Gathering Your Genealogy Supplies

Updated July 28, 2007

Before you start your genealogy project, you'll want to make sure that you have everything you need when you need it. There's nothing worse than getting inspired, finding some interesting information, and discovering that you don't have the supplies you need to properly record and organize your information properly the first time. Having the supplies you need when you need them will improve the efficiency of your research. Make sure that you keep all of these items (or at least most of them) in an organized workspace, so you aren't running around the house to get what you need. An ideal place is in a home office or at your home workstation.

The following items are things you'll want to have on hand. Of course, this doesn't mean that you must have all of these items to get started, but you may need or want all of them eventually.

Computer Related Items

Computer
Scanner (with the best resolution you can afford)
Printer (able to print out quality copies of photos at the best resolution you can afford)
Lots of plain printer paper
CD or DVD burner (I recommend DVDs because they are more durable than CDs, hold more information, and will eventually replace CDs anyhow.)
Blank CDs or DVDs
CD / DVD storage album (uses much less space than a storage rack because you don't keep the discs in the jewel case, but if you insist on keeping those bulky, flimsy jewel cases buy a rack)
Internet access
Internet browser software
Email account (I recommend using Yahoo email because it's free, has less spam than Hotmail, is more reliable than many smaller email services, and gives you an email address for life, as long as you use it at least once a month. Most Internet service providers (ISPs) give you an email account, but if you switch your ISP, you lose that email address and people may lose contact with you. For a small fee, Yahoo will let you forward email sent to your Yahoo email address to your ISP email address so you can quickly handle it in your email program.)
Adobe Acrobat Reader software (available for free at http://www.adobe.com)

Word processor

I recommend Microsoft Word 2003, which can be purchased in a bundle with many other useful programs (such as Microsoft Outlook which includes a calendar, address book, email program, to do list, and many other features useful to a genealogist) in Microsoft Office Standard 2003.

Spreadsheet Program (for organizing your information, which you can usually import from genealogy programs by making text files, quickly, and when you use mail-merge features, you can use the spreadsheet like a database a print out reports without having to pay for a separate database program; plus spreadsheet programs can be used for much more than a database program can, so you really get your money's worth)

I recommend Microsoft Excel 2003 or Microsoft Excel 2002, which can be purchased in a bundle with many other useful programs (such as Microsoft Outlook which includes a calendar, address book, email program, to do list, and many other features useful to a genealogist) in Microsoft Office Standard 2003 or Microsoft Office XP Standard.

Genealogy software

Legacy Family Tree Deluxe is now my favorite program (Family Tree Maker used to be at the top of my list, and I was skeptical about switching, but after using Legacy, I just can't go back). The thing I love most about this program is how easy it is to customize everything rather than the spoon-fed formats other programs dish out. It also allows you to efficiently view and edit sources in a way that I haven't seen in any other program, and even the interface is more attractive than other programs. You can download a free version from their website; it doesn't have all the bells and whistles, but it does an excellent job. My only gripes are that the census extraction forms aren't well designed, but you can download good ones from ancestry.com for free, and the reports don't have an option to use footnotes (they use endnotes).

Other Electronics
- Tape recorder (for recording interviews, notes-to-self, lectures, and so forth)
- Video recorder (for recording interviews, trips, and family moments)
- High quality camera w/ flash (digital is my preferred choice because I can load them onto my computer and print out the ones I want to use with a high quality photo printer or online photo printing service, which saves me lots of money because I take tons of pictures, but you can also use a regular camera and order a copy of your photos on CD when you get them developed or scan them into your computer yourself)
Office Supplies
- Black pens
- #2 Pencils (and a pencil sharpener of course)
- Magnifying glass (sometimes you need it for figuring out what was written on those old documents)
- Filing cabinet (as fancy or simple as you want; I recommend spending the extra money and purchasing a large fireproof safe or fireproof filing cabinet just in case there's a fire in your home)
- Hanging file folders (believe me, they'll save you a headache by keeping your folders from slipping and slouching)
- Lots of file folders
- 3-ring binder (for overall project information)
- 3-ring binders (one for each branch you are researching)
- 3-ring binders about 1 to 2 inches thick (for taking with you to research centers; you'll only need a couple to start with)
- Calendar (for planning and recording research date information; if you have Microsoft Office Standard 2003, Microsoft Office XP Standard, or any version of Microsoft Office with Outlook you won't need to buy a calendar because you'll already have one)
- Portable calculator (for figuring out ages, time spans, currency conversion, and so forth while you're at a research location)
Archival Preservation Supplies This will vary depending on what you are trying to preserve. Typical items that need to be treated with care and preserved in the genealogy field include photos, negatives, photo slides, original documents, your master copies, and any memorabilia. Make sure that the products you get are ACID-FREE and specifically designed for preservation.
- Photo albums / Scrapbooks (12"x12" work best)
- Photo album sheets
- Photo album sheet protectors
- Clear archival sleeves / envelopes / sheets (for protection during handling and storage, especially necessary if you plan to fix the document onto a scrapbook page)
- Tape specially designed for archiving (to fix protected documents and photos into a scrapbook)
Research Supplies *If you can't afford to buy the books yet, at least check them out from your library.
- Forms not included with your genealogy software (you'll probably find many of these while you're surfing the Internet or in genealogy how-to books)
- Evidence! Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian by Elizabeth Shown Mills (a must have for learning how to cite sources if you don't already have an appropriate method that you are familiar with)
- The Handybook for Genealogists : United States of America (10th Edition) by Everton Publishers (a must have for anyone researching ancestors who lives in the US; it has lots of contact information for places like courthouses and county archive offices for every county in the US and even some info about finding records in foreign countries)
- Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790-1920 by William Thorndale and William Dollarhide (for researching census records and determining county lines, which can change over time; not necessary if you can find the maps online or at your library, which you probably can if you put in the effort)
- Unpuzzling Your Past: The Best-Selling Basic Guide to Genealogy by Emily Anne Croom (an excellent book for beginners)
- Nice outfit with comfortable shoes (for visiting courthouses and other repositories where there may be dress codes; plus, it makes you look respectable, which helps you get people, like librarians, to pay attention to you; the comfortable shoes are necessary because you may end up spending lots of time standing while you look through records)