My advice would be to purchase a field guide to north american snakes. They offer brief species accounts and excellent identification photos and drawings. Dismiss the myths and tall tales and folklore. The more you educate yourself the less fearful these fascinating creatures become. I would recommend classic guide such as: A Field Guide to Reptiles & Amphibians of Eastern & Central North America (Peterson Field Guide series); Reptiles of North America: A Guide to Field Identification (Golden Field Guide) or The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians by John Behler. Every home library should have at least one of these. For more specific accounts there are excellent regional guides published by leading authorities from universities well known for herpetological research. Here in the northeast this upcoming rainy weekend presents an excellent opportunity to get out and see spotted and marbled salamanders, wood frogs and other species. Ah ... another sign of Spring.