The Bottom Line
Available free through subscribing libraries, Heritage Quest Online packs in an intutitive interface, fast downloads, and crisp census images. If your library doesn't subscribe, you're missing out! --Review last updated - April 2004
Pros
- Free to members of subscribing libraries
- Easy to use interface and crisp, enhanced images
- Notebook feature helps you keep track of searches
Cons
- Not available for individual subscription
- No soundex or wildcard search options
- Head of household indexes only
Description
- Includes census images for all decades 1790-1930.
- Head of household indexes for 1790-1820, 1860, 1870, 1890, 1900-1910 and 1920-1930 (partial).
- Available only as a library subscription, but offered free by participating libraries to members.
- Advanced search options also include state, county, age, and birthplace, but no wildcard or soundex.
- Census indexes prepared by Heritage Quest are much more accurate than the common AIS indexes.
- Images appear in an HTML viewer, with no extra software required.
- Full-screen, enhanced census images load quickly and are easy to read.
- Black and white enhanced census images make viewing easier, but could possibly affect quality.
- Census images are also available as negative images as an alternate opportunity for readability.
- Handy notebook feature allows you to save census images and citations, and take online notes.
Guide Review - Heritage Quest Online - Census Records
Developed specifically for library patrons, Heritage Quest Online offers an intuitive, easy-to-use interface and clear, crisp census images. Searching is simple and offers a lot of options, although it lacks the ability to use wildcards or soundex to search for misspelled names. Available census indexes are highly accurate - much more so than commonly used AIS indexes. Census images download quickly and appear as full-screen, enhanced images, though some people claim that this enhancement could introduce errors. Images can be quickly downloaded and saved or printed in Tiff (non-compressed) or PDF format. Overall, Heritage Quest Online is the most flexible census offering available, if you can convince your library to subscribe!
