This should be the first work of reference consulted by the genealogist, as it tells what family histories have already been published. These two massive volumes include titles and descriptive details of genealogies listed in the Family Name Index of the Local History and Genealogy Room in the Library of Congress up to 1972. The 20,000 entries, arranged by surname and covering every entry in the Family Name Index, include published as well as unpublished genealogies, with 25,000 cross-references directing attention to spelling variations and collateral family names. The entries refer not only to American and English works, but also to genealogies from Germany, France, Scandinavia, Spain, and many other countries.