Available on any Internet computer at the library, Ancestry Library Edition is the most comprehensive online source of information for conducting genealogical and local history research available.  Included are such key collections as the U. S. Federal Census images and indexes from 1790 to 1930,  the Social Security Death Index,  Immigration Records, Photos and Maps, Military Records and much more. 

To access Ancestry Library Edition: 

• Log on to any Internet station located in the Information & Reference area using your first name, last name and library card number.
• From the desktop, click on Internet Explorer.
• The Public Workstation Menu will appear.  Click on Ancestry Library Edition.

Search Tips:
 
• To get to the main search page, click on Search in the navigation bar at the top of the page. To perform a ranked or basic search, type in the first and last name into the appropriate search box, specify a country and state/county and a year range, if desired, and then click on the orange Search button. 
• When you mouse over a record from your results list, you will see a preview or summary of that record.  For example, a preview of a census record contains name, place of residence at the time of that census, age, birth year, birthplace, spouse’s name, and household members.  From this preview you may then click to see an image of the actual record.
• If you are unable to find the results you need, click on Advanced Search listed under Search Resources at the top of the page. An advanced search allows you to search all records on the site and allow selected fields to exactly match your search criteria when the “Exact” box is selected by an individual field.  Not only may you search by name and location, but you are able to add year of marriage and death as well as names of relatives including mother, father and spouse. 
• You may also search for records by location simply by selecting Region and then either a particular State or Country from the main Search page.
• The drop-down menu under the Search tab on the navigation bar offers more parameters to construct refined searches by limiting your search to specific databases:  Census & Voter Lists; Birth, Marriage & Death; Military; Immigration & Emigration; Newspapers & Periodicals; or Card Catalog, which searches all databases.
• The Charts and Forms tab on the navigation bar allows you to download PDF charts and forms to help you with your research such as U. S. Census Forms, Ancestral Chart, Correspondence Record and much more.

Browse Records:

• From the main Search page you may browse through any of Ancestry’s thousands of databases of genealogical and historical information listed on the right-hand column under Browse Records.  When you select a specific database, you will be taken to the main page of the database, which includes a search interface tailored specifically for the database as well as a description of the database.  Databases are listed under four Content Categories:  Historical Records, Stories & Publications, Photos & Maps and Trees & Communities.
• Historical Records contains Census, Birth, Marriage and Death records, Military records, Court, Land, Wills and Financial records, Directories, and much more. 
• Stories & Publications offers the American Genealogical Biographical Index, Memories, Slave Narratives, newspapers and periodicals and many other sources.
•  Photos & Maps Category includes images from sources such as the Library of Congress Photo Collection, 1840-2000, U. S. County Land Ownership Atlases, 1864-1918, Gazetteers, and more.
• Ancestry Message Board, accessed under Trees and Community, is a community of millions of family historians from all over the world who will share their expertise and research experience.  Thousands of messages are posted every day for you to view.  However, unless you have an individual Ancestry.com subscription you will not be able to post messages to this site.
• Found in the same browsing area as the Message Board link is Ancestry World Tree, a service where millions of users share their family trees.  Although you can search and download family trees, you will not be able to upload your own.

Viewing Images:

• When you complete a search, a list of results appears.  Click on the View Image link listed below the database in which your search term is found.
• Ancestry will always prompt the user to install the Enhanced Image Viewer.  You may bypass this and select to use the Basic Viewer by clicking on the “click here” link at the end of that paragraph.
• Use the magnifying glass or change the percentage in the drop-down box to zoom in and out of the image.
• “Prev” and “Next” arrows allow you to scroll forward or backwards to the next page in your result.
• When viewing Census images, you may find it easier to click on the blank census form listed at the top of the page.  This will allow you to see the format and the column headings for various census years.
• To print, click on the printer icon.  You are then instructed to select Page Setup from the File menu.  Change the print orientation to landscape and the margins to .5 for all, left, right, top and bottom.  Print the page by selecting print from the file menu.