Godfrey Benefits Dropping Like Flies

Now Godfrey is losing FindUSA as well as Heritage Quest. I wonder when
we'll se the refund offers.

Pam...

No, they probably got the same letter I got from Godfrey which indicates
it's not Godfrey's doing:

Attached below is a copy of a communication that I received yesterday from
the president of infoUSA. I believe that the letter is self explanatory

Dear Richard:

It was nice talking with you again this morning, but I am sorry to have to
relay this news. As we discussed this morning, we have made a business
decision to discontinue the FindUSA database service to libraries effective
immediately. As such, your library's service will be terminated as of noon
today. I have issued a refund check to your library in the amount of
$X,XXX.XX for the remainder of your subscription, and have put it in an
express package so you should have it tomorrow. I hope you can understand
our decision to discontinue this product in light of consumer concerns about
privacy issues.

Again, Richard, thank you for being a ReferenceUSA customer. I hope we will
have an opportunity to do business again in the future. And please don't
hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance to you.

Sincerely -- Doug.

We are saddened by the loss of this very popular site. We recognize the
disappointment that many of you will feel by its loss. As far as we can
determine there is only one other site that provides material such as this,
unfortunately that product is owned by a company that is in competition with
Godfrey and it is not available to us. We continue to look for other sites
that may provide similar content.

As you are likely aware, Godfrey Memorial Library is a non-profit public
library that does not receive any public funds. Programs like the Godfrey
Scholar Program help provide the funds so that we might be able to continue
to serve our patrons.

We appreciate your continued support

Richard E. Black

Director, Godfrey Memorial Library

134 Newfield Street

Middletown CT 06457

(860) 346-4375

Bruce Remick...

I was amazed at the detailed info available on individuals in FindUSA and was
surprised it lasted this long, considering today's privacy concerns. It was

tootncmon...

I also felt that there was just too much information too easily
available to anyone with a subscription. I had access from about June
2005 and was amazed at what was there about me ..... and, it seemed,
anyone ever connected to me by address or phone number. So I am not
sorry to see it go away.

junkit5551...

I do not share your optimism that it is going away. I am sure
FindUSA's decision was made so they could sell more subscriptions to
businesses and individuals.

I did use Godfrey's Heritage Quest, and found my grandmother in the 1900
census for the first time a few months ago. Her and her first husband's
names were badly indexed on Ancestry. After finding them on Heritage
Quest, I went back to Ancestry to see how on earth I'd missed them with
an uncommon surname; Moses was transcribed as Mary and Hannah was
Hadassah.... At least Moses is "Mose" on Heritage Quest.

I can now get Heritage Quest with my local library card, but Godfrey
still has some other good resources which are worth the subscription for
me.

available for six months or so, enough time for most subscribers to harvest any
info needed. I found a wealth of data for my one-name database.

I am also an Ancestry (Census) subscriber, so I never found much occasion to use
Heritage Quest. But for those who only use Godfrey, it indeed will be a
significant loss. I am glad to see that Godfrey now emphasizes the new
resources they add month by month. Still one of the best bangs for the buck.
No refund needed here.