New books are appearing regularly and older versions are often up-dated. There are a number of other reference books and material relating to Masonry that furnish the student with information. Some Masonic periodicals are also good additions to personal and Lodge libraries. A recent phenomenon is the education that has been made available by computers. Encyclopedias are available in disk form, and on-line sites and forums are readily available with the latest information.
Forums offer opportunities to discuss a wide variety of subjects including Masonic topics.
Some forums are open to anyone and others require membership in either the group or the server. As an example, a Masonic forum on Compuserve allows anyone to log on and read messages others have posted, but you must have a membership in Compuserve to post messages. This proliferation of knowledge has changed the face of Masonry, and as a result Masonry is becoming more universal and its members more understanding of others' beliefs and practices. Listed below are some specific helps in the various competencies and are offered as suggestions. Many more books and helps are available and more books are being published regularly.