Ready to tackle the US National Archives but can't find the time to visit the nation's capital or the regional facilities? You can access a portion of the archives' holdings without leaving home — through the National Archives and Records Administration's (NARA) Web site. NARA's online residence doesn't hold all the genealogical treasures its brick-and-mortar siblings do, but it does have advantages: It's free — no photocopying fees or plane tickets to Washington, DC. And it's always open — you won't encounter locked doors (or men-acing security guards) if you're itching to do research at 2 a.m.

To maximize NARA's online options, though, you need to learn what the site has to offer and where to find the records you need. You'll want to start by browsing the Web versions of the archives' finding aids.