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Research in Other Countries => Canada => Topic started by: S Robinson on Monday 14 September 15 23:13 BST (UK)

Title: Library & Archives Canada Database
Post by: S Robinson on Monday 14 September 15 23:13 BST (UK)
Hi,

Has anyone recently used "Library & Archives Canada" website recently?

Usually you can search for someone by name on the passenger lists and census returns etc. but there seems to be a new format that I am unfamiliar with and cannot locate where you can do this.

Thanks.
Title: Re: Library & Archives Canada Database
Post by: S Robinson on Monday 14 September 15 23:14 BST (UK)
This is the website now

http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Pages/home.aspx
Title: Re: Library & Archives Canada Database
Post by: RunKitty on Tuesday 15 September 15 02:06 BST (UK)
Hi...

Yes, there have been some changes!

Passenger lists:
From the screen that you posted.... under the "Popular topics" tab, choose "Genealogy and Family History". 
Then under "Most Requested Records", select "Immigration and Citizenship"
Then scroll down to the list of databases.
Select "Passenger Lists and Border Entries, 1925-1935 - Nominal Indexes",  These are the passenger lists that you can search by name.   Just select "Search Database".

Here is the direct link to that page
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/immigration/immigration-records/passenger-lists-border-entry-1925-1935/Pages/introduction.aspx

This will get you a transcript of the basic info. for your passenger.  If you wish to view the actual passenger list, you have to go to the list of digitized microforms to find the correct batch of records (by port of immigration), then using volume and page number info. from the transcript, you can find the person you are looking for. 

Digitized microforms can be found here
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/microform-digitization/006003-110.01-e.php

For earlier passenger lists, you have to search by name of ship/year etc.  From the list of databases on the "Immigration and Citizenship" page, select "Passenger Lists 1865-1922"
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/immigration/immigration-records/passenger-lists/passenger-lists-1865-1922/Pages/introduction.aspx

If you want to find a Form 30A (Ocean Arrivals) - 1919-1924, you have to search through the correct microform... people are listed in a semi alphabetical way.   :).  Read the "Help" information for how to find someone in this database.  It explains the process fairly well. This database is also found through the "Microform Digitization" page I posted above.    Here is the direct link to the database.
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/microform-digitization/006003-110.02-e.php?&q2=5&interval=50&sk=0&&PHPSESSID=be4h9b8hfbdnljgech8gjug2k7

As for census records... they can also be found under the Popular Topics tab on the page that you posted.  I think it is the last item on the list.  Once you select "Censuses" from here, you go to the Census page... all of the census years are listed on the left hand side.  You have to search one census year at a time, but it is all there.  Here is the direct link to the census page
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/Pages/census.aspx

Another, easier,  way to find the censuses is to type "Library and Archives Canada Censuses" into your search engine.  That takes you to the above page too.

If you type "Library and Archives Canada Passenger Lists" into your search engine, you end up here.  It is another way to find the lists.

http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/immigration/immigration-records/passenger-lists/Pages/introduction.aspx

You can also get to all of this information using the dark blue banner at the top of the Library's main page.  Select "Discover the Collection".  In the dropdown menu, you choose "Browse by Topic".  Here you can select Immigration (will take you to the passenger lists) or censuses etc.

Different ways to get to the same places!!

Happy hunting :) :)

RK
Title: Re: Library & Archives Canada Database
Post by: dbree on Tuesday 15 September 15 11:44 BST (UK)
RK - explanation extraordinaire.  :)

Cheers,
DB
Title: Re: Library & Archives Canada Database
Post by: S Robinson on Tuesday 15 September 15 20:23 BST (UK)
Thank you RK.  Will give it a try.
Title: Re: Library & Archives Canada Database
Post by: *Sandra* on Tuesday 15 September 15 21:08 BST (UK)
RK - amazing - but we all know your a little "gem" - will bookmark this for future reference with new posters -

Cheers
Sandra

Title: Re: Library & Archives Canada Database
Post by: sandiep on Tuesday 15 September 15 21:30 BST (UK)
fantastic RK thank you very much
Sandie
Title: Re: Library & Archives Canada Database
Post by: RunKitty on Tuesday 15 September 15 21:48 BST (UK)
You are very welcome!!   :) 

There is lots of great information available free of charge  :) :) on the LAC site.  It is a wonderful resource (especially for those of us who do not have a subscription to Ancestry). 

RK
Title: Re: Library & Archives Canada Database
Post by: lizbet t on Thursday 19 November 15 14:32 GMT (UK)
LAC have been making some good progress lately on the C.E.F. attestation project ,they are about 1/3 through. We are so lucky in Canada to have this much more complete resource even if some of it was misfiled.
I've also just heard through another forum that some of the WWI film footage the LAC holds can be uploaded by the archives to You Tube. I am not sure of the process but I will ask my source because this is great news and hopefully applies to provincial archives as well.

Liz