Don't miss the Tracing Roots in Florida and Beyond Genealogy Symposium on Aug. 8

The Miami-Dade Public Library System invites the community to the Tracing Roots in Florida and Beyond Genealogy Symposium, presented by the Library’s Special Collections and Archives team. This free event gives attendees the opportunity to learn about genealogy and family history research from five nationally recognized genealogists and local experts.

The event will take place Saturday, Aug. 8 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Main Library, located at 101 West Flagler Street in downtown Miami. Free parking is available at the Miami-Dade Cultural Center Garage, located at 50 NW 2nd Avenue, with ticket validation. Government Center Station, located just across the street from the library, is the nearest Metrorail stop.

During the symposium, attendees can enjoy engaging sessions on discovering immigrant origins, using land records to research ancestors and pioneers, uncovering the stories of ancestors who lived in state hospitals and tracing family history across Florida.

Participants can also connect with others who share similar genealogy interests during Bring Your Own Lunch discussion roundtables. Pizza and snacks will be available for purchase at the library.

The symposium will conclude with an Ask a Genealogist panel discussion, where the featured speakers will answer attendees’ genealogy questions. Questions may be submitted in advance by Friday, July 31 at 6 p.m. by calling 305-375-5572 or emailing [email protected] with the subject line Ask a Genealogist - Tracing Roots in Florida and Beyond.

Attendees are also invited to bring up to five photographs, negatives or historical documents to be digitized by the Library’s Digital Collections team. Participants will receive high-resolution, preservation-quality digital scans of their items on a complimentary flash drive. Limited digitization slots are available.

The symposium is free and open to adults, but registration is required. For the full schedule of events and to register, visit www.mdpls.org/event/16925680, call 305-375-5572 or email [email protected].

This project is funded under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Florida’s LSTA program is administered by the Department of State’s Division of Library and Information Services.