancestry Library Edition) is funded by:
• Maine State Legislature
• Maine State Library
• University of Maine
• Colby, Bates & Bowdoin Colleges
• Public Utilities Commission
• Maine Telecommunications Educational Access
Fund (also known as State E-rate)
There is a bit of a catch…
• Ancestry Library Edition can only be used within
the Freeport Community Library (on one of our
public computers or on your own laptop with
wifi) or at other Maine public libraries
• You cannot use Ancestry Library Edition at home
or at locations other than Maine public libraries
• If you would like to be able to use Ancestry.com
at home, you would need to purchase an
individual subscription
How to get to Ancestry Library Edition
Using one of our public
computers
Using your own wifi-enabled
laptop at our library
• Login to a public computer
using your library card
number and the password
fcl
• Open an internet browser
and go to:
www.ancestrylibrary.com
or
http://maine.gov/marvel
& click on “Ancestry Library for
use within public libraries”
• Login to our wifi network
(check with library staff if
you need the password)
• Open an internet browser
and go to:
www.ancestrylibrary.com
or
http://maine.gov/marvel
& click on “Ancestry Library for
use within public libraries”
Getting started with
Ancestry Library Edition
Let’s watch these short videos created
by the Maine State Library that will
introduce you to some important tips
about using Ancestry Library Edition
• Introduction to Ancestry.com:
http://stateofmaine.adobeconnect.com/ancestryintro
• Ancestry.com Documents:
http://stateofmaine.adobeconnect.com/ancestrydocs
• Searching Ancestry.com:
http://stateofmaine.adobeconnect.com/searchancestry
Start out by casting a wide ne
when you’re searching
• It can be tempting to add in all sorts of facts,
dates, locations, family connections, etc.
• But some of your information could be
incorrect – and this could cause you to
overlook some of the information you do want
to find
• Start with a few basic facts at first and then
slowly add more details to your search
How to print or email a record from
Ancestry if you’re using one of the
library’s computers
• Click on the Print icon to print or the Share
icon to email a record
How to email a record from Ancestry
if you’re using your own computer in
the library
• You won’t be able to print but you can click
the Share icon to email a record
Some free online resources that
might help you with
your genealogy research
•
•
•
•
familysearch.org
usgenweb.org
ellisisland.org
findagrave.com
Talking with others about your
genealogy research
• At some point in your search, you’ll likely
need to speak with someone at a library,
historical society or other organization to
get some help with your research
• It’s good to remember that as fascinated
as you are about your family, others will
not share your intense level of interest
Talking with others about your
genealogy research
• So when you’re asking
someone for help, stick to
the basic facts and don’t
recite your entire family
tree
• They have likely been
listening to folks rattle on
all day long about their
families and you want
them on your side 
Talking with others about your
genealogy research
• It’s also important to remember that while you
might receive some free help along the way,
you’ll need to put in some hard work yourself
and/or pay someone to do the work for you
• There are professional genealogists in Maine and
other states who charge different rates for their
work
• Maine Historical Society and the Portland Public
Library have lists of professional researchers in
the area that you can request from those
institutions.
Maine genealogy research
• If your relatives lived in Freeport, you can do
research in the library’s Bartol Room with lots
of resources about Freeport and Maine
history
• You can also try contacting the Freeport
Historical Society – their phone number is
865-3170 and their web site is
http://freeporthistoricalsociety.org
Maine genealogy research
• The staff at the Maine Historical Society
library are wonderful and very knowledgeable
about Maine history – call 207-774-1822 or
visit http://mainehistory.org
• The staff and collections of the Maine State
Library in Augusta are a great genealogy
resource. They sometimes even have free
genealogy classes – call 207-287-5600 or visit
http://www.state.me.us/msl/services/genealogy
Maine genealogy research
Other great Maine genealogy resources
include:
• The Portland Room at the Portland Public Library
(the collection includes both Portland and Maine
history items) – call 207-871-1700 Ext. 747
• The Maine Irish Heritage Center in Portland – call
780-0118
• Libraries and historical societies near where your
ancestors lived – if the towns are too small, look for
the nearest larger town that has a library
Some genealogy books in our
library’s collection
• Shaking the family tree : blue bloods, black sheep, and other
obsessions of an accidental genealogist by Buzzy Jackson call number is 929 Jac
• Who do you think you are? : the essential guide to tracing
your family history by Megan Smolenyak - call number is 929
Smo
• Faces of America : how 12 extraordinary people discovered
their pasts by Henry Louis Gates - call number is 920.073 Gat
• In search of our roots : how 19 extraordinary African
Americans reclaimed their past by Henry Louis Gates - call
number is 973 Gat
If you have any questions about the
information I’ve covered today…
• Sign up for a tech appointment with me. I
have some evening & daytime slots available.
• If you write down your name & email on the
sign-in sheet, I can email you a PDF of this
presentation.
• I also post my presentations on the library’s
web site along with some helpful tutorials at:
http://freeportlibrary.com/tutorials.htm
Thank you for attending!