So many excellent new genealogy-related books have been published in the last few years that I started thinking about when I last shared my recommendations for an at-home reference library.
I was really surprised to learn that my original recommendations post was way back in 2015!
While those books have stood the test of time, 2015 is the dinosaur age compared to the amount of new information that has become available, in both paper and digital formats so it’s time to add some more modern recommendations to the original list from a decade ago.
I would highly recommend serious researchers to consider these titles to their personal collections:
- American Migration Routes, Part I: Indian Paths, Post Roads & Wagon Roads by William Dollarhide, Family Roots Publishing Company, 2022 [Paperback $39.15, PDF $27.39 or Bundle of Both, $49.45]
- Genealogy Standards, Second Edition Revised by the Board for Certification of Genealogists, 2019 [Paperback $16.98, Kindle $16.13}
- Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist’s Guide by Diane Elder and Nicole Dyer, Family Locket Books, 2018 [Paperback $22.99]
- Research Like a Pro with AI Genealogy Workbook by Nicole Dyer and Diana Elder, Family Locket Books, Highland, Utah, 2025
- Research Like a Pro with DNA: A Genealogist’s Guide to Finding and Confirming Ancestors with DNA Evidence by Diana Elder, Dicole Dyer and Robin Wirthlin, Family Locket Books, 2021 [Paperback $34.99]
- Telling Her Story: A Guide to Researching and Writing About Women of the Past by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack, Scattered Leaves Press, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2024 [Paperback $24.99]
- Your Stripped Bare Guide to Citing & Using History Sources by Elizabeth Shown Mills, Genealogical Publishing Company, 2025 [Paperback $27.50, Bookshelf eBook (read the terms as it’s not a regular download) $19.50]
There are also a handful of excellent books that pertain to specific research interests. If these fit you, they are highly recommended:
- New York Family History Research Guide and Gazetteer, Parts One and Two – Revised by the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, 2017 [Paperback $120.00, Digital $79.00 if not a member of NYGBS]
- Workbook for Research in Galicia, Austria-Hungary by Michelle Chubenko, 2024 [Digital PDF $40.00]
Some of these books might be found in used condition on websites like Amazon or Abe Books.
Lastly, books cost money, but there are fabulous books that are out of copyright and freely available to access and/or download on sites like Internet Archive, FamilySearch and Google books.
Not only are they free, but digitized books don’t require any physical space on a bookshelf. Set up a new folder – Genealogy Library – and start searching out books that will help expand your family tree and tell your ancestors’ stories.
Great list…I’ll have to look for Sharon Carmack’s book!
There’s a book coming out from Karen Cummings in the UK in October – Genealogy Methods and Techniques
A Practical Guide to Research – which I’m very much looking forward to getting my hands on. Also, the library bought Drew Smith’s recent book, Generation by Generation – also something I would recommend.
I too have the BCG Standards book, revised edition.
Good list indeed! I agree with Teresa, the Karen Cummings book should be really interesting and practical. Drew Smith’s book is top-notch for beginners, in particular.
For serious genealogists, I recommend Helen Leary’s North Carolina Genealogy. Although it seems like it’s for North Carolina, she covers in details all kinds of record types that are useful anywhere. I hear the NCGS is reprinting the book.