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This is also my experience. I tried once to view the 1940 census. I was not allowed because I am not a member and do not have a subscription. Moreover - and this I'll never understand - I put all my family papers in our local library where they were bound into book form and shelved. As is their habit, Ancestry copied these for their files. Where they show (online) what papers they hold, my books are offered for sale. It has been a while since I was there but it said something like "For purchase, contact......". I have never given permission for my books to be sold. Nor to be copied for that matter but I suppose that is unavoidable. When I contacted Ancestry about this, they replied that they were not really selling them.
I have long since given up family research. So, I do not know how Ancestry does today. I do know that I had to pay when I did join Ancestry years back. I have friends who are subscribed today and they do complain about what even they can't get into. Someone mentioned that they have kept Roots Web free. My friend says the forum part is still free but the rest has been cut back so as to be almost unusable.
Something is wrong here. I am glad I am out of this hobby.
First off, if the library you donated your papers to did that, it's an issue with the library, not with Ancestry.
Secondly, Ancestry doesn't go out and copy books in libraries. Some libraries digitize their collections and make them available to websites like Ancestry, Heritage Quest, FamilySearch, etc.
Thirdly, the only books that I can find for sale on Ancestry are three books about Family Tree Maker. And the only things I've ever been prompted to buy on Ancestry is if I click on the button to "order a certificate" on some vital records. And I've been a paying member of the site almost since it began ... however long ago that was.
Anyway, the point remains that unpaid members can't get much use from the site, even if they contribute.
There are literally hundreds of free collections on Ancestry.com. I don't know why you refuse to believe this but it's true that all collections transcribed by volunteers are free.
Cyndi's List, a well respected and established genealogy website describes it as "A collaborative effort between Ancestry and the public. Ancestry provides the images, volunteers index them, and the collection is then free for everyone to use online."
I don't know why you refuse to believe this but it's true that all collections transcribed by volunteers are free.
I believe Ancestry.com makes only the indices searchable without subscription. A subscription is required to view the actual images if there are any, if I remember rightly.
I believe Ancestry.com makes only the indices searchable without subscription. A subscription is required to view the actual images if there are any, if I remember rightly.
I don't think so. I have been able to view images from indexed free collections. I admit though that I don't know for sure which of those free collections were indexed by volunteers and which were not.
By the way, I currently do not have a paid subscription. I can search the 1940 U.S. Census collection just fine by name, etc. and am able to view any image which appears in the search results. I just did it. That census was not indexed by volunteers. Ancestry paid to have it done.
I believe Ancestry.com makes only the indices searchable without subscription. A subscription is required to view the actual images if there are any, if I remember rightly.
I think some collections provide the images for free too, I think it depends on the collection. Even so, the indices can still be very helpful and are better than nothing so I think it's unfair to say that unpaid members can't get much use from the site. If ACOM have an exclusive collection and they make the index for it accessible for free, that is going to be useful to unpaid members in my opinion. Not as useful as being able to see the image but if even the index is not available anywhere else online, making it free will certainly be helpful to some.
Besides, it makes sense that some collections only make the index available for free since it's only the index that was provided by volunteers. The images weren't scanned and provided by volunteers so why should they always be free?
I currently do not have a paid subscription. I can search the 1940 U.S. Census collection just fine by name, etc. and am able to view any image which appears in the search results. I just did it. That census was not indexed by volunteers by the way. Ancestry paid to have it done.
I believe that is a special collection that also offers the images freely, but that ends after 2013 when it will be a subscription-only collection. Also the volunteering reference was to the "World Archives Project" mentioned previously; only the indices are searchable with just a free account.
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I think some collections provide the images for free too, I think it depends on the collection. Even so, the indices can still be very helpful and are better than nothing so I think it's unfair to say that unpaid members can't get much use from the site.
Which ones?
I do not say that indices are unhelpful, but I do get ticked off a bit when Ancestry.com (or other sites) claim to provide all the collections voluntarily indexed freely, but then only supply the index freely. That is not free access to the collection, merely the index.
Also I think AWAP volunteers who "key" some certain amount every quarter (or month?) get a slight discount of subscription prices for those with them.
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Besides, it makes sense that some collections only make the index available for free since it's only the index that was provided by volunteers. The images weren't scanned and provided by volunteers so why should they always be free?
I think part of the complaint was that even volunteers can't see them.
First off, if the library you donated your papers to did that, it's an issue with the library, not with Ancestry.
Secondly, Ancestry doesn't go out and copy books in libraries. Some libraries digitize their collections and make them available to websites like Ancestry, Heritage Quest, FamilySearch, etc.
Thirdly, the only books that I can find for sale on Ancestry are three books about Family Tree Maker. And the only things I've ever been prompted to buy on Ancestry is if I click on the button to "order a certificate" on some vital records. And I've been a paying member of the site almost since it began ... however long ago that was.
If an author or even a compiler donates a book to a library s/he does not give up their copyright.
Depending on the work, if someone puts together a work from items in the public domain, their version belongs to them.
I believe Ancestry.com makes only the indices searchable without subscription. A subscription is required to view the actual images if there are any, if I remember rightly.
A subscription is required to make much use of anything on ancestry.com. One can search, but most results require a subscription even to see the full results. For instance, not even full names or places are shown in the results list. Naturally, this is intended to cause people to want to buy a subscription.
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Originally Posted by bcgr
I believe that is a special collection that also offers the images freely, but that ends after 2013 when it will be a subscription-only collection. Also the volunteering reference was to the "World Archives Project" mentioned previously; only the indices are searchable with just a free account.
Which ones?
I do not say that indices are unhelpful, but I do get ticked off a bit when Ancestry.com (or other sites) claim to provide all the collections voluntarily indexed freely, but then only supply the index freely. That is not free access to the collection, merely the index.
Also I think AWAP volunteers who "key" some certain amount every quarter (or month?) get a slight discount of subscription prices for those with them.
I think part of the complaint was that even volunteers can't see them.
And there doesn't seem to be a function to search those specific collections that volunteers contributed to. Unlike familysearch.org which is all free for everyone all the time and also uses volunteers. Anyone can go on familysearch and specify a search collection by name. Keywords or places bring up a list of possibilities. It works very well.
A subscription is required to make much use of anything on ancestry.com. One can search, but most results require a subscription even to see the full results. For instance, not even full names or places are shown in the results list. Naturally, this is intended to cause people to want to buy a subscription.
That is NOT the case for the free collections provided by volunteer indexers though. With those, you can view, at the very least, the full transcription.
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And there doesn't seem to be a function to search those specific collections that volunteers contributed to.
There's no way to exclusively search all of them at once but at the World Archives Project Dashboard does list completed projects here with a link to search each collection: World Archives Project - Ancestry.com
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Unlike familysearch.org which is all free for everyone all the time and also uses volunteers. Anyone can go on familysearch and specify a search collection by name. Keywords or places bring up a list of possibilities. It works very well.
Yes, FamilySearch is a great resource and I support them by contributing as a volunteer. But that doesn't mean ACOM isn't a great resource as well, with a bigger online database.
Since I have a world membership, I couldn't say - I have access to everything.
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I do not say that indices are unhelpful, but I do get ticked off a bit when Ancestry.com (or other sites) claim to provide all the collections voluntarily indexed freely, but then only supply the index freely. That is not free access to the collection, merely the index.
Well, we'll have to agree to disagree on that one. In my opinion, they are giving you access to the collection by giving you access to the full index. If they don't specifically say they will provide the images, you shouldn't expect them. FamilySearch sometimes does the same thing - some of their collections only allow members of certain organizations to access the images. To me, that's even worse because I can't just pay FS a fee and access the images, I would have to join a specific historical society or library instead, which may not always be possible.
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I think part of the complaint was that even volunteers can't see them.
I see your point but they are volunteers and by definition, that means providing something for nothing in return.
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