Never Pay for a Family History Magazine Again

Several years ago, there were a good number of family history magazines to choose from in the shops.  Gradually, however, they have dwindled and merged until now only a few survive.  You’d be forgiven for thinking the publishers would realise that charging over £5 for a glossy with too many ads in it was at the root of the business model’s problem.  But apparently not, as the publishers show no inclination to drop the cover price; instead, they focus on trying to persuade readers to buy a subscription which will “save” them money by halving the cost of six months’ worth of their product. 

Fear not, however; there is an easy (and completely legal) way to get your fix of family history mags, at absolutely no cost to yourself – well, two ways, really.  Both come courtesy of the public library, although what’s on offer will vary depending on where you live.  My local reference library subscribes to plenty of magazines (including genealogy ones) which anyone is welcome to sit and read for as long as the library is open. 

If you are prepared to read digital editions of them, though, you can do so anywhere, via the library’s chosen provider.  RBDigital is the choice of many public library systems in the UK, and below is a screenshot of the history e-magazines my library offers*.  Once you have completed your local library's online registration, you can either download RBDigital’s free app to your mobile device, or simply sign in and read on your computer screen.  You can choose to receive emails notifying you when the latest edition of your favourite e-magazine is ready to download.  Back numbers of each title may also be available.

To me, it’s a much better alternative than grabbing an expensive copy of Homes & Gardens to flick through on the train.  And in case you were wondering, the digital copies of these magazines look exactly the same as the paper ones.  They have all the same text, illustrations and layout, with the added bonus that you can zoom in if the print gets too small for you.  So fire up your tablet and enjoy reading up on some history, completely free. 

*Other magazine titles and e-magazine providers are available

NB Sadly, Your Family History magazine has also been discontinued in the last few months.