Vivian, the staff is super-helpful. If you tell them it is your first time, they'll give you the super-super-nice treatment. There's a lunchroom downstairs. Sandwiches are huge and a little more expensive than I want to pay. There are other places to eat, including a mini-mall 2 blocks away. The information desk can tell you. If you want to see things in the archive room (actual documents which are not available on microfilm), they have to be retrieved which takes about half an hour. The biggest speed bump is the number of things available. It's easy to get distracted. So make your research plan and stick to it. A problem for first-timers is that the microfilm are identified only on the drawer label. With 8 rows of cabinets -- where do you look for your type of microfilm. Ask the staff. For birth, death, marriage -- there are two kinds of microfilm: 1) records at the county (which you find in the county drawers) and 2) records at state level (which you find in the vital statistics drawers). If you're looking for those kinds of records, be sure to check both. Have a great time. Lynne Hundley -----Original Message----- From: VivHy@aol.com On May 23 and 24 I will have the opportunity to "hang out" at the Library of Virginia. I have never been there except via the website.