I have no idea who first thought up the bumper sticker that says, "If you can read this, you are driving too close." I'd like to offer you my own electronic version of that bumper sticker: "If you can read this, you are using a computer." I don't know if that computer is your personal one at home, the one you use at work, or one available at a school or public library. What I do know is that you don't require any convincing that using a computer may help you in some aspect of your genealogical research. So I'm not going to waste time "preaching to the digital choir" about how wonderful technology is.

Instead, this column is about putting digital technology to its best possible use. From hardware to software, from e-mail to the World Wide Web, there are a variety of technological tools that we can put to use, but only if we know they exist. But let's not fall into a potential trap. It has often been said, "To someone with a hammer, everything looks like a nail." Of course, what that means is that anyone who already possesses a particular technological tool tends to view all problems in the same way, by looking to that one tool for all the answers. With this column, I want to avoid that syndrome. The idea here is not to start with a computer and ask ourselves "What could I do with it?" but instead, to start with our genealogical goals and then ask ourselves "What tools do I need to help me reach each of those goals?"

What are your personal genealogical goals? Before we go any further, I'd like you to stop and list them somewhere. It doesn't matter whether you use paper and pencil or whether you use a word processing program. What's important is that you put them in writing, and not just leave them running around in the back of your mind. In future columns, I'll refer to your list of goals again and again, so it'll be a good idea for you to have them handy. To get you started, here are some suggestions:

I want to organize a family reunion.
I want to start a family newsletter.
I want to publish a family history.
I want to learn more about a particular geographical area where my ancestors lived.
I want to document the medical history of my family.
I want to join a particular hereditary organization.
I want to have fun doing research and solving puzzles.
I want to locate a long-lost relative.
I want to educate myself about how to do genealogical research.

Each of these goals can be achieved in some way with the help of a technological tool, but they vary in which tools are most helpful. Some of your may benefit from using particular hardware, such as a scanner or digital camera. Others will be assisted by the use of particular software, such as a genealogy database program or graphics software. And others will be helped by using electronic mail, the World Wide Web, or other Internet-based tools.

Therefore, after you have written down your list of goals, your next step is to make an inventory of your available technology tools. This will help you in determining if what you already have is going to be sufficient in meeting your genealogical goals, and if not, which tools you'll need to acquire. Remember to list not only hardware and software you personally own, but also include that which you may have access to (and permission to use) through work, school, the local public library, other family members, and friends. In particular, be sure to list things like:

Printers
Scanners
Digital cameras
Genealogy database software
Word processing software
Graphics software
Dial-up modem
Cable modem
Account with an Internet Service Provider

Don't worry at this point if you lack any of these things, and when making the list don't feel the need to do more than simply list whether or not you have access to these things. In future columns we'll look at each of these items in some detail, and at that point we'll revisit your inventory to see where you stand with that particular item and whether or not it is sufficient to help you to achieve your chosen genealogical goals.

Drew Smith is an instructor with the School of Library and Information Science at the University of South Florida in Tampa. He is also a regular contributor to the quarterly journal Genealogical Computing, where he writes the "Genealogy Cybrarian" column (formerly known as "Infobahn"). He can be reached at drewsmith@aol.com.