(9/3/10)  Just in case the weekend weather doesn’t allow you to enjoy the outdoors, historian Mary Woods, in the Jackson County History Room, has a suggestion to keep you busy.  That is, if you’re a family researcher. 

According to Woods, Ancestry.com, the largest collection of family history data online, is offering researchers free access to its full collection of United States immigration records through Monday, September 6. 

Ancestry.com’s comprehensive collection of available passenger lists covers from 1820 to 1960.  Researchers can learn about their ancestors’ birthplaces, their ports and dates of departure and arrival, and the names and types of ships on which they traveled.  In some cases, researchers may also find photos of the actual ships. 

As a general rule, Ancestry.com is available to those at home through a subscription.  However, the Black River Falls Public Library offers patrons free access to the library version of Ancestry.com.  Users must be in the library to use this free subscription.

More information on Ancestry.com and other genealogical programs is available by contacting historian Mary Woods at the Black River Falls Public Library.  The History Room is open Mondays from 1 to 7 p.m. and Tuesdays through Friday, 1 to 5 p.m. 

In observance of Labor Day Weekend, the library is closed this Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.  Regular hours will resume on Tuesday.