A Tech Savvy Genealogist Uses "My Family History Tool Box"

The world of genealogy research today is a little like walking into the “Tool Corral” at the Home Depot. You’re surrounded by shelves of tools, but it’s sometimes difficult to know which one is best for the job you have in mind. You look around for an employee who might be able to help you choose. No one in sight. You’re on your own.

Fortunately for genealogists it no longer has to feel this way. Paul Larsen, author of a Crash Course in Family History , a leading guide to family history and genealogical research, has provided a simple, easy to use guide to technology tools for genealogists and family historians.

This book doesn’t include research tools. Larsen will deal with those elsewhere.

Larsen says his new eBook, My Family History Tool Box, it’s “A simplified, fully-illustrated, easy-to-read e-book about all of the latest new tools, apps and handy gadgets for family history in today’s world.”

Indeed it is. Larsen guides readers through everything from directories for choosing family history software, video tutorials, websites, downloadable forms and charts, blogs, ebooks, magazines, web based tools, VoIP, photo sharing, digital voice recording, GPS devices, mobile apps and a wealth of other gizmos and gadgets to make a family historian’s life easier.

My own favorites included:

• A section on choosing a scanner was a thorough answer to questions a subject about which we’re often asked.

• Geotagging photos to locate a particular gravestone or you ancestor’s homestead was an idea I’d never thought of.

• Using Google’s face recognition to identify ancestors certainly qualifies as the most Star Treky.

• The extensive section on eBooks and online digital libraries particularly appeals to a person whose business is books

My Family History Tool Box is a thorough, lively, well illustrated book that will be of particular value to those new to genealogy, but has plenty of tools likely to appeal to even seasoned family historians.