Monday, June 30, 2008 11:26 AM CDT

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — Dedicated family researchers in the Kansas City area now have a library to match their ambitions.

The new Midwest Genealogy Center is billed as one the nation’s largest libraries specifically for people tracing their ancestors. The 50,000 square foot building replaces a smaller facility housed in the Mid-Continent Public Library’s north Independence branch.

The genealogy library is expected to attract researchers from throughout the country.

“There aren’t too many places where you can research the entire United States in just one spot,” said Steve Potter, assistant director of the Mid-Continent system, which serves Jackson, Platte and Clay counties.

The $8 million center features ample classrooms, videoconference space and computer work stations. Security and fire safety have improved, and researchers can now digitally convert the documents they find, rather than rely on librarians.

One aspect of the genealogy library hasn’t changed: Unlike many similar collections, almost all of the plat maps, census records, marriage licenses and other documents are accessible directly by the public, not locked away in storage.

“We want to make it easier for people to do research,” Potter said.

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