This April the records of the 1940 US Census were released by the US National Archives and made available on a website that allows full, free access to the 1940 census images, census maps and descriptions.

Ken House of the National Archives will be at the Olympia Timberland Library from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. on Wednesday, May 23 to give a practical presentation focused on locating genealogical and historical information within the 1940 census. The program occurs after the library is closed for other services.

Topics of the talk will include search techniques, differences between the 1940 and earlier census, the census-taking process, information that is and is not in the census, and placement of the census in its historical times.

Tens of millions of people living in the United States in 1940 are still alive today. Many of them survived the Great Depression, fought in the Second World War and innovated technology such as the television and microwave. People who want to search for records of their family members and friends in the 1940 census will begin at http://1940census.archives.gov. House’s presentation will help them navigate the site.

The Olympia Timberland Library is located at 313 8th Avenue. For more information, contact the library at (360) 352-0595 or go to www.TRL.org.