Blog Entries

Holiday time: it is a great time to be with family, friends or alone with your thoughts.  For most of us it is a hustle and bustle time of year and doing something “extra” might just put a person over the edge of sensibility!  So for me to suggest that this is a good time to do something involving genealogy might seem a little different.  In reality it is not, because holidays are the time in which people naturally gravitate towards remembrances.  So, if you are inclined, here are a few ideas that you might like:

Thursday, November 10, 2022, the Family History Hunters met in the Benham Room.  The topic of conversation centered around the subject of Genealogical brick walls.  The program started with a fifteen-minute podcast presented by Katie Corwin of Ancestry.com.  She gave several suggestions regarding a researcher’s brick wall and how it can be broken through.  I myself found the podcast very interesting and discovered two suggestions that I believe can assist me with my own brick wall problem. 

Learning another language is exciting, helpful, and fun! If you’re looking to learn, we have just what you need. The library’s resources include a vast array of books, audiobooks, and even an app that can assist you: Mango. First, let’s see what books can help you get you started on your language-learning journey. 

This September, Handley Regional Library System, the American Library Association, and libraries around the nation will be celebrating Library Card Sign-up Month. Since 1987, Library Card Sign-Up Month has been held each September to mark the beginning of the school year and to encourage every child to sign up for a library card.

If you are looking for something to read for the Adult Summer Reading Program, why not try a paperback classic? What makes a work of literature a classic? We may think of a classic book as one written by an author who has died, but there are contemporary classics by living authors, too. Classics are books that are well-written and hold up over time. They could be a first in a genre or have cultural importance.

Now Handley Regional Library patrons can hold the library in the palm of their hands! With a new mobile app, called MyLIBRO, Handley Regional Library System patrons have access to a variety of library resources through their mobile phones and tablets. The MyLIBRO app is already available through the App Store.

The Handley Regional Library System is excited to offer two upcoming tours of the downtown Handley Library Branch on Saturday, December 10, at 11 AM. This tour is FREE and open to the public. Meet in the Rotunda to start your tour at 11 AM.

The Handley Library branch tour will take you behind the scenes to all floors of the building. Learn about the unique architecture and amazing history of this beautiful library. Walk on the famous glass floors, and see the well under the stage.  

On July 20th, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first man to land on the moon and said his famous line. “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” If you’d like to learn more about Armstrong, you can check out a biography we have about him: Neil Armstrong: A Life of Flight by Jay Barbree. We also have some movies, too.

Summer Reading is Underway... Don't miss these awesome, fun, and educational programs at each library location!

Didgeridoo Down Under

An energetic fusion of Australian music, culture, comedy, character building, storytelling and audience movement/participation. The didgeridoo has been played by Aboriginal Australians for at least 1,500 years. Didgeridoo Down Under is much more than music. Learn about Aussie culture, sea creatures, and more, all while moving & grooving to the pulsing rhythms of the didgeridoo!

Why Native Plants? 

In celebration of pets, May is recognized as National Pet Month. It’s a wonderful time to show a little extra appreciation for our furry friends, and books are always a great resource for everything, including learning something fun about your pets! 

Researching Common Surnames:

May 2022

My last name is Smith.  I have been told that our ancestors changed our surname before immigrating to the United States from Poland.  I have hesitated to attempt any research because I feel like I truly have a generic name.  Would it even be possible to learn anything about this family?

-A Researcher

In Marvelous Us! Part I and Part II we explored books related to our marvelous human bodies. Although popular culture over-emphasizes how our bodies may look, we often fail to appreciate how our bodies function. Whether or not you are happy with the way your body looks, the way it functions is truly marvelous.

April’s Family History Hunters meeting will feature a special presentation on organizing your family history research. Our presenter for this meeting, Tina Claflin, is the owner of Halcyon Reflections, a certified photo manager, and offers independent consulting and organizing services for veterans, families, and non-profits to help others get organized to preserve their stories.

Census Records

April 2022

This month I want to build on the past ideas that I have written about and hope that you are having some success.  I have suggested that those who are beginning their family history:

                1. Identify what you already know about your ancestors through family members or papers you already have in your home.