Did you know that your JMRL library card gets you free access to the best online genealogical resources? While you’ll need to make a trip to your local branch in order to use Ancestry.com, you can access HeritageQuest from the comfort of your home! Visit jmrl.org/databases and click “genealogy” whenever you’re ready to get started.

In addition to the library’s online resources, check out one of these guides if you’re curious about how to uncover new branches of your family tree:

Who Do You Think You Are?: The Essential Guide to Tracing Your Family History by Megan Smolenyak – An official tie-in to the NBC genealogical series that features celebrity revelations on their ancestral histories, in a fan’s companion that also shares comprehensive guidelines to conducting one’s own genealogical research.

The Everything Guide to Online Genealogy by Kimberly Powell – Offers advice on researching family history on the web, including search strategies, data sharing, government records, genealogical software, and publishing the results on the web.

Google Your Family Tree: Unlocking the Hidden Power of Google by Daniel M. Lynch – This guide demonstrates the capabilities with using the Internet’s most popular search engine to find clues about your heritage by showing how to search and filter more effectively, drastically reducing your time spent searching.

Genealogy Online by Elizabeth Powell Crowe – Describes the most current genealogy-related websites and networks available and explains how to begin and maintain a family history research project.

How to Archive Family Keepsakes by Denise S. May-Levenick – Presents advice on how to preserve and create a catalog of family heirlooms, organize genealogy records, and store family information on computer files.

Secrets of Tracing Your Ancestors by W. Daniel Quillen – Introduces genealogy basics to readers interested in tracing their own ancestors, identifying current websites and government resources in an expanded and revised edition that also provides new coverage of census records and ethnic research.

The Troubleshooter’s Guide to Do-It-Yourself Genealogy by W. Daniel Quillen – A follow-up to “Secrets of Tracing Your Ancestors” introduces more advanced methods of researching one’s genealogy, in a reference that shares new websites and explains investigative techniques for overcoming common obstacles.