By Kurt Repanshek

Determined to climb your family tree? There's no better place to explore its branches than the Family History Library run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This free research center in Salt Lake City, replete with 202 personal computers and user-friendly software called Personal Ancestral File, is open to all. If you run into a roadblock during your search, the intuitive software rummages through names similar to your search name.

The library holds some 2.4 million rolls of microfilm from more than 110 countries, territories, and possessions. United States census records (from 1790 through 1930) are bolstered by 310,000 volumes containing vital statistics and church, land, and immigration registries. Prepare for your visit at www.familysearch.org. Information: (801) 240-3702.