| First, remember that although the Internet is a priceless asset to the genealogist, genealogy is going to require you to get offline sometimes. The internet is a great tool, but you can't you can't do all your research online or take everything you find online at face value.
How-To Guides:
The classic guide to genealogy is Searching For Your Ancestors, by Gilbert H. Doane. I recommend you read this book. It may not address some specific issues you'll deal with in your own particular search, but it will give you a good basic understanding of and appreciation for genealogy. Every good library has a copy of it. It's also still in print, updated by James B. Bell. (Mr. Doane has gone to join his ancestors.) If you buy books online, you can get it from Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. Better yet, support your local bookseller.
There are also lots of resources online to help you. These are my picks:
Check out the resources at ROOTS-L Resources: Info and Tips for Beginning Genealogy. Lots of good advice.
See USGenWeb's Help For Researchers.
FamilySearch has a good online guide, How To Start Your Family History, and a wide range of more advanced guides
I especially recommend the free lessons offered by familytreemaker.com.
Ancestry's Learning Center has resources for beginning and advanced genealogists.
Family History Centers:
The LDS Church encourages its members to do genealogy for religious reasons. Basically, they perform their temple ordinances on behalf of the deceased. It may be disconcerting the first time you find that one of your ancestors has been posthumously baptized in a Mormon temple, but the Mormons will give you a tremendous amount of help in your research. They have an unbelievable collection of records. Their family history centers are open to all, not just to Mormons, and they rarely if ever proselytize among genealogy researchers. (Some of the volunteers aren't even Mormons.) Check out Family History Centers and Library, from RootsWeb. To find the Family History Center nearest you, see Find a Family History Center Near You or call a nearby LDS church. Look in the white pages under Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Online Genealogy:
If you're reading this, you'll probably be doing some of your research online. To learn more about online genealogy, check out these sites:
The Internet & Webbing Your Family History, from the Harper County Genealogical Society.
Handy Online Starting Points from Cyndi's List. If you're going to do online genealogy, you're really going to appreciate Cyndi Howells. She's basically given up her own research to devote herself full time to Cyndi's List, the ultimate genealogy links page. She's also written a popular book, Netting Your Ancestors, about online genealogy.
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