Out on a Limb: State of the Union

When our State Research Guides debuted in February 2005, we were confident readers would like the concept — you’d find it handy to have tips and resources for the places you’re researching in a convenient pullout format you could stash in your research binder.

Our hunch was right. Since the series began, we’ve received more inquiries and compliments about our state guides than any other articles we’ve published. Readers couldn’t get enough: You wanted to know when we’d be publishing your ancestors’ states, how to get guides you’d missed and when we’d be offering a compilation of the entire collection.

For those of you pondering that last question, we’re pleased to announce that the wait is over. By the time this issue hits newsstands in mid-March, our newly minted State Research Guides CD will be available via our Web site <www.familytreemagazine.com/cds> and our toll-free order line (800-258-0929). We’ve converted those printed pullouts into a fully searchable and hotlinked anthology of all 50 states, along with bonus guides to Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico. Want to catch up on just a few missed states? You’ll also be able to purchase individual digital downloads of each State Research Guide in our back issue store <www.familytreemagazine.com/backissues>. (If your state hasn’t appeared in the magazine yet, don’t worry: The series will continue through March 2009.)

We hope these new electronic offerings will inspire you to share feedback as much as the printed guides did. E-mail ftmedit@fwpubs.com to tell us what you think about any of our digital products — and what new CDs or downloads you’d like to see in the future.