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Ancestry Library Edition - free access from home

L

Luke

LostCousins Member
Hi everyone

For those in South Australia at least, but I believe interstate libraries are doing this too, you can now get access to Ancestry Library Edition from home, if you log in with your local library card details.

Here is a link to information on the Libraries SA Facebook page (don't need a FB account to view it)

https://www.facebook.com/LibrariesSA/posts/2895525713834100
 
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I know this posting applies to Australia, New Zealand and Canada, but I thought I would ask my granddaughter if there was any chance of it applying here in the UK; well England at least. Now I caution this is an answer from the Kent Library Service, and may not apply to the rest of the country, but this is how she replied.

At the moment I don’t think there are any plans to make our community subscriptions to services like Ancestry and Find My Past available from home.

A lot of our other services (such as online newspapers and magazines etc) are available to use from home with a Library card but the subscriptions we hold for our genealogical services are for in Library use only. I think the costs to have a general public use subscription were too high but if they do plan to change it due to the current circumstances I’ll let you know!
 
Bob Spiers said:
Now I caution this is an answer from the Kent Library Service, and may not apply to the rest of the country, but this is how she replied.
Click to expand...
Cheshire Libraries are now allowing access to Ancestry and FMP from home, and I think some others may be too.
 
Pauline said:
Cheshire Libraries are now allowing access to Ancestry and FMP from home, and I think some others may be too.
Click to expand...
Yes, so obviously down to them having the full 'general public' subscriptions which clearly Kent do not have, and in these hard pressed times, I suspect there may be others.
 
In Leicestershire, Ancestry Library Edition is accessible from home for library members (temporarily whilst libraries are closed during Covid-19 pandemic), but FMP isn't.
 
Pauline said:
Cheshire Libraries are now allowing access to Ancestry and FMP from home, and I think some others may be too.
Click to expand...
Sadly Cheshire East libraries are not allowing free access at home - unless I'm going about it the wrong way. I tried today on the offchance and logged in using my library card and my library password, as I would do if sitting in the library. Nope, not having it! Perhaps Chester and Cheshire West authority are allowing this?
 
Vio said:
Sadly Cheshire East libraries are not allowing free access at home
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We’re Cheshire East and can get the free access - you need to log into your account at the Library website and then the information on how to access Ancestry & FMP shows on your homepage there. For Ancestry there is a link to click, and for FMP there are also log-in details provided.

You need to make sure you use their links to the Library Editions, and not the versions of Ancestry and FMP for personal use.

However, if you want to use FMP you won’t be able to view transcriptions and images at present, only lists of results, as Cheshire East libraries have exceeded their monthly allowance and have been shut out - clearly it has been too popular. Ancestry was working fine a few hours ago.
 
Thank you Pauline that's great news. I'll have a go. I did start with Cheshire East libraries online to see if there was any announcement about this, and then went to eresources, and clicked on the library edition from there. They must be keeping it quiet as they don't want too many people accessing it!
 
I think almost all libraries are offering this, but please don't share log-in details as this could spoil things for everyone.
 
I logged in today and saw a note in red at the top of the page
Ancestry Library Edition - temporary remote access ENDING December 31, 2021
I am sure that is going to apply to access from all libraries, not just those in North Yorkshire.
There is nothing about FindMyPast so perhaps that has already ended.
 
Stephen L said:
There is nothing about FindMyPast so perhaps that has already ended.
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It has certainly ended in Essex. Essex Libraries are still offering home access to Ancestry Library Edition, and as far as I can see they haven't yet warned about this ending.
 
Thanks, Stephen - I will mention this in the newsletter so that members are aware that time is running out.
 
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My Local Authority within Greater Manchester withdrew access to FMP a few weeks ago. Not their choice apparently but an embargo from FMP, no doubt concerned about the number of freeloaders on the site. I had used it a few times in early lockdowns but now have my own subscription to the site, along with Ancestry as my family tree is my main indoor winter activity. My cousin, who refuses to subscribe to anything is now whinging that he only gets online for an hour at his library and by the time he gets going on his tree his time is up. He has long freeloaded on me for Ancestry access but today I decided to be mean as I have not told him I paid for FMP and am NOT going to share the 1921 census downloads I just paid extra for.
 
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