Genealogy Today: Magazines good alternative to Internet Thursday, November 4, 2004 CONNIE LENZEN for The Columbian Nicky, my 7-year-old granddaughter, and I were working on her homework. Even second-graders have daily homework these days. One assignment was to look up a certain word in the dictionary and use it in three sentences. Nicky couldn't find her dictionary, so we headed for the Internet to use an online dictionary. It seems as if you can find almost everything on the Internet, and we did find the definition of her word. It was in an adult dictionary, and I needed to do a bit of translation to get down to a second-grader's vocabulary level. Later that evening, I tucked Taylor, the 10-year-old, into bed. After prayers and all of those last-minute recollections of things that should be done, she looked over to the corner of the room and said, "There's Nicky's dictionary." Yes, there it was. A large hardbound book with a pink cover. The Internet may have been quicker, but the book feels better in the hands. There is a satisfying heft to it. There is a comforting feeling in holding something in your hands. And, in this case, the book was a better fit to what we were doing. The words were more appropriate for a 7-year-old. Genealogists use the Internet a lot. It's where most people begin their family research journey. However, sometimes the printed word is more appropriate to the assignment. It's hard to curl up with a good Internet site, but a book or a magazine fits nicely into the hand. The magazines that I am currently reading are the National Genealogical Society's Quarterly, and Family Tree Magazine. The December 2004 issue of Family Tree Magazine has an article called "Back Tracking." It is about the country's hottest historic destinations. Fort Vancouver gets a mention. There's an article about how to do research in county courthouses. Other articles are about timelines and heritage foods and free software. The National Genealogical Society's quarterly always contains articles that remind me of ways to research. Elizabeth Kelley Kerstens' "Finding the Irish Origins of Charles Doherty" in the September 2004 issue is a great example. She solved her research problem by tracing her ancestor in the city directory. Well, there was more to it than that, but I'll leave the rest of the story for you to read. Genealogical magazines can be found in major bookstores, in our public libraries, and in our local genealogical libraries. They provide good information, and they feel good in the hands. Connie Lenzen can be reached in care of The Columbian, P.O. Box 180, Vancouver, WA 98666. Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for a personal reply. Or e-mail her at gencolumn@yahoo.com. Genealogy News: Earl Gates