These books are excellent whether you want to take genealogy classes at Salt Lake Community College or not! They range in prices, so it’s good to start saving for them (NOTE: SLCC may have changed their textbook requirements since I took their courses).
- A Genealogist’s Guide to Discovering Your Immigrant & Ethnic Ancestors; How to find and record your unique heritage by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack, CG.: This is a nice easy guide that covers migration, immigration (mainly to the U.S), and ethnic research. The book’s set up is non-threatening, and filled with pictures, definitions, and examples. The book is divided into three sections. Part One mostly covers history, methodologies, resources, records, and repositories in general. Part Two covers Ethnic specific histories, research problems, repositories, and etc. Part Three covers how to write about your history. Most all the information is still current.
I bought mine new on Amazon.com. New price ranges (about) $19-$30. Used price starts (about) $0.40 on up. (NOTE: This author also teaches several genealogy classes at SLCC).
- Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers, and Librarians by Elizabeth Shown Mills: This is hard read for the serious genealogist. It covers a lot of professional aspects of the field. It covers different business licenses to consider, contract lingo, classroom teaching, lecturing, copyright issues, Fair Use definitions, salary calculations, and much more. Although this isn’t the easiest of reads, it has a lot of important information for the professional genealogist.
I bought mine on Amazon.com. New price ranges (about) $57-$153. Used ranges (about) $55 on up).
- Digging Deeper: Using Essential Pre-1850 Records by Karen A. Clifford: This is an easy read, but for individuals who are already comfortable with research between 1850 to the present. This book helps expand researcher capabilities for more difficult generations. This book has pictures, definitions, examples, and (if I remember correctly) exercises. It explains pre-1850 methodologies, records, archives, and etc. It even touches on colonial research.
I bought my book on Amazon.com, but this is hard to find in print. Currently, only one (new paperback) copy is available for $39.99, but PDF versions are available for $24.95 at the Legacy Family Tree Store. I have a print copy, so it’s unclear if (a.) the PDF allows for printing, or (b.) if it has an electronic table of contents (but I would assume the PDF version has an electronic search capability). (NOTE: Karen A. Clifford is another genealogy teacher at SLCC and BYU. It was cool not only learning from this book, but Karen A. Clifford herself! ).