Annandale Virginia FamilySearch Center

RootsTech, February 27th through March 2nd, will be streaming a number of the presentations on www.rootstech.com
2019 RootsTech Free Streaming Sessions

Times are Mountain Standard Time – add 2 hours for East Coast

WEDNESDAY Feb 27

9:30 a.m. What’s New at FamilySearch? Ron Tanner of FamilySearch International reviews the latest features

and capabilities released on FamilySearch, their value, and why the changes were made. See the future of

FamilySearch.

11:00 a.m. Hear Them Sing! Social History and Family Narrative  Join Rebecca Whitman Koford as she discusses how the addition of social history enhances family narratives and clarifies the songs of our ancestors. She will discuss how to contextualize ancestors’ lives with social history research and use it to inspire others to want to know more about those who have passed.

1:30 p.m. Uncovering Family Stories with British and Irish Historic Newspapers (Sponsored by Findmypast)  Myko Clelland discusses the numerous digitized collection of millions of pages of local and national historic newspapers, covering 300 years of history from every county in Britain and Ireland. Get the full scoop with the Findmypast vast collection, and discover how to make the most of the stories contained within this huge resource.

3:00 p.m. Connecting Your DNA Matches  Diahan Southard takes you through your DNA match list and explains the Shared Matches tool. Learn how to create and employ a number of tools to boost your confidence in your genetic genealogy skills.

4:30 p.m. Wednesday General Session and Opening Event  Steve Rockwood, CEO of FamilySearch International, will be the featured keynote speaker and will explore the connections that come through genealogy. Entertainment will be provided by the world-renowned a cappella group The Edge Effect.

THURSDAY Feb 28

8:00 a.m. Making the Leap—Becoming a Professional Genealogist (Power Hour)  In this power hour session, Luana Darby, Valerie Elkins, and Anne Teerlink explore how to make a successful transition from hobbyist to a career as a professional. Learn about the importance of diversifying your talents, and discover the ways to earn income as a genealogist.

9:30 a.m. Finally! German Church Records and How to Use Them on FamilySearch  Join Trish Melander, and explore the German Church records that are now being published on FamilySearch. These are records rich in centuries of history and contain baptisms, marriages, burials, and even confirmations.

11:00 a.m. Thursday General Session: Patricia Heaton  Nobody knows family quite like Emmy award-winning actress Patricia Heaton. Known for her humorous roles as a typical American housewife in big hit television series’ like Everybody Loves Raymond and The Middle, Patricia has won many prestigious awards and the hearts of television viewers worldwide. Don’t miss this opportunity to watch one of the most recognized actresses in the world tell her story in person—a story that perfectly illustrates what it looks like to follow your heart, exercise faith, and persist until you achieve great success.

1:30 p.m. What You Don’t Know about Ancestry (Sponsored by Ancestry)  Join Crista Cowan, and preview Ancestry’s cool new tools that are geared to improve and accelerate your family history research.

3:00 p.m. “Jumping the Broom,” Oil, Inheritance, and African American Marriage in the South  Kenyatta Berry will cover the tradition of jumping the broom, the informal marriage ceremony for the enslaved. Kenyatta will also share the story of her paternal ancestors in Arkansas and East Texas, and she will detail how she used primary and secondary sources to discover her ancestor’s connection to the oil industry in Arkansas and Texas.

4:30 p.m. Perilous Assumptions: Revisiting Those First Finds  Despite the best of intentions, many family history researchers make incorrect assumptions about records that don’t quite fit. Kris Rzepczynski will explore false assumptions, revisiting those mistakes, and the family history discoveries that may await.

FRIDAY Mar 1

8:00 a.m. Why and How to Put Yourself into Your Family History (Power Hour)  In family history, it’s easy to overlook ourselves and the generations we know because we don’t feel like history! But you are a part of your family history. In this Power Hour, Curt Witcher, senior manager of the Genealogy Center, will show you why putting yourself into your family history is so important (along with the science to back it up!). Amy Johnson Crow, author and host of the Generations Cafe podcast, will show you how you can include yourself without getting overwhelmed. Scott Fisher, host of the Extreme Genes radio show, will show you interview techniques to get more (and better) stories.

9:30 a.m. Essential Considerations for DNA Evidence  Blaine Bettinger will explain how to use DNA evidence correctly and correlated with documentary evidence. In this session he will examine some of the considerations, limitations, and pitfalls we should consider when using DNA evidence.

11:00 a.m. Friday General Session: Saroo Brierley  Perhaps no one knows the joy that comes from connecting with family better than Saroo Brierley. Saroo will share his remarkable story of how he used technology to reconnect with the land of his childhood and rediscover his family.

1:30 p.m. Getting the Most Out of Billions of Records on MyHeritage SuperSearch (Sponsored by MyHeritage)  One of the best ways to maximize MyHeritage is to host your tree at MyHeritage, where the systems will automatically help you find new records, fill gaps in your existing tree, and provide matches that can help you efficiently discover new ancestors and family members. In this session, Mike Mansfield will help you learn how to move your tree from online tree systems to MyHeritage and how MyHeritage works with your tree to find new and additional information that you can easily evaluate and add to your tree.

3:00 p.m. Discover Your Japanese Ancestors  Join Valerie Elkins, and learn how to find your Japanese ancestors in Japan. Discover how to obtain your family’s vital records from Japan and climb your family tree. Japanese are wonderful record-keepers, but accessing those records can be challenging without knowing how to proceed.

4:30 p.m. The Research Road Map: Your Path to Success  Amy Johnson Crow explains why having a research plan is more than making a to-do list. See how having a good plan is essential to making progress in your research and making it less frustrating.

SATURDAY Mar 2

8:00 a.m. Trace the Story of Immigrant Ancestors in 3 Steps (Power Hour)  Susan Miller, D. Joshua Taylor, and Frederick Wertz explore 3 key steps to unlocking the story of your immigrant ancestors with the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society.

9:30 a.m. Examining Your DNA Matches with DNA Painter  DNA Painter is a website that can help interpret and demystify your autosomal DNA results. Using practical examples, Jonny Perl will demonstrate how DNA Painter can be used for a variety of activities including chromosome mapping and relationship prediction for unknown DNA matches.

11:00 a.m. Saturday General Session: Jake Shimabukuro  World renowned ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro will be the keynote speaker. Get ready to hear Jake’s inspiring story, and listen to the one-of-a-kind ukulele musician play the instrument like you’ve never heard it before.

1:30 p.m. Leading with Science at 23andMe (Sponsored by 23andMe)  In this session, Sarah Lashkey will walk through how research works at 23andMe and how you can contribute to scientific discoveries.

3:00 p.m. The Silent Language of the Stones: Reading Gravestones through Symbols and Carvings  Symbols and icons have been used on tombstones for centuries, but it was not until the mid-1800s that this secret language on the stones became popular. Joy Neighbors will explore these symbols and statues that tell stories of the deceased, including family relationships, religious affiliations, military service, occupations, and society memberships.

Center Contacts and Hours
Location Map:


 * Location Map

Address:  3900 Howard St., Annandale, VA 22003-1762


 * Access to the AFHC is through the exterior door on the West side of the building as you come into the parking lot.
 * For admission please ring the doorbell and a staff member will admit you.

Language: English

Phone:  703-256-5518

E-mail:  VA_Annandale@ldsmail.net

Open Hours: 


 * Tuesday: 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
 * Wednesday: 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. -  9:00 p.m.
 * Thursday: 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
 * Friday: 9:30 a.m - 1:00 p.m.
 * Saturday: 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Closings
Closed every Sunday and Monday and all major holidays.

Additional Closings are: 

January 1, 2019 - New Year's Day (reopen Wednesday, January 2)

April 6, 2019 - General Conference

April 15 - April 20, 2019, Easter & Spring Break (Reopen Tuesday, April 23)

May 25 - 27, 2019 - Memorial Day Holiday (reopen Tuesday, May 29)

July 4, 2019 - Independence Day Holiday - (reopen Friday, July 5)

August 25 - September 2, 2019 - Summer Break, Labor Day (reopen Tuesday September 3)

October 5, 2019 - General Conference (reopen Tuesday October 8)

November 17 - November 25, 2019 - Thanksgiving Holiday (reopen Tuesday November 26)

December 22, 2019 - January 1, 2020 Christmas and New Year Holiday (reopen Thursday, January 2, 2019)

Inclement Weather Schedule:
'''The AFHC may be closed for part of the day or all day when Fairfax County Schools are delayed or closed due to inclement weather (their info can be found at fcps.edu). Please call the center at 703-256-5518 after the beginning of a shift (9:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 6:30 p.m. on Wed.) to determine if the Center is open or not and to ask about the condition of the parking lot. If no one answers the phone, the Center has not opened.'''

Center Resources
Collections

Databases and Software

FHC Portal This center has access to the Family History Center Portal page, which gives free access in the center to premium family history software and websites that generally charge for subscriptions.

Family history programs installed on each workstation: Hardware and Equipment
 * Chrome Browser
 * Firefox Browser
 * Internet Explorer Browser
 * FamilySearch Indexing
 * Snipping Tool
 * Libre Office
 * Ancestral Quest
 * Roots Magic
 * ArkivDigital
 * Book Collectorz - a listing of all the books contained in the Family History Center
 * 9    computers (six with dual-monitors)
 * 1    Canon 300 microfilm scanner
 * 3   microfilm readers
 * 1    microfiche reader
 * 2    network printers, with one scanner with the ability to upload photos and documents directly to one's FamilySearch account.
 * 1    Kodak PS80 Photo Scanner and Flatbed Scanner - scan and digitize photos of almost any size quickly and save to your thumb drive
 * Wi-Fi Access

Research
Whether you’re brand-new with family history or an expert researcher – or somewhere in-between – there is a wealth of resources available at the Annandale Family History Center for your family history research. Our staff of volunteers are here to help you get started, answer your questions, and give direction to your research.

Areas of Expertise - Staff Volunteers By Shift Staff Areas of Expertise - By Location Staff Areas of Expertise by Subject

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Who can use the Center?

A: The Center is open to everyone, whether or not they live in the immediate area, and it is free of charge.

Q2: Can I bring food or drink to the Center?

A: Food and drink may not be consumed in the main rooms. There are no vending machines or food onsite. There are drinking fountains, and you may drink bottled water in the main rooms.

Q3: What other guidelines should I be aware of?

A: Use quiet conversation so as not to disturb others who are working. If you need to use audio in the research room, use headphones. Do not remove any materials from the FHC without permission.

Q4: Can I access the Premium Sites from the Wiki or from home?

A: No, the Premium sites are only available at the Center. However, the church is partnering with Ancestry.com, and church members will soon be able to have free access to Ancestry.