The internet has made the world a much smaller place. At the touch of a button we can talk to family and friends around the globe.

This technological communication tool gives us instant access to a wealth of information and, as such, has become an excellent resource for piecing together our past.

Advances in technology, coupled with TV programmes such as BBC1's hugely popular Who Do You Think You Are? focusing on famous people delving into their past, have contributed to a boom in interest in genealogy.

Compiling your family tree is not just something people take up in retirement. It is something you can pick up and put down as time dictates.

But, believe me, once you've started you won't want to stop - as I discovered when I made a start tracing my own family tree with the help of the experts at Bradford Central Library's local studies department.

For me, sourcing my family history is an extension of my job as a journalist. I'm nosy, inquisitive and I relish research. People in my profession use research skills on a daily basis so for me it was simply applying them to something a little different, and perhaps a little more complex because it is personal.

Some may be deterred from investigating their past due to the fear of skeletons they may find lurking in cupboards, but for me and the hordes of other people who boldly set about their family tree, it all adds to the intrigue and, in some cases, excitement!

Imagine if you were related to a celebrity - even royalty! In jest, I staked my claim on Skipton Castle - the former home of Lady Ann Clifford - when I interviewed the owner some time ago.

And, of course, working in the media, I've occasionally been asked over the years whether I'm related to the famous PR guru Max Clifford. I even read his autobiography, convinced it would give me a hook for a feature.

The only connection he appears to have to our locality is his mention of working alongside some of the stars at the former Batley Variety Club, which is not far from where my dad grew up. But who knows where further research will lead to? Maybe Max is a distant cousin somewhere along the line!

Sue Caton, acting senior information manager at Bradford Central Library's local studies department, is used to intriguing tales about peoples' family histories. One of the most interesting cases she came across was the lady eager to find out more about a relation who, she was led to believe, was quite prominent.

"The only snippet was that he rose high', indicating that he may have done well in politics or business so she tried things like the trade directories," says Sue.

Research revealed that the real reason he rose high' was that he had been hanged for murder, proving you have to be prepared for anything your past can throw up!

So what about my background? Firstly, Sue tells me that it's useful to have birth certificates of predecessors. That's my next step, but for my brief exploration into my past today, I'm going on what I know which, sadly, is quite scant. I find myself wishing I'd been old enough to take down every snippet of information about my grandparents' past but they say hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Hopefully the Ancestry website will help. Bradford and Keighley libraries subscribe to this facility, enabling library members to use it for free. The electronic database of censuses in England and Wales is, I discovered, a fantastic tool when starting your family tree. It enables you to track back through your family, often bridging the gap between civil registration and parish registers.

Sue explains that the Census began in 1801. It is taken every tenth year but there are no details of individual people found until 1841. The Census is confidential for 100 years, so 1901 is the latest one available for public access.

Once you have a name and a year of birth, you can enter the information and find out more about your family, such as where they lived, who they lived with and what their jobs were. A useful tip is to keep clear records of your findings and sources searched.

Keying in one name can open up mystery and intrigue and take you on a totally different journey to the one you'd expected - and maybe unlock those family secrets!

Sadly, I stumbled at the first hurdle trying to trace my father's grandparents but I believe that could be because my grandad's ancestors apparently originate from Ireland. I'll have to dig a little deeper overseas.

Demonstrating another tracing tool, Sue keyed my name into the marriage index and there I was - along with several other imposters'! I can't believe there is more than one Sally Clifford! Freaky, but fascinating!

Sue says women are often the hardest people to trace because they change their name when they marry.

I ask whether she has considered doing a bit of delving into her own background? She says her family has connections with Lancashire. "So I need to go over there when I retire!" she laughs.

In the meantime she's happy helping the many people who come in to trace their own family histories. "It can be very emotional," she says, referring to the tears of joy she often sees when someone places a missing piece into their past.

"The bulk of our ancestors are ordinary working-class people who don't tend to leave a lot of written records - they tend to be buried away rather than in a Who's Who," she says. "But this is like solving a mystery and for those who love to ferret things out it's marvellous."

The advantage of being in a place like this is that everything you need is under one roof. When one snippet of information leads to another, you have shelves brimming with books, files and newspaper cuttings, drawers stacked with huge maps of Bradford city and district, even electoral registers and trade directories. I'm feeling excited about all this information at my fingertips - and you should too because it is an invaluable resource.

Oh, and I didn't tell you about the floor above did I? That is now home to the West Yorkshire Archive Service where you can lay your hands on original documents from organisations like business, schools and community societies. Parish registers, with their stiff parchment paper pages penned with quill and ink, workhouse records and school registers are some of the bygone memorabilia held here.

Tish Lawson, senior archivist for the West Yorkshire Archive Service, part of the West Yorkshire Joint Services, believes the ease with which you can now access information has led to more people researching their ancestors.

"Information is more readily available now," says Tish. "But it is addictive. It's like a detective story because you find a bit and it leads somewhere else!"

Although brief, the time I spent sifting through the archives was fascinating, exciting and addictive. I have interviewed people in the past who have told me how once you start your investigations you can't stop. I can relate to that and I'm planning a return visit to pick up where I left off some time soon

  • Anyone interested in family history can go along to the next meeting of the Bradford Family History Society at Bradford Central Library on Thursday, January 3 from 10.30am until 12 noon.

For more information call the local studies department on (01274) 433688 or call the West Yorkshire Archive Service on (01274) 435099.