Residents in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, can now trace their family roots for free at the local library as part of a county campaign. Starting in February 2026, Warwickshire Libraries is promoting free on‑site access to Ancestry Library Edition at its branches, including the flagship Leamington Spa Library & Information Centre in the Royal Pump Rooms.
Leamington Spa Library & Information Centre is providing visitors with access to Ancestry Library Edition, the library/institutional edition of Ancestry.com distributed by ProQuest. The personal All‑Access subscription to Ancestry is typically a paid service, but residents can use the Library Edition for free on public computers in the branch — usually by signing in with their library card and PIN.
According to Warwickshire County Council, the Ancestry Library Edition contains billions of records, including census returns and vital records (births, marriages and deaths). Local researchers can also access Warwickshire parish registers and military records that help build family trees.
The service is being promoted as part of Warwickshire Libraries’ programme for the National Year of Reading 2026, which includes activities to help residents improve digital skills and explore local heritage. Following the library service’s move to a new library management system in 2025, the county has been highlighting on‑site digital resources such as Ancestry Library Edition.
While the ProQuest/Ancestry Library Edition provides broad UK and international data, users should note that the Library Edition does not allow creation or editing of personal family trees. Visitors can view, print, email or download records while on‑site and then add those records to a personal Ancestry account from a private device or manually record their findings for their own family tree.
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