October is family history month - which means it's a great time to look into your family tree. The Bedford Public Library offers its cardholders a great variety of useful tools to help you get started tracking down your ancestors. To learn more, visit our Genealogy Resources page or read on to see highlights of some of our favorite resources.
Ancestry Library Edition & Heritage Quest
Usually only available for in-library use, this valuable searchable genealogy database is currenlty available for Bedford cardholders to use from home due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. Visit the Databases Page then click the Ancestry link and sign in with your library card number and password. (If you don't know your password, call 472-2300 to reset it.)
Heritage Quest can also be accessed from home through our Databases Page. There you'll find all kinds of American genealogical resources through this online database including census records and the full text of The History of Bedford, New Hampshire.
National Archives
The National Archives offer a wide variety of government records for looking into your family history in the United States. The site inlcude a useful guide for beginners or register for the History Hub to get tips from other researchers.
Bedford Cemeteries
Did you know that the records of the Bedford Cemeteries are searchable and available online? Visit the Bedford Cemeteries website to track down vital information, like birth and death dates, for your local ancestors.
Ellis Island Records
Do you have an ancestor who entered the US through Ellis Island? Use Ellis Island's Passenger Search feature to find passenger records and ship manifests.
FamilySearch
FamilySearch is a large online genealogy database from the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and contains the largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world. This site has a free account level that includes an online family tree maker. This site also includes resources for South Asian genealogy.
Looking for more genealogical resources that you can check out from the Bedford Public Library? Click the covers below to request these books to pick up in person or using contact-free pickup.
Genealogy How-To
Genealogical True Stories
Family History Fiction