RootsTech 2018 is done and in the books, or is it? The theme for the 2018 conference was Connect. Belong. Reflecting on the amazing connections I made at RootsTech, that sense of belonging will continue. I couldn't think of a better way to share my experience than through photos, so here is a sampling. Connect. Belong. Family. RootsTech introduced the new addition to the FamilySearch app of "relatives around me." Each day, host Jason Hewlett, reminded us to take out our phones, tap the app, and see how many cousins we had at RootsTech. I had over 300 each day,...
Today at RootsTech I'll be teaching about Confederate soldiers and how to learn about them with online collections and articles. The online syllabus with links to collections is available here: Sources to Research Confederate Soldiers Online - RootsTech syllabus with additional resources After the class today, I will also share the slides from the presentation. I started researching my Confederate soldiers when I taught my children about Memorial Day last year. My 7-year-old son wanted to learn about members of our family who died while serving in the military. I needed to discover more about our Confederate relatives before I...
Diana presented two classes today at RootsTech, and we are sharing her presentation slides as PDF files for you to download and view for future reference: Source Citations Getting Organized One Paper at a Time We hope these are helpful for you! It was fantastic to meet so many of you today. If you are interested in purchasing our book that launched this week on Amazon, click here: Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide. Thank you to everyone who purchased the book on launch day - we were so happy that the book reached #1 bestseller in the genealogy reference...
Are you ready for RootsTech 2018? You might be here in Utah ready to attend in person or participating from the comfort of your home. Either way, you can share in the excitement. Find a way to connect and feel a sense of belonging in this wonderful world of family history. To help those of you at home connect and feel that sense of belonging, RootsTech will be live streaming the keynote speakers and several of the classes. Here's what you can expect for each day: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28 The streaming schedule begins Wednesday at 9:30 am and continues throughout...
You've purchased your RootsTech or Getting Started pass. Hotel and flights are nailed down. All that is left is figuring out how to get the most out of this unique, exciting experience. Having attended RootsTech for the past two years, I have five insider tips to share. TIP 1 ATTEND THE KEYNOTES If you're tempted to skip the keynote speakers, think again. Each speaker has a story to tell linking them to genealogy and family history. Be prepared to be captivated, moved to tears, and to laugh. Emotions run high during the keynotes because talking about family touches each of...
Rootstech 2018 is around the corner and I'm starting to get excited - especially with the announcement that Henry Louis Gates, Jr. will be the keynote speaker for Saturday, March 3rd. If that name sounds familiar, it's probably because you've either watched or heard of the PBS television series, Finding Your Roots. The Rootstech homepage gives a little snippet of information to whet our appetite for what is coming. Imagine meeting with prominent American celebrities and sharing with them their family history. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African and African...
RootsTech Family Discovery Day is March 3, 2018. This year, Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Kristen M. Oaks, will be the keynote speakers. Previous Discovery Day talks have been so enlightening - bringing new ideas and perspectives to the doctrine of temple and family history work. I love hearing the different ways the general authorities approach this topic and their unique experiences. Learning from Elder and Sister Nelson at RootsTech Discovery Day 2017 inspirational. The "sacrifice of time" and Scrabble theme were memorable and encouraging. I loved learning about Sister Nelson's idea...
And the winner is . . . One of the best parts of being a RootsTech 2018 Ambassador is the ability to give away a free pass. Several readers entered the Getting Organized giveaway and shared either a tip or question about organizing their genealogy. Today I'm pleased to announce that the winner is Barbara Garrett, genealogist, author, and blogger at Digging for My Roots. If you're interested in winning a free pass, there's still time! Check out Nicole's giveaway: Get Inspired! Connect. Belong. I asked Barbara to participate in our "Family History is For Everyone" series so we could...
RootsTech has been an enormously inspirational event for me. RootsTech 2016 was my first year attending the conference in person and 2017 was my first year as an ambassador and speaker. It is by far my favorite genealogy experience. Diana and I feel privileged to be RootsTech ambassadors again for 2018. We are both speaking at the conference this year, which we are thrilled about. So, I mentioned that RootsTech is inspirational. Both times I have attended, I have come away with so many ideas and new plans. Here are three things that I learned from RootsTech 2016 and 2017 that inspired me...
Are you determined to learn how to organize your multitude of genealogy related papers? Have you always wanted to attend RootsTech? 2018 is the year where you can do both. RootsTech 2018 features several classes on organization and I'm teaching two of them - one for the Getting Started track and one for the traditional RootsTech track. I'd love to see you there! As a RootsTech 2018 Ambassador I receive a free pass for myself and one for a Family Locket subscriber. No purchase necessary to enter the giveaway. All you need to to do is first subscribe to our newsletter (if...
