Ancestry DNA Kit Giveaways

Ancestry has given the Roanoke Public Libraries two DNA kits to give away.

One will be given away during the Star City Reads Fall Festival on Saturday, October 7th (11am - 3pm) Goodwill Industries of the Valleys, 2502 Melrose Ave NW Roanoke

AND

Another one will be given away at the Virginia Room. Researchers will get an entry for every Virginia Room visit during the normal operating hours.

Find My Past is the Virginia Room's newest database

The Roanoke Public Libraries recently added Find My Past to its genealogy databases. It is only accessible at the Main Library and the Virginia Room.

Some it features include:

British newspaper archives from England, Wales and Scotland
Parish records, including 40 million baptisms, marriages and burials from across England and Wales dating back to 1538
Passenger lists of ships leaving the UK 1890-1960 to the U.S., Canada and Australia
British Army Records 1760-1915
Rapidly growing collection of local English, Welsh, Irish and Scottish records dating back to 1700, including school admissions, workhouse registers and apprenticeships records.
Irish court records
U.S. and World Newspapers
PERiodical Source Index

October Events

While the Virginia Room will not have any classes this month, Virginia Room programs will be held at the following locations:

Star City Reads Fall Festival
AncestryDNA Kit Giveaway
Saturday, October 7
11:00am – 3:00pm
Goodwill Industries of the Valley
2502 Melrose Ave NW Roanoke VA 24017

Campbell County Public Library’s Roots Club
Great Ancestor Photo Hunt
Monday, October 9
Staunton River Memorial Library
500 Washington St Altavista VA 24517

Family Discovery Day 2017
Genealogy: Beyond the Basics
Saturday, October 14
9:00am – 3:00pm
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
6311 Wayburn Dr Salem VA 24153

Genetic Genealogy
Wednesday, October 25
3:00pm
Fincastle Public Library
1 Academy St, Fincastle, VA 24090