October 4, 2010
The Archives and History Library of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History will hold its next meeting of the Genealogy Club on Thursday, Oct. 14, from 6 - 7:30 p.m. The club, which has programs that focus specifically on genealogy-related topics, will meet in the library at the Culture Center, State Capitol Complex in Charleston. All sessions are free and the public is invited to attend.
On Oct. 14, staff archivist, Debra Basham, will discuss the Vital Research Records Project, which was launched in 2004 and completed in 2009. The project has made available more than five million birth, death, and marriage records from all 55 West Virginia counties on the Internet at no charge. Statewide deaths that are at least 50 years old are included as well. “The response to this online resource has been very positive,” said Basham.“ People are very appreciative that they can sit at home on their own computers, day or night, and see the actual records.”
Basham, who oversaw the project for Archives and History, will provide hints for searching the online databases and discuss ideas being considered for expanding the project in the future. She also will explain the other collections at the State Archives which can be used for genealogical research, including manuscripts and special collections.
Advance registration for the program is not required, but is encouraged to help plan seating arrangements and ensure plenty of supplies and handouts are available.
To register in advance, contact Robert Taylor, library manager, at (304) 558-0230, ext. 163, or by e-mail at [email protected]. Participants interested in registering by e-mail should send their name, telephone number and the name and date of the session. For additional information about the workshop, contact the Archives and History Library at (304) 558-0230.
The Genealogy Club meets on the second Thursday of each month. It is not necessary to be a club member to attend the sessions.
The Archives and History Library is open from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Monday through Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday. The library is closed on Sunday.
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Its administrative offices are located at the Culture Center in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, which also houses the state archives and state museum. The Culture Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. The agency also operates a network of museums and historic sites across the state. For more information about the Division’s programs, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
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