The thought of gathering names, dates, photos and more may seem overwhelming to the beginning family historian. Where do you start? How much information is needed? What do you do with all those unmarked photos?
     Help is only a click away when you surf over to www.rootsweb.com, the oldest and largest free genealogy site on the Internet. Click on “Getting Started at Rootsweb” for a brief overview of the resources available on this site.
     If you have a question, the message boards may be the place to start. There are 132,000 message boards relating to surnames, localities and other topics. By posting a message you can start a dialogue with someone who may have the information you seek.
     Joining a mailing list is also a way to connect with other people who share your interests. There are 30,501 genealogy-related mailing lists. Any message that is sent to the list is e-mailed to the other list subscribers.
     As your knowledge of genealogy grows you might consider volunteering for one of the many genealogy projects that are in progress. From indexing obituaries to basic information gathering, transcribing and uploading, you can add your helping hand to expand the free information that this site offers.
     With just a click you can start your journey. Don’t delay. Your past is calling.
    Cindy Sue Blair is an internationally syndicated columnist. Her articles appear in publications throughout the US, Canada and Europe. Read her blog and listen to her radio show at www.ExploreTheMidwest.com.
© Cindy Sue Blair 2008