For your fellow "newbie's" out there, I just discovered something. The old pros probably already know about this. When questioning my local librarian about genealogy resources, to my surprise she said that local libraries can get lists of available genealogical books from other libraries and they are available to the patrons for interlibrary loan. Two of the libraries who had books to offer for interlibrary loan to my local library were the Texas State Library and the Mid-Continent Public Library. Both of those sources had hundreds of available genealogic books just for the asking (to borrow). What a great resource! (that I wasn't aware was available)