In addition to the order in which vital records are searched, it is important to know various terminologies given to these records because you may find them listed under various names in the various repositories.

As you do your reading, watch for terms that refer to the birth of an individual; terms that refer to the marriage of an individual or couple; and terms that refer to the death of an individual. Can you explain what a delayed birth certificate is and how it was obtained? Know how it was obtained, will prompt you to be aware of those who might be found as informants on these records. Another way to determine siblings, spouses, and parents.

Why do you think it is important to obtain death certificates even if you already know your ancestor's death date? If you said that you might find the names of the person's spouse, parents, or siblings, that is great! You might find all kinds of information about the person such as where he/she was buried, who came to the funeral, what he or she died of for a health history, and more.

Where's the usual place for ordering vital records? How can The Handy Book for Genealogists help you in obtaining vital records? Two good Web sites for learning more about vital records are http://www.vitalrec.com/ and http://www.vitalchek.com. Both are commercial sites, but they provide alot of free information that can save you time.

May I call your attention to page 229-232 in Greenwood's book which deals with Record Problems. Understanding the weaknesses and strengths of particular records groups is an important aspect of being a good genealogist. Overlooking vital records as a source for family information could prevent you from doing the best research possible, and thereby may stop your progress on a line.

The next part of Chapter 9 dealt with public libraries. You should be able to explain how a public library differs from an historical society? Can you explain what steps one could use to make the most use of an unfamiliar public library? Knowing how a public library could provide sources you need and save you time and money is another important element.

We next turned out attention briefly to courthouses. I say briefly because there are entire books written on courthouse research. Greenwood's book has five chapters on records found in courthouses, but we won't be covering those until next semester. Courthouses often contain vital records, wills, tax, and land records. These records are often open to the public and can provide exceptional clues for tracing your family.

How can you find the addresses for a courthouse according to this chapter? Are there other ways to look at courthouse records besides writing to them or visiting them in person?

How about historical or genealogical societies. How would they help you in your research according to the syllabus, Greenwood's supplementary information, and the CD supplementary information?