Wednesday Wisdom-5 Genealogy Books and Magazines that I Use and Love

Hey everyone! It’s almost Christmas! Who’s ready and who’s scrambling for last minute gift ideas? Don’t worry I’ve got you covered for ideas. Today’s post is all about last minute genealogy Christmas gifts! You’re welcome…

Here’s 5 items that I have personally used or owned and loved!

1. Professional Genealogy-Preparation, Practice, and Standards edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills

This is for the aspiring professional genealogist. This is the Holy Grail of genealogists. All you need to know about how to become a professional, how to start a career, how to write articles, and how to give presentations, etc.  There is much more information then I can provide here; however, if you want to be more than a family historian, then turn here first.

2. The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy by Val D Greenwood

This book is a gold mine of information on researching. It explains what each document group is about and how to find that document.  The author breaks down his book into two parts: Background to Research and Records and their Use. The first part talks about understanding how to research, how to evaluate evidence, how to read handwriting, how to organize research findings, etc. The second part talks about different record sources such as newspapers, vital records, censuses, probate records, land records, etc. This book is still useful for me today as a reference book to refresh my memory on certain basic topics.   

3. Organize Your Genealogy by Drew Smith

Though I don’t own this one yet, I have used it in the past. I love the practical down to earth methods that the author uses. He explains different methods of organizing and the pros and cons of each one. He breaks down the process into simple easy to use steps to avoid overwhelm. I have felt empowered to do his steps every time I have read a section of his book. This one is on my Christmas list this year!

4. How to Use Evernote for Genealogy by Kerry Scott

I admit this one took me awhile to jump on only because I wasn’t ready to listen at the time and it felt like over marketing to me. However, then I heard a podcast where the author explains why she wrote the book and how you can use Evernote for more than just genealogy. Evernote is a software program that enables you to keep track of all of your notes. You can make research lists, take photos of original documents, organize everything into notebooks, copy and paste internet pages to your Evernote account, etc. You can even use it for non-genealogy tasks such as grocery lists, home remodel lists, Christmas wish lists, etc. You can even use it for your business and set up shared folders and other tasks. Many professional genealogists that I know use this program because it can handle many different things at once. There are different user packages, but the basic package is free. I still use the basic package and I find it’s very useful for all of my life and not just for genealogy.

5. Family Tree Magazine Subscription

I love this one! I love all of the ones that I’ve listed so far; however, this one is fun and educational at the same time.  They make it a point to keep their magazine entertaining as well as giving you articles that are full of information and easy to use steps.  My favorite feature is their toolbox. The toolbox is a list of all of the internet websites that cover a genealogy topic such as adoption or black heritage.  In my research, if Ancestry.com or FamilySearch.org doesn’t have what I’m looking for, then I go to my list of other websites that I have gathered from the magazine and go from there. It helps me be more efficient with my time.   

So there you have it! My top five amazing resources for genealogy and maybe a Christmas gift for someone on your list. I have many more books and websites that I love; however, I didn’t want to overwhelm you with too many more.  Instead, I want you to have a wonderful pre-Christmas week without too much more stress. So enjoy!

Good luck and happy hunting!