Building a Genealogical Research Library

Like any pursuit, having some basic reference texts can assist you in answering questions and learning more about methodology. In genealogy, good reference works can not only answer your how-to questions about record types and research but it can also provide you with the resources that you need to find documents about your ancestor's lives.

Like any pursuit, having some basic reference texts can assist you in answering questions and learning more about methodology. In genealogy, good reference works can answer not only your how-to questions about record types and research, but can also provide you with the resources you need to find documents about your ancestor's lives.

The following is a list of genealogy books you may want to consider adding to your personal library. While not a comprehensive list, it does provide some basics that you may find useful.

Looking for even more genealogy books? Consult the websites for these genealogical booksellers/publishers:

• Family Roots Publishing
• Dundurn Press
• Genealogical Publishing Company
• Family Tree
• Heritage Books

Because books are vital to the research that genealogists do, Genealogy Today is introducing a new, weekly feature reviewing books of interest to family historians. Look to this new feature for ideas on how to build your collection or for books you may want to borrow through inter-library loan.

General How-To Books

• Morgan, George G. How to Do Everything: Genealogy. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009.
• Rising, Marsha H. The Family Tree Problem Solver: Tried-and-true Tactics for Tracing Elusive Ancestors. Cincinnati, Ohio: Family Tree Books, 2011.

Reference

• Harris, Maurine, and Glen Harris. Ancestry's Concise Genealogical Dictionary. Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry Pub, 1989.
• Haddad, Diane. Family Tree Pocket Reference. Cincinnati, Ohio: Family Tree Books, 2010.
• Mills, Elizabeth S. Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace. Baltimore, Md: Genealogical Pub. Co, 2009

Immigration & Ethnic

• Colletta, John P. They Came in Ships: A Guide to Finding Your Immigrant Ancestor's Arrival Record. Bergenfield, NJ: Avotaynu, 2006.
• Carmack, Sharon D. B. A Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your Immigrant & Ethnic Ancestors: How to Find and Record Your Unique Heritage. Cincinnati, Ohio: Betterway Books, 2000.
• Schaefer, Christina K. Guide to Naturalization Records of the United States. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Pub. Co, 1997.
• Szucs, Loretto D. Ellis Island: Tracing Your Family History Through America's Gateway. Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2000.
• Szucs, Loretto D. They Became Americans: Finding Naturalization Records and Ethnic Origins. Salt Lake City, Utah: Ancestry, 1998.

Researching Women

• Carmack, Sharon D. B. A Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your Female Ancestors: Special Strategies for Uncovering Hard-to-Find Information About Your Female Lineage. Cincinnati, Ohio: Betterway Books, 1998.
• Schaefer, Christina K. The Hidden Half of the Family: A Sourcebook for Women's Genealogy. Baltimore, Md: Genealogical Pub. Co, 1999.

Mapping

• Kashuba, Melinda. Walking with Your Ancestors: A Genealogist's Guide to Using Maps and Geography. Cincinnati, OH: Family Tree Books, 2005.
• Newman, William M, and Peter L. Halvorson. Atlas of American Religion: The Denominational Era, 1776-1990. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, 2000.
• Timothy, Dallen J, and Jeanne K. Guelke. Geography and Genealogy: Locating Personal Pasts. Aldershot, England: Ashgate, 2008.

Military

• Dollarhide, William. Genealogical Resources of the Civil War Era: Online and Published Military or Civilian Name Lists, 1861-1869, & Post-War Veteran Lists. Bountiful, Utah: Family Roots Pub. Co, 2009.
• Gawne, Jonathan. Finding Your Father's War: A Practical Guide to Researching and Understanding Service in the World War II U.S. Army. Philadelphia: Casemate, 2006.
• Knox, Debra J. WWII Military Records: A Family Historian's Guide. Spartanburg, SC: MIE Pub, 2003.
• Schaefer, Christina K. The Great War: A Guide to the Service Records of all the World's Fighting Men and Volunteers. Baltimore, Md: Genealogical Pub. Co, 1998.

State-Specific

• Baer, M T, Geneil Breeze, Judith Q. McMullen, and Kathleen M. Breen. Finding Indiana Ancestors: A Guide to Historical Research. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society Press, 2007.
• Coleman, Ruby R. Genealogical Research in Nebraska. Bountiful, Utah: Family Roots Pub. Co, 2011.
• Davis, Robert S. Tracing Your Alabama Past. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2003.
• Dollarhide, William. New York State Censuses & Substitutes: An Annotated Bibliography of State Censuses, Census Substitutes, and Selected Name Lists in Print, on Microform, or Online: with County Boundary Maps, 1683-1915: and State Census Examples and Extraction Forms, 1825-1925. Bountiful, UT: Heritage Creations, 2005.
• Dumelle, Grace. Finding Your Chicago Ancestors: A Beginner's Guide to Family History in the City and Cook County. Chicago: Lake Claremont Press, 2005.
• Hait, Michael. Online State Resources for Genealogy.
• Hogan, ?ie=UTF8&tag=whatsnewingenebo&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=www.haitfamilyresearch.com/OnlineStates.aspx">Online State Resources for Genealogy.
• Hogan, " target="_amazon">Kentucky Ancestry: A Guide to Genealogical and Historical Research. Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry, 1992.
• Schaefer, Christina K. Genealogical Encyclopedia of the Colonial Americas: A Complete Digest of the Records of All the Countries of the Western Hemisphere. Baltimore, Md: Genealogical Pub. Co, 1998.
• Szucs, Loretto D. Chicago and Cook County: A Guide to Research. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1996.
• Taylor, Frazine K. Researching African American Genealogy in Alabama: A Resource Guide. Montgomery: NewSouth Books, 2008.