Everyone has a family history – some they know and some they have yet to discover. The surging popularity of genealogy research is encouraging more people than ever to find out more about their ancestors and how their actions and decisions affect who we are today.

Silicon Valley Reads is proud to engage our community in a discussion of this fascinating topic and to introduce readers to three outstanding books that tell the personal stories of individuals whose lives were changed as a result of learning new and unexpected things about their families:

The Silicon Valley Reads theme for 2019 is “Finding Identity in Family History.” The Santa Clara City Library is hosting nearly 20 programs and events designed around this theme during the months of January through March (listed below). Some programs require registration; please visit the link for each program to learn more.

More information about Silicon Valley Reads and a full calendar of events can be found at siliconvalleyreads.org.

Getting Started with Genealogy (Central Park Library)
Friday, Jan. 18, 1 – 4 p.m.

DNA Basics for Genealogists: How Four Testing Companies Can Change Your Family Tree (Central Park Library)
Wednesday, Jan. 23, 1 – 3:30 p.m.

Free Genealogy Databases at Santa Clara City Library (Central Park Library)
Friday, Feb. 1, 1 – 2 p.m.

DNA Special Interest Group (Central Park Library)
Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2:30 – 4 p.m.

Genealogy for Families New to America (Central Park Library)
Sunday, Feb. 10, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.

Census 101: An Introduction to Searching the U.S. Federal and State Censuses (Central Park Library)
Friday, Feb. 22, 1 – 4:30 p.m.

Storytime and Crafts (Central Park Library)
Wednesday, Feb. 27, 4 p.m.

Census 102: Digging Deeper Into Little Known State and Federal Databases (Central Park Library)
Thursday, Feb. 28, 10:15 – 11:45 a.m.

DNA Special Interest Group (Central Park Library)
Tuesday, March 5, 2:30 – 4 p.m.

Book Group: Finding Samuel Lowe (Mission Branch Library)
Wednesday, March 13, 6:30 p.m.

Author Visit: Paula Williams Madison (Central Park Library)
Sunday, March 17, 3 p.m.

Creative Hypothesis Development for Complex Genealogy Problems (Central Park Library)
Tuesday, March 19, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Documentary Film: Finding Samuel Lowe (Central Park Library)
Wednesday, March 20, 7 p.m.

Getting Started: Genealogy Research Organization (Central Park Library)
Thursday, March 21, 1 – 4:30 p.m.

Book Group: Finding Samuel Lowe (Central Park Library)
Tuesday, March 26, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.

DNA Basics for Genealogists: How Four Testing Companies Can Change Your Family Tree (Central Park Library)
Thursday, March 28, 1 – 3:30 p.m.

DNA Basics for Genealogists: How Four Testing Companies Can Change Your Family Tree (Central Park Library)
Friday, March 29, 1 – 3:30 p.m.