Published on 01 August 2022
Discover your story
Get to know your family history with a range of free resources available at Onkaparinga Libraries during National Family History Month (1–31 August).
Held each year by the Australasian Federation of Family History Organisations (AFFHO), the month-long celebration promotes events relating to family history, genealogy and related initiatives, to encourage our community to explore their family connections.
There are four free special events happening at Onkaparinga Libraries, which add to a range of ongoing resources you can access any time of the year to research family history.
Genetic genealogist Louise Croakley will present a DNA for Geneaology: Interpreting Your Results session on Tuesday 9 August (11am to 12pm), which you can watch live online from home or at one of Onkaparinga's libraries. Louise will present live from Queensland via Zoom and discuss how we can interpret and explore the result of DNA testing to make the most out of them.
An Exploring Births, Deaths and Marriages in SA session will be held at Seaford Library on Thursday 11 August from 10–11am, bookings essential.
Participants will hear from City of Onkaparinga’s local history officer, who’ll share how to access vital records in South Australia: what is available, interpreting what is recorded on certificates, and making the most of freely available records.
An Ancestry for Beginners session will be held at Aldinga Library on Wednesday 24 August, where participants can learn how the Ancestry Library Edition can help you with your family history research.
Explore over 4000 databases with records from Australia, the United Kingdom and around the world, and learn tips and tricks for effective searching of vital records, census records, directories, passenger lists and more.
Laptops are provided, and a library card and current PIN are required for access to Ancestry Library Edition. Bookings essential.
A What Did You Do In The War session will be held at Hub Library on Thursday 25 August (11am to 12pm), where you can explore the war records of your ancestors.
Many parents who served in the wars were profoundly influenced by their experience but didn’t talk about it with their children.
In this hands-on session you can learn about the online tools available to help you find answers. Laptops will be provided. Bookings essential.
You can also access other ongoing resources at the library during National Family History Month or throughout the year.
You can book a one-on-one appointment with council’s local history officer at Aldinga, Hub or Noarlunga libraries to get research help or assistance with a local or family history enquiry.
The libraries offer access to rich local and SA resources including births, deaths and marriages indexes, cemetery records and copies of historic documents such as local church records.