When people think of genealogy libraries, they often picture quiet rooms and adults researching family trees. But at the Genealogy and Preservation Center of Montgomery County Memorial Library System in Conroe, Texas, history is an exciting activity for all ages. Thanks to the creativity and dedication of Genealogy Librarian Laura Politte, the space has become a technology hub for hands-on learning, community connection, and some truly unforgettable moments.

“I’m the Genealogy Librarian, and I manage our 5,000 sq. ft. space where people research their family history,” Laura said. “We have about 40,000 materials, including maps, records, books, rare and out-of-print items for our genealogy collection. But we also have the preservation side, and that is where a lot of the magic happens.”

Technology That Opens Up the Past

About five years ago, the Genealogy and Preservation Center expanded its mission to include hands-on preservation services. With the help of a grant from the Mellon Foundation in 2023, Laura was able to refurbish and upgrade the center’s equipment and create a collaborative space for programs and group research.

Today, patrons can digitize a wide range of materials, from VHS tapes and camcorder footage, to 8mm film, slides, negatives, cassette tapes, and even old records. “People always ask, ‘Is there a way to play this old record or this VHS tape?’ and the answer is yes,” Laura said. “We show them how to use the equipment, and they can come in and digitize their family memories for free. They just need to bring something to save it on, like an SD card or flash drive.”

Those services often lead to emotional discoveries.

“One couple was here for two days watching old VHS tapes,” Laura shared. “They were laughing and crying. They were watching videos of their son who passed away as a young adult. They were able to save those videos and share them with other family members. Moments like that remind you why this work matters.”

Laura is also preparing to take these services beyond the library walls. Another aspect of the Mellon Foundation award will help fund a “mobile preservation unit” that can travel to underserved communities, offering on-the-spot digitization and research support, with plans to hire a bilingual Spanish-speaking staff member as well. “It will be kind of like an Antiques Roadshow for records,” she said. “We want to meet people where they are.”

From Arrowheads to AI, Learning for All Ages

Laura is also deeply committed to making history exciting and accessible for young people. That mission is what led her to host an all-ages Archaeology Fair during Texas Archaeology Month in October, in partnership with the Montgomery County Historical Commission and several local experts.

Presenters included the Houston Archaeological Society, TxDOT’s Archeology Department, the Heritage Museum of Montgomery County, a LiDAR specialist, and a collector of arrowheads and stone tools. Families explored exhibits, asked questions, and then headed into the Genealogy and Preservation Center for hands-on activities like simulated digs, artifact recording stations, sifting tables, and petroglyph crafts.

“I made trays with layers of dirt so kids could dig with makeup brushes like real archaeologists,” Laura said. “Not only did they enjoy digging, but they were able to ask real archaeologists about careers, science, and history.”

One of the guest presenters, engineer Darrell Hebert, uses LiDAR technology to identify historic sites such as old rail lines, sawmills, and even unmarked graves in historic cemeteries. “They were fascinated by how technology can help us understand the past,” Laura said. “It showed them that archaeology is not just about digging. It is also about data and problem-solving.”

The event even drew in a middle school robotics team participating in FIRST LEGO League, whose competition theme that year was archaeology. “One of the moms told me they were trying to find archaeologists in Houston, and that is how they found us,” Laura said. “They were asking what kinds of tools they could invent to help with LiDAR and fieldwork. That was such a great moment.”

Bringing Families Upstairs and Into History

While the children’s department is downstairs, the Genealogy and Preservation Center is upstairs, and Laura realized many families never made the trip up. “So my focus has been getting kids and parents up here and interested in history and using our resources for school projects,” she said.

To do that, she started hosting holiday scavenger hunts that lead families from the lobby, through the children’s area, and finally upstairs into the genealogy room. Instead of candy prizes, kids are rewarded with hands-on encounters with historical objects.

“We set up a table with relics like an old typewriter, a telegraph key, or even a paper roadmap,” Laura said. “Someone once called it a technology petting zoo, and that really fits. There is a nostalgia factor for adults, but it also gets kids asking questions.”

Laura’s programming also ties into the library’s 2026 Summer Reading theme of “Unearth A Story”, which will explore dinosaurs, paleontology, and archeology, offering even more opportunity to spark imagination and curiosity about the past. It’s a move that highlights Laura’s motivation to change the idea that genealogy is only for retirees. “There is a big emphasis on genealogy as a hobby you do when you retire,” she said. “But I want kids and teens to learn history through their own families and stories. That is what makes it real for them.”

That philosophy also extends to adult programming. The center hosts monthly speaker programs, DNA discussion groups, forensic genealogy presentations, and a popular “Brick Wall Wrecking Crew” club where participants work together to solve difficult research problems.

“We even use AI tools now,” Laura said with a laugh. “I’ll tell ChatGPT to pretend it is a lawyer from Tennessee in 1850 and ask about social customs of the time. It can help explain why families moved or why women could not own property, and that can really help solve genealogy questions.”

A Space Where History Feels Alive

Across Montgomery County Memorial Library System’s seven branches, new maker spaces are being developed through the Innovate@MCMLS initiative. But in many ways, Laura believes genealogy has already become one of the most tech-forward areas of the library.

“In genealogy, we joke that we should be reading scrolls,” she said. “But technology has made us the cutting edge of the library system.”

More importantly, Laura has made the Genealogy and Preservation Center a place where stories, technology, and people come together in meaningful ways. Whether it is a child discovering archaeology for the first time, a robotics team dreaming up new tools, or a family reconnecting with lost memories, the impact reaches far beyond records and databases.

At the heart of it all is Laura’s belief that libraries are not just about information, they are about connection. “Inspiring curiosity about history and helping people preserve their stories,” she said. “That is what keeps me passionate about this work.”