Genealogy Starting Points on the Internet

[Southern Breeze]

Ancestry.com is what I use. Well worth the expense.

[gilmore]

Ancestry.com is what I use. Well worth the expense.

While ancestry.com is limited in some ways, it is the best online. Typos abound.

I would be very careful of the LDS site for anything but government records. They accept anything that is given to them by private researchers with no quality control that I know of. You may find seemingly relevant info there, but it needs to be verified elsewhere from more nearly primary sources.

[macwilkin]

Visit your local library's genealogy department. Most library genealogy departments have free classes on a wide variety of genealogical research topics, and good networks to obtain sources via interlibrary loan. Most libraries will also subscribe to Ancestry.com, so that means their patrons can access the site for free.

Regards,

Todd

[gilmore]

Visit your local library's genealogy department. Most library genealogy departments have free classes on a wide variety of genealogical research topics, and good networks to obtain sources via interlibrary loan...

It has been my experience that very, very few libraries will share their genealogical books---other than the more general works about history--- via the interlibrary loan program. Most are printing in small runs, and I was told that they are stolen too often, or rather, not returned by the borrower.

[macwilkin]

It has been my experience that very, very few libraries will share their genealogical books---other than the more general works about history--- via the interlibrary loan program. Most are printing in small runs, and I was told that they are stolen too often, or rather, not returned by the borrower.

Our department did quite the ILL trade in microfilmed newspapers (and other documents) for researchers, Gil -- you'd be surprised what a resourceful ILL librarian can get. In some cases, you'll have to pay a fee, of course.

Most states also have borrowing agreements between public & academic libraries -- Missouri has the MOBIUS system, where there are over 20 million items available to loan. Most are more general titles, but I have borrowed a few "gems" over the years.

This is based on my experience as a librarian at public and academic libraries, including two years as a genealogical librarian.

Besides, genealogical assistance in the form of seminars, workshops, etc. at libraries are free -- the magic word to genealogists!

Todd