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Family History Hunters Breaking Brick Walls: African American Ancestors in Virginia with green and brick background

Breaking Brick Walls: African American Ancestry

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African American genealogy research can be a challenge, especially before 1870 and emancipation. Have you hit a brick wall? This month's Family History Hunters program on June 8th at 12:30pm in the Benham Gallery at Handley Library will feature a presentation from Brenda Burton Nelson, who has broken through barriers and uncovered her and her husband's genealogy. She will present a case study about how she was able to break down brick walls and find her husband’s ancestors. 

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Rally for Reading

Rally for Reading is HUGE this year!

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The Handley Regional Library System is excited to announce the "Rally for Reading" kickoff event for the 2023 Summer Reading Program, with the theme "All Together Now." This year is special, as there will be unique celebrations at all three branches!

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National Library Week 2023

How to Celebrate National Library Week 2023

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In honor of National Library Week, Handley Regional Library System announces a week-long celebration at its three branches: Bowman Library, Handley Library, and Clarke County Library. From April 23-29, the libraries will offer a variety of activities and events that highlight the importance of libraries in our communities.

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Library Swaps; Save money with these free services; logos for hoopla, Mango, Libby, and Magzter

Cut Your Budget

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Are you utilizing all that your library has to offer? The library has many services and resources to save you time and money. From printed books, magazines, and newspapers to 24/7 online access to eBooks, audiobooks, movies, and more, the library is your one-stop shop for information and entertainment!

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Genealogy

Discover Your Family History

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A library genealogy program is a great way to discover your family's history. These programs are free and offer access to historical records, census data, and other valuable resources that can help you trace your family tree. With a library genealogy program, you can uncover fascinating details about your ancestors and gain a deeper understanding of your family's story. So whether you're just starting out or have been researching your family tree for years, a Stewart Bell, J. Archives genealogy program is definitely worth exploring. Here are upcoming programs: 

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Adventures Through Grief Logo

Adventures Through Grief - A Tabletop Roleplaying Game Experience

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The Handley Library branch is excited to be partnering with Blue Ridge Hospice to provide a new tabletop roleplaying game-based grief support program, “Adventures Through Grief!” Tap into your creativity, build interpersonal skills, and learn to train your dragons as their Grief Counselors and Music Therapists take on the role of Game Master to guide you on the task of navigating life after losing a loved one.   

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Picture of Archive Staff Member Joan Wood

Beginner Genealogy Workshops

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Did you know that more than 102 million people research their family history? You can be one of them! The questions often asked are where do I start, and how do I find what I need? 

Our Beginner Genealogy Workshops are for individuals who are just starting in their genealogy quest or who have started and need assistance. The workshops include a five-step process that covers the basics of ancestry research.

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The words "Melodic Journeys Music Therapy" with music notes

Music and Wellness at Your Library

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How can music help you on your journey towards better health? The Handley Library branch has partnered with Cheryl Costello from Melodic Journeys to provide a Music and Wellness workshop series to explore the many ways individuals and groups can use music to achieve their health goals.  

Cheryl holds a board certification in music therapy, which means she has completed a credentialed specialized education program and obtained a certification from a national board recognized by the American Music Therapy Association. 

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Family History Corner Logo

A Visit to the Stewart Bell Jr. Archives

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Yesterday as part of the archives continuing Family History Hunter programs, members were taken on a tour of the archives.  Lorna Loring, Archives Associate, gave a brief outline of what a person might expect if they were to visit an archive in whatever place the researcher decides to go to.  Even though each library, archives or historical society will have its own rules the basic focus will be the same.  This is to preserve history and make it available to the public in some way.  So the following remarks are highlights of Lorna's presentation. 

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Genealogy

Ancestors and the Holidays

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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:

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Family History Corner Logo

Hitting a Genealogy Brick Wall: Focus of our November Family History Hunters Meeting

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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. 

 

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covers

Language Learning is Fun!

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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. 

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Library Card Sign-Up Month

We are Celebrating Library Card Sign-Up Month!

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.

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bookcover

Try a Paperback Classic!

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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.

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MyLIBRO Logo

Handley Regional Library System Launches Mobile App

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.

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