Dig Deep: An Introduction to Genealogy & Ancestry Library Edition

1. Dig Deep: An Introduction to Genealogy & Ancestry Library Edition Wednesday February 15Presenter: Jocelyn Badley StrathconaCountyLibrary

2. Basic tips: Genealogical Research Narrowing the search based on other knowledge is often necessary. Keep track of your sources! You may think you will remember where you found something , but you (probably) won’t.

3. Basic Tips: Genealogical Research Start by filling in all the information you know about your family, including yourself, siblings, parents, grandparents. If possible, ask older relatives you help you fill in the generations above you. Check family records, if you have access to any – for example, letters, family Bibles, diaries, photographs, etc. Then narrow your search to a particular person you know something about, for example:

4. Types of Records • Do you know where/when they died?> Check obituaries, cemetery records, will/probate records, church bulletins • Where/when they lived?> Check land petitions, homestead records, Henderson’s directories and other municipal records, census records, voter lists, land titles, school records • What they did for a living?> Check tax records, insurance records. Records specific to trades, such as clergy, teachers, RCMP. If they were a farmer, check homestead records. If they worked for a well-known company or organization (eg. Hudson’s Bay Co., CPR) check the records from that organization. If they owned a business, you may be able to find records of business licenses + fees.

5. Types of Records • If they performed military service?> Check military records, draft cards, military pensions. If you know what unit they served with, check with that unit’s archives. • If they immigrated?> Check immigration records, ships’ passenger lists, border crossing records, passport records. If point of entry is known, narrow the search to the records for that location eg. Pier 21, Ellis Island • When/where they were married?> Check newspaper announcements, parish registers (for up to mid 1800s), marriage indexes (for mid 1800s to present), divorce records (until the mid 1800s, divorces required approval from the Senate!) • When/where they were born?> Check birth records, christening/baptism records, newspaper announcements

6. General genealogy search tips Add flexibility around dates – records (and memories) are often wrong. Be creative about spelling, especially for immigration records. Keep in mind that most name spellings were not standardized. A person’s name might have been spelled differently in different records—William becomes Will, Bill, Wm. Double-check print transcriptions against original scanned images, where they are available. Transcription errors are common in all genealogical indexes.

7. Inside SCL: Ancestry Library EditionOther databasesHistory & Genealogy Subject GuideInterlibrary Loan/Microfilm

8. Ancestry Library Edition Excellent coverage of the USA and UK; good coverage for Canada. Growing coverage for other areas Contains thousands of databases (collections) and billions of names; 1000 historical maps From 14th century to present day; continual updates Access in the library only – including on our wireless network.

10. Searching Ancestry • Use the wildcard * to match 0 or more characters – so searching Jes* will find Jessica, Jessie, Jesse, etc. • Use the wildcard ? to replace a single character, eg., Eli?abeth will find both Elizabeth and Elisabeth. • Use double quotes to search for a phrase. • Use + or – symbols to include or exclude search terms from results.

11. Searching Ancestry • If you tick the “exact matches only” box, an “Exact/Soundex” option appears. Exact will retrieve ONLY THAT EXACT SPELLING (eg Smith). Soundex is a filter designed to lump names with similar pronunciation together (eg. Smith, Smythe, Smithe all share a single Soundex code). • Remember: The more information you provide when you search, the fewer results you will get. If you get too many results to process, fill in more information. If you get too few results, make your search more vague/general.

12. Basic & Advanced Search Basic Search Advanced Search

13. Collection Browsing (Card Catalog)

14. Explore by Location Click on the “Search” tab (not the menu, the tab itself) “Explore by Location” appears below the search box

15. Search Results –Original Document + Transcription

16. Ancestry.com vs. Ancestry Library Edition • The following features of Ancestry.com (personal subscription) are NOT included in the Library Edition: • Collaborate features – public profile, Members Connect, message boards (read-only for Library Edition users) • Learning Center – online columns from Ancestry.com, Ancestry Daily News, how-to materials • Shop – Books, magazines, and CDs • OneWorldTree – family trees from Ancestry users and links them together. These are read-only for Library Edition users. • Family Trees – allows users to compile their own family trees and save their data. • The following databases/collections are not included: • Obituary Collection – recent obits from newspapers • Periodical Search Index (PERSI) • Freedman’s Bank Records • Biography & Genealogy Master Index (BGMI) • Passenger and Immigration List Index (PILI)

17. Other Databases Canadian Periodicals Index Quarterly [CPIQ]Indexing of 1200 Canadian periodicals + 550 full-text 1980s to present Canadian Newsstand 300 Canadian newspapers (full text) 1970s or ‘80s to present PressDisplay 1700 Newspapers from around the world (full text)Focus on current – archives up to 3 months AtoZ Maps Online Current and historical maps of Canada and elsewhere Where to find them: http://www.sclibrary.ab.ca/ Research

18. Genealogy & History Subject Guide

19. Interlibrary Loans/Microfilm TAL Online | http://www.talonline.ca/ Catalogue for all Alberta’s libraries Most items can be requested via Interlibrary Loan Microfilm can also be ordered from many other libraries, including Library & Archives Canada Need reel # and source (eg LAC) Additional information is appreciated!

20. Outside SCL: Great Genealogy Resources & Tools The Canadian Genealogy Centre FamilySearch.Org Canadian Sources Alberta Sources EPL Obituary Index Services for Genealogists at the Provincial Archives

21. 1. The Canadian Genealogy Centrehttp://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/022/ • Contains: • General genealogical research advice • How to access material in Library & Archives Canada (LAC)’s collection

22. 2. FamilySearch.Org Provided by the Family History Library (LDS) in Salt Lake City, Utah (There are local Family History Centres at Bonnie Doon and Riverbend) General genealogical tools including free family tree templates and software Research guides by location – where to look for specific types of records Canadian records include: Pre 1700s to present day National records, plus provincial records from BC, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, PEI, & Quebec Census, birth/death/marriage registrations, baptisms, Quebec notarial records Plus many more records from all over the world.

23. 3. Canadian Sources Canadiana | www.canadiana.ca/ A large-scale project to find digitization projects in Canada Our Future, Our Past | http://www.ourfutureourpast.ca/ Alberta Heritage Digitization Project: local histories, newspapers, historical photos, & more Peel’s Prairie Provinces | http://peel.library.ualberta.ca/ Digitization project from the U of A Libraries

24. Peel’s Prairie Provinces http://peel.library.ualberta.ca/ Henderson Directories 1905 – 1950s Alberta & Manitoba Peel’s Prairie Postcards 1800s onward 15,000 postcards

25. 4. Alberta Sources Alberta Family Histories Society: Canadian Genealogical Projects Registry | http://www.afhs.ab.ca/registry/ Search by province and type of record to find smaller-scale digitization projects. Alberta Genealogical Society: Index to Selected Alberta History Books | http://www.abgensoc.ca/bookindex/ Includes the names of individual people as they appear in Alberta local history books. Alberta Genealogical Society: Index to Alberta Homestead Records | http://abgensoc.ca/homestead/ An online index to the 686 reels of microfilm at the Provincial Archives of Alberta.

26. 5. EPL Obituary Index Interests > Research > Genealogy > Obituarieshttp://www.epl.ca/interests/research/genealogy

27. 6. Services for GenealogistsAt the Provincial Archives 8555 Roper Road Edmonton Ph: 780.427.1750 Web: http://culture.alberta.ca/paa/ Archive of government, corporate, & personal records Census, passenger lists, Alberta homestead records Immigration, court, divorce records Newspapers, daily and weekly – in some cases up to the 80s/early 90s Maps, plans, architectural drawings Over 2 million photographs Research help Photocopying (if possible) Duplication of photos and film Microfilm use Programs for the public Online catalogue: HERMIS | https://hermis.alberta.ca/paa/

28. Thank you for coming! Your presenter has been Jocelyn BadleyVirtual Services Librarian, Adult Services Email: jbadley@sclibrary.ab.ca Phone: 780.410.8646 CAN WE HELP? Please contact us.Email: info@sclibrary.ab.caPhone: 780.410.8601Or come by either of our Information Desks.