EXPLORE RELIC
June 2020 - The Ruth E. Lloyd Information Center for Genealogy and Local History (RELIC)
Start your historical journey today at pwcgov.org/relic! Genealogy and local Virginia history are our specialty as a service provided by the Prince William Public Library System. 

All Prince William library facilities have been closed to the public since March 16. Central Community Library is currently being renovated. When that renovation is complete, RELIC will reopen in spacious new quarters there. Meanwhile, reference service by phone and email is still available. RELIC's service hours are 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday, at 703-792-4540 and [email protected].

All previously scheduled programs have been canceled or postponed. The following virtual programs can be accessed on our website beginning on the dates shown.

VIRTUAL PROGRAMS IN JUNE

Manassas is a focus for the study of the American Civil War (1861-1865). If your family lived in the United States during that time, you can find a personal link to those exciting events. RELIC's Don Wilson will show how to find your ancestor's experiences in the war.
 
The Library of Virginia has a wealth of resources available online. This short tutorial will highlight some of those resources, as well as explain how to use a Virginia driver's license to gain access to databases and online resources.


Hundreds of local school yearbooks are included within RELIC's collections. To help preserve these popular one-of-a-kind mementos, we are arranging to have them digitized and posted online. Recently, a sizable selection of our high school annuals was linked to our Digital Archives web page. This was accomplished through the cooperation of the Library of Virginia and the Internet Archive, with the local assistance of our library staff Nerine Clemenzi, Angie Miller, Darlene Hunter, and volunteer Ivy Joe Davis.
 
Here are the volumes that can currently be seen online:
  • Battlefield High School "The Lynx" 2005-13.
  • Brentsville District High School "The Flash" 1933, 1937-39, 1947, 1956.
  • Gar-Field High School "Indian Echoes" 1967-69, 1973-74, 1980-88, 1990-91, 1994-98.
  • Jennie Dean High School "Jay Dee" 1949-51, 1954, 1958, 1962-65; "Bulldog" 1966.
  • Manassas Park High School "Reflections" 1979-90, 1992-98.
  • Osbourn High School "The Hi-Jacket" 1946-47, 1949-50, 1952-54, 1974-75; "The Eyrie" 1978, 1980, 1982-98.
  • Osbourn Park High School "Hi-Jacket" 1980, 1982-86.
  • Potomac High School "The Prowler" 1980-81, 1984-95.
  • Woodbridge High School "Valhalla" 1976, 1980-98.
A complete list of all yearbooks owned by our Library System can be found in our catalog by doing a keyword search for the name of the school. If you want to contribute or lend a Prince William area yearbook not in our collection, please contact RELIC staff.

FUTURE VIRTUAL PROGRAMS

RELIC's Don Wilson will detail the use of U.S. census records for family history. Explore the peculiarities of these records and learn about population, mortality, agricultural, industrial, social schedules, and more.
 
Courts and their records were here from the beginnings of local government, recording the daily lives of our ancestors, including land ownership, lawsuits, and probate of estates. An understanding of the format, language, and content of these records is essential for successful research in early American genealogy.

To read the latest lists of new materials available, please click on What's New in RELIC.

To be notified of upcoming library programs and activities, sign up for the PWPLS newsletter.
[email protected] or 703-792-8150
Questions and comments are always welcome.
Prince William Public Library System, 13083 Chinn Park Drive, Woodbridge, VA 22192