Oh, the dreaded family history project your child brings home from school. All the head-scratching and calls to grandparents trying to remember who was married to whom when that eventually led to your child’s birth. And what about that family legend about your great-great-great-great-grandmother having been born practically on the battlefield of the Second Boer War (despite your great-great-great-grandmother having never left Washington State?)
Learning your family history can be a fun and fascinating adventure, just watch any episode of Finding Your Roots on PBS. Seattle Public Library (SPL) hopes to make your first steps into genealogy easier. The library recently announced that it’s partnering with the Seattle Genealogical Society to help families get started by offering free monthly drop-in sessions at the Ballard, Magnolia, and Northeast branches.
“Whether you want to research a grandparent’s ethnic heritage, investigate whether a certain family story is true, or find an ancestor’s obituary, genealogy research is an act of discovery that can be really exciting,” said genealogy librarian Mahina Oshie. “Researching our past humanizes history and can show us how interconnected we actually are.”
During the sessions, trained volunteers with the Seattle Genealogical Society will work with you one-on-one to identify the best resources for your family’s research and explore specific questions. No reservation needed. You also do not need genealogy experience to get a lot from a session. Just arrive in discovery mode and bring any of your kids who have an itch to know more about their ancestry.
Upcoming Genealogy Drop-In Sessions
Ballard Branch, 5614 22nd Ave. N.W.
- Tuesday, Oct. 28, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, Nov. 25, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, Dec. 30, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Magnolia Branch, 2801 34th Ave. W.
- Saturday, Nov. 15, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Dec. 13, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Jan. 24, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Northeast Branch Meeting Room, 6801 35th Ave. N.E.
- Thursday, Nov. 13, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Thursday, Dec. 11, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Thursday, Jan. 15, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
When to Head to the Genealogy Librarian
SPL’s Genealogy Collection, located on Level 9 of the Central Library, is the largest and primary genealogy resource in Washington state, with more than 40,000 bound volumes, periodicals, pamphlets, and microfilm. Some ancestry questions are best answered through the Library’s Genealogy Collection or in conversation with a genealogical librarian. Volunteers from the genealogical society will be able to help you discern which questions are best answered where. SPL offers free 30-minute appointments with a genealogy librarian at the Central Library in downtown Seattle. Go online to make an appointment. Families can explore historical and census records, immigration lists, military records, genealogy guidebooks on various topics, and more during open hours. Collection materials must remain in the library, but circulating genealogy handbooks are available to borrow.
