Have you thought about researching your family history? We have programs and resources that can help you get started.

• Genealogy workshops demonstrate how to use online and print resources available at the library. Learn how to find and access obituaries from newspapers — both online and using microfilm of local newspapers. We’ll explore Ancestry Library Edition, HeritageQuest, census data, government and educational resources. For a list of upcoming genealogy workshops, visit our program calendar.

• The library subscribes to two genealogy databases. Ancestry Library Edition contains records from around the world including census records, vital records, military records, immigration records, as well as reference titles. Ancestry Library Edition is only available from within the library. HeritageQuest contains census records, full text books, wills and probate records, Revolutionary War pension file, and Freedman’s Bank records. HeritageQuest is available from home with your library card.

• The South Carolina Room at Lexington Main Library houses a wealth of resources for individuals researching local and state family history. The collection includes family histories, cemetery records, deed abstracts, equity records, immigration and naturalization records, marriage and death records, military records, and will abstracts. The microfilm collection includes local newspapers, federal census reels for South Carolina, local county and church records, manuscripts from local families, Enrollment for the Eastern Cherokees, and the Freedman’s Bureau records for South Carolina.

• The library maintains a  genealogy topic page of with links to databases, digital newspaper collections and a selection of the best genealogy websites for South Carolina, African American and Native American genealogy.

• If you have photos, family documents and family heirlooms that you would like to preserve for future generations of your family, join us for an informative workshop about home archiving.