Michael asked:

Has anyone found other (free or for pay) services...

www.familysearch.org
LDS' free site

www.fultonhistory.ocm
Free site to search and read old NY digitized newspapers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_online_newspaper_archives
Wiki list of on-line digitzed newspapers - worldwide - broken down by
geographic region.

http://www.donslist.net/PGHLookups/DirM.htm
Free site - some old U.S. city directories

And, don't forget Google Books. They have some old city directories,
Jewish Communal Register, and millions of other books. Search your
ancestors names, or the towns they came from, and you may be surprised.

Regards,

Sherri Bobish
Princeton, NJ