If you have found nothing on the web about your families' genealogy, check to make sure that you haven't made a common error. It's genealogy not geneology:-)

There are several wonderful genealogical online tools. Here are a few of the better ones. FamilySearch will give you access to the Church of the Latter Day Saints huge genealogical resources, including online access to the International Genealogy Index (IGI). Think it's unlikely you'll find a reference to your great-grandmother? Try it, you might be surprised. Look further, and it will inform you how to research at your local Family History Center (FHC) - always a scary thing at first, though surprisingly simple once you get over the fear of looking like an idiot. Look further through the site, and you will find a guide to research for your country. This document will tell you very fully, in jargon-free speech, exactly what resources you can expect to find. Take your time here, it has a lot of information for beginners. Later, find the closest FHC (listed in their website) and book an appointment. There are volunteers to guide you.

Before that, make yourself a very large pot of tea, and slip over to Cyndislist. There it is, the ultimate compilation of genealogical links, thoughtfully organized and cross indexed. This site is so full, so complete, so addictive, that you should put the kitchen timer the first, second and third time you slip into the site, otherwise your spouse will languish at the train station, your potatoes will boil into mush, and laundry in the washing machine will never quite make it into the dryer.

Join a mailing list that pertains to an your area of interest. A genealogical mailing list is like standing in front of a bulletin board at your grocery store, and taking time to read the messages, with the added twist that you can reply to the bulletin board, or to the person who originally posted the message. Now, not every message is going to help you find long lost Aunt Betty, but you will expand your genealogical knowledge of the area, and discover new research skills, and aids, by simply reading.

A few tips for those new to the passion of mailing lists. Think first, write later. Always say thank you. Let me repeat that. ALWAYS say thank you. Resist the temptation to join in a flaming session, even if you are helpfully pointing out how childlike the spat has grown. Pay attention to your subject line. A message with a blank subject line, or one without a surname or other obvious indication as to its contents, often provokes the delete response. One last caution - don't be tempted to join more than one list at a time. You can find yourself buried under an avalanche of mail. You can find a compilation and description of popular mailing lists at rootsweb or genuki.

You're right, they really are. For those of you muttering, what's an IRC, it is an international reply coupon, purchased at your post office, and used whenever a foreign source requires an self addressed stamped reply envelope. Instead of buying hugely expensive IRCs, consider joining a philatelic society. Canada, the U.S., Britain, and Australia all have societies who you can join for free, where you can purchase their stamps by either mail or internet. Not only is it considerably cheaper, but in the end, it's really convenient to open your desk drawer and pull out the right stamp rather than hiking to your postal office when you're eager to send the letter on its way.