The message below is cross-posted from the Genealogy Librarians list. I covers some restrictions on access to Heritage Quest for those living in California. It is written by librarian list members who assume that others know how to use the resources mentioned. It is probably something to file and work with when there is plenty of time. It does not appear to be a quick way to find a specific website. I tried a couple of them and found that it would take me a while to learn to use them. The first URL gives access to the Melvyl system which many public libraries around the country also can access if you learn how to get there. My experience has been that the World Catallog is a more complete resource than Melvyl if you are looking for where a specific author's works are available. For example, I know that J.G. Sommer's books are available in about eight different U.S. university libraries (including Berkeley in CA), but a search with his name as author or keyword found nothing. In Colorado Springs I have to enter a patron card number to access the catalog resources on the Internet like Heritage Quest. That is probably true for the URLS below, too, per the one message included below. In Colorado Springs the card number also indicates if one is in the taxing disctrict that supports the library. If your card does not have the right number code, access may be restricted because you are a "guest". In any case, list members living in California in areas where there is not a public library with access to Heritage Quest may be able to use the sites described below as long as they hold a card from a participating library -- even one that is not in the place where they live. I have cards from my local public library and for the libraries at the local university campus and Colorado College. The card for the university gives me access to any CO university library in the state. Karen In a message dated 6/20/2006 2:55:13 PM Mountain Daylight Time, vctinney@sbcglobal.net writes: UC San Diego has available online "HeritageQuest main page. Restricted to UCSD IP addresses." http://melvyl.cdlib.org/F/XJ2UBUG2VPIQYSBBJ4UN11C735RAHMES5MQG8KJYBQ4FTKEGPN-0 8168?func=file&file_name=find-b&local_base=CONLIN The California Libraries Catalog is at: http://www.calcat.org/ Anyone can view the holdings of all the participating public libraries in California. People who have a California address may enter that address to gain access to the “All Libraries” view which shows the holding of all the libraries worldwide that participate in this shared catalog. In California the “All Libraries” view includes academic, law libraries and special libraries. http://academic-genealogy.com/californiastateinformation.htm#library Someone on this list may wish to try the above site and report their findings, (as to connecting with "HeritageQuest"), using the California Libraries Catalog URL, noted above. ------snip----- Genealogy and Family History Internet Web Directory http://www.academic-genealogy.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Dick Eastman wrote: ALL California residents may obtain free access to HeritageQuest Online from their homes. You need a library card from one of the participating libraries that offers library cards to all California residents. HOWEVER, obtaining that library card might not be convenient: in most cases, you must go to the participating library in person to obtain your library card. For many Californians, the nearest participating library might be a long ways away. According to the information entered by users of the Encyclopedia of Genealogy at http://www.eogen.com/, the following libraries offer remote access to HeritageQuest Online to ALL California residents: Alameda County Library, County of Los Angeles Public Library, Long Beach Public Library and the Placentia Library District. I suspect there are more. (If you do know of more, please enter that information into the Encyclopedia of Genealogy's pages at http://eogen.com/HeritageQuestOnline.) One library in California is unique in that it gives library cards to residents of ALL states. Technically, ALL Americans may obtain free in-home access to HeritageQuest Online through the Los Angeles Public Library. The problem is traveling to that library one time to obtain a library card in person. That requirement obviously will stop most people. -----snip---- Thanks. - Dick Eastman Laura Spurrier wrote: Dick Eastman's blog implied that all public libraries in Calif. offer access to Heritage Quest. I checked the link he offered to a list of such libraries and found it covered perhaps 25% of the state. The rest of us are out of luck. My local public library certainly doesn't offer it. Perhaps coverage is better back east? Laura Spurrier On Jun 12, 2006, at 9:09 AM, Mary K. Mannix wrote: I think this would be a great time for all us public librarians to make sure that the genealogical societies in our areas are aware of the ease of which their members can get library cards, even at our own systems or in the systems where they live, and therefore keep access to HQ. I am often amazed at the traveling genealogists who come through my room who didn't even know they could get to HQ from their public libraries. We always check their systems for them and don't think we have ever looked one up that did not have HQ. Mary PS I will admit that I didn't even know that the societies could get such subscriptions and I can see it being a pricing issue. --Mary K. Mannix Maryland Room Manager C. Burr Artz Public Library Frederick County Public Libraries Frederick, MD