Some people are related to royalty, others to the convicts who landed at Botany Bay. Whoever you are, the stories of your ancestors are sure to be fascinating. And now, with help from North Yorkshire County Council, you'll find it easier to find out who you are and where you come from.

Family History Drop-In sessions are to be held in the libraries at Pickering and Malton this autumn to point people in the right direction to unravel their roots. Members of the Ryedale Family History Group will be on hand to give advice and assistance. And the resources of the library service will be available ... including free access to Ancestry.com on the world wide web.

Computers in the county's libraries are connected to a vast database of information ... and library users can access the service for nothing, instead of paying individual subscription fees.

County councillor Chris Metcalfe, executive member for the adult and community services directorate, said: "More and more people are becoming interested in researching their family histories – and once you start on it, it soon becomes a fascinating and absorbing pastime.

"There are many different resources available for researching your family history – libraries have a wide range of family history resources. And the Ancestry site is a vast resource and it's free to library users in North Yorkshire."

Among the records stored on Ancestry.com are the most complete UK census collection available online, covering the years 1841 to 1901, free birth, marriage and death indexes from 1837 to the present day, parish and probate records dating back to the 16th century, and the Scottish 1841 census.

The drop-in sessions will be held at Malton Library between 10am and noon on Saturday October 31, and at Pickering Library between 10am and noon on Saturday November 28.