Required reading: Classic resources you shouldn't research without.

When I was a baby genealogist, an instructor told me I had to have a copy of The Handy book for Genealogists (Everton Publishers). Nearly 30 years later, the Handy book — now in its 1lth edition — is still going strong. This 900-page reference is essential for discovering where the county-level records you need are housed. The latest edition offers color records you need are housed. The latest edition offers color maps of states showing county boundaries; updated county data and repository contact information; descriptions of major record collections in each state; and a bibliography for further reading. While it's a hefty tome to take on a research trip, you now can get it with a word-searchable CD that'll travel easily with your laptop.