Genealogy Database - Ancestry Library Edition from Micromedia Proquest

Description
Public libraries in Ontario now have access to Micromedia ProQuest’s Ancestry Library Edition. Ancestry is a genealogy research tool with data from census, military records, court, land, probate, vital and church records, passenger lists, etc. It covers Canada, the US, UK, and some European countries. The license covers Authorized Users of public libraries (i.e., library cardholders, walk-in patrons while they are on-site and library staff) through any workstation in any library branch. The product is not licensed for remote access. 

Eligible Libraries
All Ontario public libraries will have access to this license. For libraries already subscribing to this service, Micromedia Proquest will extend their license period.  As of December 1, 2009, 216 libraries (68% of libraries in Ontario) were participating.

Sign Up
To sign up for this project, libraries have to complete:

• a participation agreement
• an authentication form

After completing the necessary participation agreements, libraries will receive notification by email from ProQuest with details on how to make the link to ALE. These email notifications go to the contacts identified in the authentication form. Please note that it has come to our attention that some emails are winding up in junk mail so we urge all of you to check your junk mail before contacting SOLS to say you have not received your ALE notification. If you are certain that you do not have the ALE access information, please contact Barbara Franchetto at or 800.387.5765 ext.5104.

Timelines
May 1, 2009 was the go-live date and the database is licensed for two years from that date. Libraries that missed the April deadline are being added on a monthly basis beginning in June.

Training
Webinars for Ancestry are offered periodically.  Please see the Training section of the SOLS website for details.  In the interim, Proquest has provided a hands-on exercise that libraries can use to practice their Ancestry searching.

Links
For information about Ancestry Library Edition (ALE), please go to:

• http://www.proquest.com/assets/literature/products/databases/ALE.pdf
• Canadian content: http://www.proquest.com/assets/literature/products/databases/genealogy_ca.pdf
• Web Site Graphic: If you want a graphic to use on your web site as a link to Ancestry, right click on the graphic below, choose "save image as" (or "save picture as") then download to your desktop.  Once you have saved the image, upload it to wherever you normally store images on your website.  Insert this image on whatever page you like (home page, database page, etc.).  Once placed on your website, right click on the image and under Hyperlink Properties (or the equivalent), add the URL for the site - http://ancestrylibrary.proquest.com  From this point on your will be able to click on the graphic to go to the Ancestry website.
  
  

For customer service, technical support and search assistance, please use the following Proquest contacts:

• Customer Service 1-800-521-0600, ext. 2971, 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. EST, Monday – Friday, or Email: customer_service@il.proquest.com
• Technical Support 1-800-889-3358, 8:00 a.m. - midnight EST, Monday – Sunday, or Email: Contact Technical Support
• Search Assistance 1-800-889-3358, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. EST, Monday – Friday