Janna, more great news yet another beekeeper!

Have a look at the other thread in this section...there I list some good books. The best I find (my bible) is Ted Hooper.
If you have the pennies, a new hive is the very best idea- all the bits fit together easy! and you don't have to worry a 'scorching' it to remove the nasty diseases that might be present in a 2nd hand hive.

2nd hand hives are still a good and often cheap way to start, but don't always fit together well. I have a few funny tales concerning an 'old boys' hive that I was kindly given. I spent hours doing it up- what a complete sod to work with, bit A would only fit with bit D and only if it went a certain way round etc, all to be worked out with hundreds of now angry bees about. Stress, stress and more stress- not good for me as a complete beginer!

A WBC hive is pretty but has an outer- normally white, and an inner section to deal with- twice the work, twice the bent over lifting type of work- how is your back?

A National hive which is very popular in UK and is just, just a pile of wooden
boxes really! less obvious to mischief makers ie; kids who think it fun to knock them over, bless.
I have had both and would always go for the National, it's quick to work with and there is far less lifting and working out what goes where. If your site is exposed however then a WBC offers more protection as it is double layered or If your want traditional looks go for the lovely white WBC.

What area do you live in? Look at the British Beekeepers Associations web site.
Do they have any contacts in your area? Evening classes are a great start to beekeeping, and you should have easy access to swarms, a good way to get your first bees!
Does this help at all?