Genealogy Research

Handbooks & How-tos

These are many step-by-step guides to doing genealogy and various aspects of genealogy, such as interviewing relatives and preserving your family photographs.

Special Collections Division Resources

Sample Print Resources

• Braxton-Secret, Jeanette. Guide to Tracing Your African Ameripean Civil War Ancestor. (1997) (Gen. 929.3 B8269g 1997)
• Howells, Cyndi. Planting Your Family Tree Online : How to Create Your Own Family History Web Site. (c2003) (Gen. 929.1 H8596p)
• Lennon, Rachal Mills. Tracing Ancestors Among the Five Civilized Tribes : Southeastern Indians Prior to Removal. (2002) (Gen. 929.1 L567t)
• McClure, Rhonda R. Digitizing Your Family History : Easy Methods for Preserving Your Heirloom Documents, Photos, Home Movies and More in a Digital Format. (2004) (Gen. 929.1028516 M4788d)
• Nevius, Erin. The Family Tree Guide Book to Europe : Your Passport to Tracing Your Genealogy Across Europe. (c2003) (Gen. 929.107204 F1982)
• Smolenyak, Megan. TraceYour Roots with DNA : Using Genetic Tests to Explore Your Family Tree. (c2004) (Gen. 929.1072 S6664t)
• Witcher, Curt Bryan. African American Genealogy : A Bibliography and Guide to Sources. (2000) (Gen. 929.3 W819a)

To search for genealogy handbooks and how-tos in the library catalog:

• Perform a title search for the title, if you know it, or if you know the author, conduct an author search.
• Perform a subject search for:
  Genealogy
  Genealogy - Handbooks, manuals, etc.
  Genealogy - Methodology
  United States - Genealogy - Handbooks, manuals, etc.
• For ethnic-groups specific resources, perform a search for:
  [Group] Genealogy (for example, African Americans - Genealogy)
  [Group] GenealogyBibliography (for example, Jews - Genealogy - Bibliography)
  [Group] GenealogyHandbooks, manuals, etc. (for example, Indians Of North America - Genealogy)

Online Guides, How-tos, & Resources

• Getting Started in Geneaolgy - Online Guides
• Brigham Young University Independent Study
  Free online courses in family history and genealogy topics such as getting started, specific types of records, and regional/ethnic resources.
• Cyndis List How-to
  A free genealogy portal providing organized links just about anything and everything genealogical. You may sign up for email updates that alert you when new sites are added. Includes guides and tutorials for beginners.
• Library of Congress Guides to Genealogical Research
  Compiled for the beginning genealogist, this selected list of references includes introductory books about doing genealogical research and compiling a family history in the United States. They discuss original, printed, and microfilmed sources, both primary and secondary, that are essential for conducting that type of research. They also cover useful search strategies.
• Jewish Genealogy
  Info about getting started as well as links to a variety of record types.
• Lineages.com Genealogy Info Center
  Articles for beginning genealogists, detailed information about different types of records, a genealogy reference library, and free searchable online databases.
• MySlaveAncestors.com
  Guide to tracing slave ancestors.
• Internet Public Library Genealogy Pathfinder
  Guide to doing research in both print and online resources.
• Free Genealogy Charts & Forms
  Free family tree forms, family group sheets, descendent charts. List links to sites that offer different types/styles of forms.