| The type of supplies that you would need for | | | | genealogy society (if relevant), or a national |
| genealogy is very different from the types of | | | | genealogy society. |
| supplies that you would need with the average | | | | * Possibly join a family association-search for |
| hobby. It is basically information and the types of | | | | phrases like "Willard Family Association" from an |
| things that you would use to get the information. | | | | Internet search engine to see if a family |
| So where does one start? | | | | association for your surname exists. |
| * The number tool today to help you with | | | | * Definitely consult a good how-to book like the |
| genealogy is the home computer. Whether using | | | | one mentioned at the end of this article. |
| the Internet to research ancestors, using | | | | What are the methods I should use to organize |
| computer software programs to organize and | | | | my information? |
| store family history information, or using email to | | | | Of course, there are the genealogy software |
| contact other researchers and family members, | | | | programs mentioned above which can do that. |
| the marriage between the computer and | | | | However, you can just use pencil and paper to |
| genealogy is a match made in heaven. You can | | | | help you organize your family's information |
| record everything you know about yourself and | | | | through the following means: |
| your family and enter this information into a | | | | * Write individual data on note cards to be filed |
| genealogy software program. With genealogy | | | | alphabetically by last name. |
| software you can now house and organize all of | | | | * Draft a five-generation pedigree chart. |
| the pictures and documents that you may have | | | | * Create a family group sheet. |
| scanned onto your computer. There are many | | | | * Get a good notebook. You could even use a |
| software packages and online services out there. | | | | notebook that has sections in it any you can |
| Remember: The more comfortable you are using | | | | separate the book into families or generations. |
| a computer, the more the Internet can help. | | | | * Look for templates, forms or charts that you |
| * You can also take a course in genealogy | | | | can print out from the internet will solve a lot of |
| through an adult education program, a local library, | | | | these problems for you. |
| or online classroom. | | | | Although genealogy does not require a lot of |
| * Consider connecting with other genealogists by | | | | different supplies, it is the supplies that make your |
| joining a local genealogy society, an ethnic | | | | hunt for your family history easy and fun to do. |