Westlake Ohio Family History Center

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Center Contacts and Hours

 * Location &amp; Map:


 * Address: 25000 Westwood Road, Westlake, Ohio. (This is not a mailing address.)


 * Location on Map


 * Mailing Address: PO Box 45331, Westlake, OH 44145

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 * Phone: 440-777-1518 (Call during Family History Hours)


 * E-mail: [mailto:clevelandfhc@earthlink.net clevelandfhc@earthlink.net]


 * Open Hours:


 * Tue-Thu: 10 am to 2 pm, 6 pm to 9 pm


 * Fri and Sat: 10 am to 2 pm 

Holiday Schedule:

Closed first Saturday in April and October


 * Nov 24-26
 * Dec 18 thru Jan 2, 2012

Upcoming Events:
April 28, 2012 -- 8:30 am to 1 pm -- 9th Annual Family History Conference at Cleveland OH Stakecenter 25000 Westwood Road, Westlake, OH

Collections

 * Family History Library Catalog: This center has the ability to order any of the films and fiche available through the Family History Library Catalog.


 * = Online Ordering Starts Oct 19 =

Film ordering Web site: https://www.familysearch.org/films
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= =

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.

Hardware and Equipment

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Staff Research Specialties
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Resources in the Local Area
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Links
http://www.cleveland.com/westlake/index.ssf/2011/09/westlake_family_history_center.html

WESTLAKE, Ohio -- Ever wonder where you come from?

Maybe you've heard your great-grandfather traveled by ship from his native Ireland to New York during the Great Potato Famine.

Or perhaps there's a family rumor you have royal blood.

Wouldn't you like to know the truth? What if you could even find photos of your ancestors that you've never seen before?

Genealogy-- searching one's family roots-- is now the fastest growing hobby in the U.S.

Websites such as Ancestry.com have wonderful tools and can get you started on your journey. But there is a fee to access many record databases and it can be overwhelming and frustrating to research family roots on your own.

Westlake has a great resource right in its midst that can help you uncover your family's past. It's called The Westlake Family History Center.

It's a service offered through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, many people know it as the Mormon Church, and they say they have the largest genealogical library in the world. It collects the information because, it states:

"Our commitment to helping people connect with their ancestors is rooted in our beliefs. We believe that families are meant to be central to our lives and that family relationships are intended to continue beyond this life. We therefore believe that all family members—those living, those past, and those future—share an enduring bond that reaches across the generations."

You don't have to be a member of the Church to use The Westlake Family History Center. It's free and open to all.

The center has been in Westlake for 40 years and is manned by genealogy experts who can help you start, or delve further into, your family history.

"We help an average 25 to 30 people each week," says center Director Phil Franklin. "It's nice if they can bring in a pedigree chart to get their search started."

A pedigree chart is basically a list of the names, birth dates and death dates of your parents, grandparents and other family members. It can be used as a road map to guide your search.

"Once they bring that in, we try to get on a computer because people really enjoy seeing the historical records pop up," Franklin said.

The center has several useful tools for tracking your ancestry:

•The ability to order any of the films and fiche available through the Family History Library Catalog. •Access to the Family History Center Portal page. That means the center offers free access to premium family history software and websites that generally charge for subscriptions, including ancestry.com and the Access Newspaper Archive. The Westlake Family History Center is located at 25000 Westwood Road in Westlake. Its number is 440-777-1518.

Hours:

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sunday and Monday: Closed.

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Volunteer at the Center
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