Books that, in my humble opinion, no self-respecting genealogist should be without. I guess much of this information could be found online but it's nice to be able to look things up once in a while without having to turn on your computer.

Core Reference Books

Black, Henry Campbell. Black's Law Dictionary, any early edition. Digital copies of the first and second editions 1891 and 1910 are now online .

Board for Certification of Genealogists. The BCC Genealogical Standards Manual. Orem, Utah: Ancestry Publishing, 2000.

Dictionary. The older the better, preferable before about 1930. Prowl your local used book store or go on eBay.

Drake, Paul. What Did They Mean by That? A Dictionary of Historical Terms for Genealogists. Bowie, Maryland: Heritage Books, 2004.

Evans, Barbara Jean. A to Zax: A Comprehensive Dictionary for Genealogists and Historians. 3rd ed. Alexandria, Virginia: Hearthside Press, 1995. As indispensable as this is, it is out of print. You will have to search the net to find a copy.

Everton Publishers, Inc. The HandyBook for Genealogists: United States of America, 11th ed. Logan, Utah: Everton Publishers, Inc., 2005? (also CD version). Contact information for just about every state and county resource. Maps and state history are included. Everton Publishers also has other genealogical publications and related information.

Mills, Elizabeth Shown. Evidence! Citation and Analysis for the Family Historian. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1997.

Rose, Christine. Genealogical Proof Standard: Building a Solid Case. San Jose, Cal.: CR Publications, 2005. Don't be intimidated by the title. This book sorts out the confusion of which bits of genealogical data are convincing evidence and which are not. More importantly, Ms. Rose does an excellent job of explaining the guidelines so that we can make those determinations for ourselves.

Szucs, Loretta D. and Sandra H. Luebking, The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy. 3rd. ed. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 2005.

Thorndale, William and William Dollarhide. Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790-1920. rep. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2005.

Waters, Colin. A Dictionary of Old Trades, Titles and Occupations. Berkshire: Countryside Books, 2002. This dictionary contains almost 4000 old trades, titles and occupations.

Also Highly Recommended

Carmack, Sharon DeBartolo. Your Guide to Cemetery Research. Cincinnati: Betterway Books, 2002.

Dollarhide, William and Alice Eicholtz . ed. Ancestry's Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources. 2nd. rev. ed. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1992.

Frisch-Ripley, Karen. Unlocking the Secrets in Old Photographs. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1991

Greenwood, Val D. The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy. 3rd. ed. rep. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2005.

Hatcher, Patricia Law, CG. Producing a Quality Family History. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, Inc. , 1996.

Kemp, Thomas Jay. International Vital Records Handbook, 4th ed. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2002. A guide to exactly where to obtain copies of birth, marriage and death certificates, and the cost of same–at the time of publication.

Thorndale, William and William Dollarhide. Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790-1920. rep. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2005.