Once I knew I would be attending the Gen-Fed Institute in Washington, DC, I turned to my bookshelf for relevant resources to help me prepare. One book that caught my eye was Genealogy Tool Kit: Getting Started on Your Family History at the National Archives by John P. Deeben. Here is my review of the book.
My Review
Back in 2012, Genealogy Tool Kit: Getting Started on Your Family History at the National Archives by John P. Deeben was a great resource for anyone wanting to dig into their family history using federal records. But now, more than a decade later, does it still hold up?
What This Book Does Well
John P. Deeben knows his stuff. As an archivist with the National Archives, he wrote this book to help beginners understand how to find records like census data, military service files, immigration records, and land documents. He doesn’t just tell you where to look, he explains how these records are organized and why they matter.
One of the best things about this book is how it teaches research strategies. Instead of just saying, “Go look here,” Deeben explains how to think like a researcher. That’s still useful today, especially if you’re new to genealogy or haven’t worked with government archives before.
Where the Book Feels Outdated
Genealogy research has changed a lot since 2012. When this book was published, many National Archives records had to be viewed in person or requested by mail. Now, websites like Ancestry, FamilySearch, and Fold3 have digitized tons of these records, making them way easier to access from home.
Even the National Archives website has changed. The book gives tips on using their online catalog, but NARA has updated its website and search tools since then. If you follow Deeben’s exact steps, you might run into some dead ends.
Final Thoughts
If you love hands-on research and want to understand how archival records work, Genealogy Tool Kit is still a helpful guide. But if you’re doing most of your research online, you’ll need to combine this book with newer resources.
A newer resource can be found at the NARA website with "Start Your Genealogy Research" There is a wealth of updated information to help your genealogical research including
Introductory Materials: PowerPoint presentations and videos introducing researchers to census records, military records, immigration records, and naturalization processes.
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Research Guides: Detailed instructions on accessing various types of records, with links to articles, finding aids, and digitized records available in the National Archives Catalog.
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Online Tools: Access to the National Archives Catalog for searching descriptions of records, many of which include digital files, and other online research tools tailored for genealogists.
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Educational Resources: Information about genealogy workshops, virtual genealogy fairs, and a series of instructional videos from the "Know Your Records" program.
Genealogy is always evolving, and staying up to date with the latest tools and digitized records is important. While this book still has great advice, a lot has changed since 2012—so don’t rely on it alone!
Source: Deeben, John P. Genealogy Tool Kit: Getting Started on Your Family History at the National Archives. Washington, DC: National Archives Trust Fund Board, 2012.
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