The Internet Branch of Godfrey Memorial Library
A Library of Genealogy, History and Biography

Hours
The Library is open
to patrons
Wednesday, 12pm to 8pm
Thursday, 11am to 4pm
Friday, 11am to 4pm
1st & 3rd Saturday,
9am to 1pm

Online Access is always 24/7!
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Frequently Asked Questions - FAQs


How do I login? I just subscribed to the Godfrey Scholar Program online through PayPal. I received a transaction ID number and a printable receipt but I didn't get a barcode to login, what should I do?
How do I navigate once I get in? I can't login. I get a message that says, "Invalid account entered. Please see your librarian." What should I do?
How do I end a session? I am having trouble with NewspaperArchive.com. The page tells me how to sign up. What's happening?
What is that yellow search box for? I am a subscriber, how do I access NewspaperArchive.com?
What is the AGBI? How do I find out if you have a certain book in your library?
How do I use the
Godfrey One-Step Search?
My subscription lapsed, but I just renewed it online through PayPal. When I try to login a message says my subscription has expired. Why did this happen and what should I do?
I still have more questions, whom do I contact?

How do I login?

· Go to our homepage, www.godfrey.org.

· Place your cursor over the Member Log In tab and click Log In. If you are inside a Family History Center click on FHC Log In.

· Click the link on the color that matches your subscription package.

· A yellow login box comes up. The top Library line of the box is already filled in, do nothing here.

· Line two of the box is where you type in your barcode number (the number that appears on the back of your Godfrey Scholar Card). Type the entire number without spaces or dashes.

· Line three of the box is where you type in the password "godfrey". This should be in all lowercase letters.

· Click on the box that reads "Remember me" (your computer will autofill the number for you next time).

· Click "Go".

When the page comes up, you will see three columns of yellow folders. The folders are closed. Double click to open one. Then click on the link to open it. If the folders are open when you enter in, you have not logged in properly and are in the site as a guest. Go back to step one. If you need assistance, call the library at 860-346-4375.
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How do I navigate once I get in?

When you get in, you will see three columns yellow folders. All of the resources of the Godfrey Scholar Premium Databases, can be found in the folder with that name. The other folders hold collections of non-commercial research sites that will save our patrons many hours of internet searching. The newest database additions are in the New Premium Resources folder.

To access the sites:

· Just click on a folder and it will open up to show you the links inside.

· Put your cursor on a title that you wish to explore. When you click on the link, a window will pop-up to the site you have selected.

· Follow the search instructions inside the link. Each individual website will have its own way of handling searches. But there are a few hints that are not always evident:

· Some databases will have their own search engines. Some will display the information in a table, some will display the information in book form which will appear in PDF format with a toolbar you can use to turn its pages.

· When searching the newspaper sites, if you wish to search for both the first and last name of a particular person, put the name in quotations ("John Smith"), otherwise you will get every John mentioned, as well as every Smith, and not just John Smith.

· On the Library Catalog sites, what you will find are a list of the resources found at that particular library - not the resource itself - just the list. Then you can contact the library to see if it will make copies for you, or find researchers there to help, or perhaps get the resource through inter-library loan at you home library.

· The Columbia Gazetteer is a good site for getting information about places, for example trying to find out information about counties or towns where you are searching.
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How do I end a session?


Click on the Sign Out tab on the menu bar on the top of the page.

If you forget this and just click the X at the top of the page, the next time you sign in to your subscription you will see the message below:

"Your subscription is already in use. You may want to ensure that the previous user properly exited the system using the 'Sign Out' feature.
Would you like to close the previously opened session?"

Just click yes and you'll go right through to the folders.
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What is that yellow search box for?

The yellow search box at the top of the page above the folder icons corresponds to the small white check boxes next to certain folders or resource names.

For example: The Canada folder in the right column. There is a white box next to the Canada heading. If you click to open the folder, you will see several other white boxes inside. Click on a box to check it. You may have up to 10 individual boxes checked at one time. In the yellow Search For box you can type in a keyword to search. Each of the resources you have checked off will be searched for that keyword. A results list will follow and selections may be viewed.

If there is no white box next to a particular resource or folder, it cannot be searched with the yellow box. You should follow the link and there will be a way to search when the page loads.
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What is the AGBI?

The American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI) is an every-name index to over 6 million names from 850 sources for eastern United States research. The majority of these titles, all of which are in the stacks at Godfrey Memorial Library, belong to over 700 family histories published prior to 1920. Titles cover Connecticut as well as Maryland, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, and Vermont are also represented.

In his preface, Fremont Rider said that the American Genealogical-Biographical Index "should be the first tool used by every genealogical researcher in seeking an answer for every question."

To find out more about the AGBI or to request an AGBI search, mouse over the Search tab (in the center of the menu bar) and a drop down menu will appear. Click on AGBI Search. Print the form, fill it out with as much information as you have about the person you are researching, and mail it in to the library. You may also fax your request to (860) 347-9874, or email it to library@godfrey.org and type "AGBI Request" in the subject line.
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How do I find out if you have a certain book in your library?

From the homepage, mouse over the Search tab (in the center ofthe menu bar) and a drop down menu will appear. Click on Godfrey Catalog. When the page loads, click on the Search tab on this page. Type the book title or keywords you want to search in the box and click Search. If the title appears on the results list the book is at Godfrey Library.
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I just subscribed to the Godfrey Scholar Program online through PayPal. I received a transaction ID number and a printable receipt but I didn't get a barcode to login, what should I do?

Please call the library at 860-346-4375 and one of our staff members will assist you.
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I can't login. I get a message that says, "Invalid account entered. Please see your librarian." What should I do?

Be sure you have followed the login procedure correctly (Refer to FAQ # 1 and be sure you haven't mistyped anything).

If you are certain that you have entered your barcode correctly on the second line and you have used "godfrey" for your password on the third line (all lower case, without the quotes), but you still can't login: Check to be sure the top Library line reads: gdml7.

If that doesn't work, your subscription may be expired, call the library at 860-346-4375 to verify your subscription's expiration date.
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I am having trouble with NewspaperArchive.com. The page tells me how to sign up. What's happening?

At times your internet security program (Norton, McAfee, etc.), while trying to protect your computer from unwanted intrusions, actually prevents you from viewing certain pages. When you are logged in to Godfrey and you click on the NewspaperArchive.com link, your computer is essentially making a request to access the newspapers in their database.

Their computer responds with a "Who are you, let me see if you are a paid subscriber, show me your URL." But your security program says, "No!" and blocks it out. The result is that you can't be authenticated as a valid subscriber, so their response is, "Since I don't know who you are, I will assume you are not a subscriber and I'll show you a screen that advertises our product instead."

Check with technical support for your security software and tell them the software is causing authentication problems, and ask them to direct you.
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I am a subscriber, how do I access NewspaperArchive.com?

These instructions allow the referring URL to be passed:
Norton 2003 and 2004 or later (2005 & 2006, they have the same interface so the instructions are the same.)

Before you begin to follow these instructions close all other windows and programs.

To create a rule that permits referrer information

1. Open Norton Internet Security or Norton Personal Firewall.

2. Do one of the following:
· In Norton Internet Security or Norton Personal Firewall 2003: Click Options > Internet Security, and then click the Web Content tab.
· In Norton Internet Security or Norton Personal Firewall 2004 or later: Double-click Privacy Control, then click Configure, and then click Advanced.

3. In the bottom of the Advanced window, click Add Site.

4. In the New Site/Domain box, type the name of the site that you want to receive the referrer information, and click OK. (add www.access.newspaperarchive.com) The site name appears in the left frame of the Options window.

5. Click the name of the new site.

6. On the Global Settings tab, under the information about visited sites section, uncheck Use default settings.

7. Click Permit.

8. Click OK to close the Options window.

Close out of Norton. The Norton icon should be in your lower tray near your computer's clock. Right click on the icon (it looks like a globe) and choose Disable Norton Internet Security. A screen will pop up with the 5 minutes option selected. Click the drop down menu and choose the 30 minute option (to give you ample time to follow the steps.)

· Launch your internet browser (ex: internet explorer). Type in www.godfrey.org in the address bar at the top of the screen and click enter. (Do not use favorites or a bookmark.)

· Login to the Godfrey Library Scholar's portal that corresponds to your barcode number and click to open the Newspapers/Journals folder. Double click on the NewspaperArchive.com link.

· After you are authenticated you should see, "Welcome to the Newspaper Archives of the Godfrey Memorial Library."

While you are still on the NewspaperArchives.com page, right click on the Norton icon (the globe) down in your lower tray near the clock. Select Enable Norton Internet Security. You can use the NewspaperArchive.com site at this point. If there is no other security application blocking/protecting your computer you should be able to leave the NewspaperArchive.com site and enter it again without difficulty while Norton is active.

Other databases may be affected by this as well. Please email the library at library@godfrey.org if you need the referring URL for another database.
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I still have more questions, whom do I contact?

Telephone support is available during business hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9AM to 4PM,
Wednesday from 9AM to 8 PM,
and 1st and 3rd Saturdays from 9AM to 1PM (Eastern Time).
Call 860-346-4375 or you can send an email with your question or concern to library@godfrey.org.
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My subscription lapsed, but I just renewed it online through PayPal. When I try to login a message says my subscription has expired. Why did this happen and what should I do?

If your subscription has lapsed, a staff member will have to reactivate your old barcode number manually. In most cases, this happens before noon on next business day. You will also receive an email confirmation when your number has been reactivated.
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How do I use the Godfrey One-Step Search?

From the Search tab on the Main Menu, click on Godfrey One-Step, or click the One-Step Search button at the bottom-left of our homepage. This will take you to an introduction page (which you should read at least once) and the link to the Godfrey One-Step Search form. It contains a set of fields in which you enter your Godfrey barcode and password, and also the name you want to search for. Then click the Search button. Because of the number of databases being searched, your search may take a few minutes. Please do not click on any of the "Show Hits" links until you see the words "End of Results" at the bottom of your screen.

Below the search box you will see a button labeled "To All Godfrey Databases." If at any time you decide that you want to stop One-Step searching and you want to see our other resource folders, just click on it. It takes you through the portal to the three columns of yellow folders.
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134 Newfield St, Middletown, CT 06457 | Tel: 860-346-4375 | Fax: 860-347-9874
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