NEWPORT NEWS — All public library branches here now offer free access to Ancestry.com on all of their computers.
“We had a lot of interest in genealogy,” said Breeanne Harris, marketing manager for the Newport News Public Library.
Ancestry.com is a geneology website that lets the user search millions of historical records and usually costs anywhere from $20 to $200, depending on the membership.
Previously, Main Street Library, located in Hilton Village, was the only library to have access to site. The computer was located in the genealogical section of the library’s Virginian Room, a center where the public can access records pertaining to Newport News and Virginia history.
The library computers have the Ancestry Library Edition, which provides access to billions of records such as photos, obituraries, newspaper clippings, draft cards, travel documents, marriage certificates, and more. The record collections span from the 1500s to 2000s and include resources in more than 30,000 databases, according to the website.
People can even access documents from Canada, the United Kingdom and other international records.
Visitors can use Ancestry.com on a library computer or can bring their own laptop to access the site using the library’s free WiFi, Harris said.
For information, visit the Newport News Public Library website or call: 757-369-6810.
