About this guide
This guide lists and describes resources that can be used for genealogical research.
New arrival at Ellis Island Algerian man (1904-1914) from NYPL
How to start
The basic steps of genealogy
- Start with living relatives - collect stories and documents
- Go back in time generation by generation
- Seek evidence (also known as primary sources--official documents, materials, etc.)
- Be critical of all information sources (including relatives and the Internet)
- Keep good notes and organized files
Don't
- Start with I'm related to someone famous
- Start with my family immigrated from a specific country
- Believe everything you find on the Internet
Interviewing Living Relatives
A few tips for interviewing your living relatives:
- 12 Tips for Interviewing Relatives from Family History Magazine
- 20 Questions for Interviewing Relatives
- 50 Interview Questions for Family History Interviews
- 150 Questions to Ask Family Members about their Lives
Two African American Women, 1899-1900, from collection of W.E.B. Dubois from Library of Congress' Digital Collections