If you're a garage or yard sale junkie, or like to attend flea markets, don't overlook the boxes of old books you find there. Sometimes you can find excellent bargains on items that can be particularly helpful to your research. These include:

Maps and atlases that can provide previous names of towns and places that no longer exist.
Foreign language translation dictionaries that you may be able to use while translating your ancestors' letters and diaries.
Old local, county, state, regional, and national histories.
Old city directories and telephone books.
Old medical dictionaries.
Military histories and other books of local historical interest that may contain information about your own ancestors.

Dusty items like these are often of little interest to others and can usually be purchased very cheap. Be on the lookout for these tools that can help your genealogy research.

Let us know what treasures you've found at a local garage sale at 24/7 Family History Circle.