11th
Family History
Ever since I saw the episode of “Who Do You Think You Are” featuring Spike Lee, I’ve been hooked on family history research. I had made attempts at it in the past, creaking through rolls of microfilm, but these days it is easier than ever because so many records have been digitized and are accessible from any computer with an Internet connection.
The National Archives (www.archives.gov) is a great place to get an overview of what kind of government records are available and how to get to them. Unfortunately, the National Archives website doesn’t offer a lot of digitized content, but they do have some. They can tell you what is available and how to use it. And they do have a special guide just for genealogy research.
To get at some of those records, you often need a subscription service. But the Sarasota County Libraries can help! With a valid Sarasota library card, you can access HeritageQuest from your home computer, or Ancestry Library Edition from a library computer. Just click on the Databases/Electronic Resources link to find both. Happy hunting!
