We frequently get this question, and the short answer is that we would love to make birth, marriage, and death certificates digitally available, but we are not the legally-recognized custodians of the certificates - That would the Bureau of Vital Statistics in the Virginia Department of Health and Human Services. In fact, our current ability to serve any vital records in the LVA reading room and through microfilm is based on an agreement with the bureau. We do have the original registers (indexes), but Vital Statistics retains the original copies of the certificates. They continue to microfilm these records and provide one copy to the LVA to be served with the restriction that "no photographic copies of these records should be prepared for sale or general distribution to the public." We share your eagerness to see these records online, but, in the meantime, you can find out more information about how to acquire a copy of a birth, death, or marriage certificate at http://www.vdh.state.va.us/vital_records/vtlapp.htm. John Metz Director, Collections Management Services Interim-Director, Archival and Records Management Services -----Original Message----- From: Research and writing about Virginia genealogy and family history. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sam Lantz Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2011 9:24 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [VA-ROOTS] Records online Is there any chance that LOV will put birth, death, and marriage records online like our sister state West Virginia does at www.wvculture.org. I cannot say how much help this site has been to me as I research my West Virginia roots. To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html