Ancestry.com – Getting Your Money’s Worth

Ancestry.com – Getting Your Money’s Worth©

by Dayna Jacobs, AG® www.ongrannystrail.com

(You are welcome to copy this for your own use, but please do not publish online or copy for distribution to others.  Thanks!)

1. Free access to Ancestry

a. LDS Family History Centers – www.familysearch.org/locations

b. Some public or university libraries

c. Limited databases at www.ancestry.com Search>card catalog>keyword “FREE”

2. Tool bar – drop down lists

3. Customize home page

a. Search

b. Record collections

c. Quick links

d. To Do List

e. Message board favorites

4. Collaborate

a. Recent member connect activity

b. Message boards

c. Member directory

5. Learning Center (key word searches)

a. Family History 101

i. Livestream Videos

ii. Free research guides

iii. YouTube channel

iv. Archived webinars and videos

b. Family History Wiki

i. The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy

ii. Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources

iii. Other Ancestry and user content

6. Family trees

a. Create or upload a GEDCOM

b. Tree pages – drop down menu

c. Hints vs. search records

7. Search

a. Individual – Advanced: try different combinations

b. Locality map

c. Card Catalog – sample search: (Missouri)

i. Title

ii. Key words

iii. Location

iv. Narrow by record type

v. Narrow by time period

vi. Narrow by date updated

8. DNA

9. Publish

a. Books and posters

b. Ideas and samples

c. Tutorials and demos

The ICAPGen ℠ service mark and the Accredited Genealogist® and AG® registered marks are the sole property of the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists.  All Rights Reserved.