Tuesday, November 23, 2010

NEHGS has a new website: AmericanAncestors.org

The following is from NEHGS.


NEHGS OFFICIALLY MOVES ITS WEBSITE TO AMERICANANCESTORS.ORG

Boston, MA – November 23, 2010 – Today, The New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) in Boston bids farewell to its former website www.NewEnglandAncestors.org and officially welcomes AmericanAncestors.org as its new home.

In August, D. Brenton Simons, President and CEO of NEHGS, announced the launch of AmericanAncestors.org. Unlike the former website, AmericanAncestors.org contains all of the Society’s New England and New York content, features, articles, and resources, as well as weekly updates and databases in a variety of regional and ethnic specialties, like mid-Atlantic, Irish, and African American research.

Simons said, “This website marks a transformative experience in our 165-year history, the first genealogical society founded in America. It represents the next major step ahead as we continue to expand our resources.” Simons added, “AmericanAncestors.org is a new, dynamic platform from which we will grow in our position as a leader in American genealogy and as the nation’s largest genealogical society.”

AmericanAncestors.org provides online access to some of the most vital research tools and resources available. Some of the improvements include a new image viewer, faster navigation and search results time, and more unique content. This expanded scope allows greater opportunity for NEHGS to bring unique content to its members as well as the public while establishing new and beneficial collaborations with likeminded non-profit organizations and important commercial entities.

Ryan Woods, Director of Technology, notes a significant advantage of the AmericanAncestors.org website, “The new advanced search form provides all of the necessary search fields to conduct a thorough and specific query, removing the need to navigate across what were previously four hundred different search pages.”

Since the launch of AmericanAncestors.org, there has been constant praise of the new site. Compliments have been given to specific features, such as the advanced search engine, the quality of the images for the Massachusetts Vital Records, the heighted processing speed, and effortless navigation of the website.      

Other features that AmericanAncestors.org offers include:

  • More exclusive content: more unique, searchable, highly vetted materials for New England, New York, and other regions added weekly

  • Enhanced search engine: an all-new, true “master search” that will search across all databases and other web-based content, with faster results and easier navigation

  • Personal research profile: a social networking feature for NEHGS members to develop an online profile and input family research information, and even share them with others
  • Improved images: a state-of-the-art new image viewer that will provide easier saving, and viewing of images and data

  • Timely information: more news on our homepage and an enhanced blog “The Daily Genealogist” will bring our weekly electronic newsletter to the next level with stories and helpful research tips

Moreover, NEHGS is continuing to invite people to sign up for the NEHGS free registration “Guest Registration” program. This program provides anyone with free access to the popular weekly news stories as well as special access to a variety of databases, resources, articles, and other tools to help with their research. More information can be found on the NEHGS website at www.AmericanAncestors.org.


About NEHGS
The New England Historic Genealogical Society is the country's leading resource for family history research. We help family historians expand their knowledge, skills, and understanding of their family and its place in history. Founded in 1845, NEHGS is today the oldest and largest non-profit genealogical organization, with more than 26,000 members nationally. The NEHGS research headquarters, located at 99-101 Newbury Street in Boston, is home to some 28 million books, journals, manuscripts, papers, photographs, documents, and other artifacts, many of which date back centuries.

Its award-winning website offers access to more than 135 million names from 2,400 databases. NEHGS staff includes some of the leading expert genealogists in the country specializing in American, Irish, English, Italian, Scottish, Atlantic and French Canadian, African American, Native American, and Jewish genealogy.

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