RootsTech now begins on Wednesday! As the conference evolves, RootsTech continues to expand its offerings to the #NotAtRootsTech audience, including 5 live-streamed sessions today (up from 3 sessions last year) and an opportunity to participate via Twitter with the hashtag #NotAtRootsTech with a chance to win #RootsTech prizes! After looking over the sessions to be live-streamed, it was so tempting to stay home rather than make the trip to Salt Lake City … lol :-) Here’s Wednesday’s live-streaming schedule found at RootsTech.org:Is anyone with me on staying home this year? It looks like a great lineup!

Okay, Okay, I have no excuse for *not* being there. Besides the plethora of sessions offered, the Expo Hall has expanded and the highlight of any conference is seeing old friends and meeting new ones! This year is especially fun as I connect with the Twitter crowd. If you haven’t joined us for #genchat, #genchatDNA or #AncestryHour check out these hashtags on Twitter and join the fun!

The Media Banquet was held last night and Jen Allen shared some statistics about this year’s conference:

• all 50 of the United States will be represented
• 42 countries will be represented
• as of Tuesday, 14, 200 passes have been sold
• 197 exhibitors will be on display in the Expo Hall with 60 new companies & 65 companies that have exhibited at RootsTech four or more years

Even if you have been to RootsTech before, there is plenty new to see! Those at the banquet got a sneak peak of the conference theme, “Connect.Belong.” Dan J. Debenham shared a preview of Relative Race. As I mentioned in my last post, “I know of no better team to connect with or belong to on television than Relative Race!” Nevertheless, the best part of the evening was seeing old friends, connecting with social media friends, and meeting new people destined to become friends. Relationships are what family history and genealogy are all about!

As far as those who will be at #RootsTech, one session that I’d like to point out is a 3-hour session titled, Access & Preservation (RT7953). It will be held in Ballroom I of the Salt Palace Convention Center beginning at 9:30 a.m. Who will be speaking?

Welcome & Introduction—David Rencher, CGO, Family Search International

Keynote—Brewster Kahle, Internet Archives

Digital Preservation Presenters—

Laura Stone, Arizona State Library

Ken Williams, Utah State Archives

Wendy Hanamura, Internet Archives

Internet Archives Record Access Presenters—

Hollis Gentry, Smithsonian

Curt Witcher, Allen County Public Library

Stephen Valentine, FamilySearch International

It’s a mini-conference within the conference! Also, there is no accompanying handout for this session so if you are onsite it will be worth your attendance.

Not quite interested in access and preservation at this time? Do you have other genealogy goals? There are many other sessions from which to choose so download the app via the App Store or Google Play Store and take a look. If you are #NotAtRootsTech you still have the handouts available for many sessions that can provide an overview and allow you to glean some new information that will benefit your family history pursuits. Don’t forget to provide feedback for any session you attend onsite or virtually. This information is important to the RootsTech team in planning next year’s conference!

For those at RootsTech, the Expo Hall will be open from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Interested in DNA testing? I learned this evening that 23and Me is offering their ancestry service for $69 and their ancestry + health test for $99 for conference participants. AncestryDNA is offering their autosomal test for $59. I have not received word yet from the other 3 DNA companies. I just thought I’d let you know if you have decided to use one or more of these services.

Near Salt Lake City and would like to join us? RootsTech passes are still available. Check them out! There is an Expo Hall only pass for $10 at the registration desk after the keynote concludes.

Once again I invited you to follow me on Twitter @thesingleleaf. You may also follow me on Instagram @thesingleleaf.

Have a wonderful day!

About RootsTech

RootsTech, hosted by FamilySearch, is a global conference celebrating families across generations, where people of all ages are inspired to discover and share their memories and connections. This annual event has become the largest of its kind in the world, attracting tens of thousands of participants worldwide.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I am designated as an official ambassador to the RootsTech Conference and, as such, I am provided complimentary admission and other services to accomplish my duties. Nevertheless, I have been with RootsTech since its inception and with its predecessor for many years as a paid participant. As always, my coverage and opinions are my own and are not affected by my current status. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Copyright © 2018. Lynn Broderick, a.k.a., the Single Leaf. All Rights Reserved.