The Manual to Online Public Records: The Researchers Tool to Online Resources of Public Records and Public Information [Paperback]

Many people are quite adept at accessing information online, while others struggle a bit and don't quite know which way to turn. Many do know how to find access to local and state records simply by familiarity, but someone in Maine might be hard pressed to figure out where to start if they want to find property taxation records in Sonoma County, California. There are any number of reasons why someone would want to purchase a book such as this one, notwithstanding the genealogical aficionado.

This is a reference book that I've enjoyed browsing and quite frankly was surprised at the wealth of information included in it. Mind, you a lot of information included is the type that some unscrupulous people will charge you a lot of money for while the information is essentially free if you know where to look for it. The authors do have a cautionary note about "web-based background checks" and database limitations. The book is prefaced by a fair amount of information on how to access certain types of records or information and then launches into state-by-state specifics and useful links. Useful links include the state website, the governor's site, the attorney general's, the state archives, state statutes and code, legislative bill search, bill monitoring, and unclaimed funds.

If you do a lot of researching you may already know how to access certain records, but if you are a neophyte to Internet searches you might want to purchase the book. Undoubtedly, this book would be a definite asset to have in a library, where I found this copy. Due to space limitations, some states have more information than others, but all things considered the coverage is quite good. So what does this book have? I obviously can't type out everything, but will type out what online sources you can explore online (suggestions are given as to how to access them in the text) that are listed on the back of the book.

* Accident Reports

* Address Information

* Archives

* Assessor

* Asset/Lien Records

* Aviation

* Bankruptcy

* Banks & Financial Institutions

* Business Entity Records

* Civil Court Cases

* Corporations

* Criminal Records

* Driving Records

* Death Indexes

* Environment

* Federal Court Records

* Federal Sanctions & Watch Lists

* Fictitious Names

* GED Records

* Genealogy Resources

* Hidden Assets

* Incarceration Records

* Judgments

* Legislation & Regulations

* Liens & Judgments

* LLC's & LLP's

* Lobbyists and Political Donations

* Military Records

* Missing Persons

* Motor Vehicle Records

* Patents

* Private Companies

* Professional Licenses

* Real Estate

* Recalls

* Security Dealers

* Sexual Offender Registries

* Social Network Postings

* Tax Assessors

* Tax Liens

* Trademarks

* Trade Names

* UCC

* Unclaimed Funds

* Unlawful Detainers

* Vehicle Records

* Vessel Title & Registration

* Vital Records

* Voter Registration

* Worker's Compensation

This is not a book you sit down and read cover-to-cover but it should be useful over the years and a time-saver that will tell what public records are available on certain topics and how to access them.

This book showed SO many sites to get information for free, whereas what I was trying to find had already cost me over $60 in joining fees and I still didnt have what I needed.