BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy — Didn’t Catch ’em All

Posted on August 1, 2016 by Lynn Broderick @thesingleleaf

The 48th Annual BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy: An Epilogue

The 48th Annual BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy came to a close on Friday, July 29th, 2016. After 4 days of attendance, 3 keynote addresses, 40 sessions offered each day, vendors with their products and services, and visiting with friends, old and new, I must admit I didn’t “catch ‘em all!” Participants came from coast to coast in the United States and from Canada and Italy. Here are some additional highlights.

Paul Cardall spoke of the incredible spiritual journey he and his wife experienced as they searched for and found many of his wife’s ancestors and the joy of finding some of her living relatives residing in Slovenia.

Paul Cardall

All of this took place in the context of writing a song with Elder David A. Bednar of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints titled, One by One. The music and lyrics are available at lds.org.

Steve Rockwood

Steve Rockwood was true to form in approaching the plenary session upside down and backwards. He began with a Q&A and ended with an invitation to address any individual questions of global concern about FamilySearch International. In between, he discussed the five experiences that FamilySearch strives to provide those seeking their ancestors: the family tree, searchable records, memories, contextual help, and discovery to create a joyous outcome for families wherever they may live throughout the world.

Paul Milner

Paul Milner, MDiv, MSc began his address by expressing appreciation to the hotel that kept a “genealogy” book by the bedside and then began to recite lineages recorded in scripture to the amusement of participants. He then commented, “we remember the stories, don’t we?” He gave an example of a young woman named Elizabeth who didn’t know the story of a small village, whose response upon learning its history exclaimed, “nobody told me; nobody told me!” Paul encouraged those in attendance to write their stories so that their descendants would not be left to say “nobody told me!”

As I mentioned above there were 8 sessions to choose from each hour, culminating in 20 sessions that each participant could attend during the conference week.

Jean Naisbitt taught a couple of beginning genealogy classes and Terry Dahlin shared the treasure trove available at the BYU FHL. Did you know that these two are siblings by marriage?

The DNA Roundtable was an inaugural success!

The majority of vendors spent two days highlighting their products and services. There were a few stationed in the main hallway throughout the week:

ICAPGen with C. Lynn Andersen, AG prepared to answer any questions about the accreditation process

Research Ties with Jill Crandall, AG

BYU Print and Mail

BYU Center for Family History and Genealogy

The Game of Genealogy

Legacy Family Tree

Historic Journals

RootsMagic

BYU Family History Library

Family ChartMasters

Many presenters and participants enjoyed an all-you-can-eat buffet each day at the Morris Center located nearby on campus. Thank you to each of the employees that served us so well!

Some of the Morris Center Employees

The Conference Committee

Finally, I would like to thank the conference committee for organizing this year’s conference: Alisse Frandsen, Ann Baxter, Kelly Summers, Suzanne Adams, Jill Crandall, Stephen Young and Michael Provard each representing their respective organizations and the sponsors of this year’s conference: BYU History Department, BYU Center for Family History and Genealogy, FamilySearch, Family History Library, ICAPGen, and BYU Continuing Education.

The 49th Annual BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy will be held July 25-July 28, 2017 at Provo, Utah! I hope that you will place these dates on your calendar and plan to attend :-)

A serendipitous encounter with Cosmo!

Although I didn’t catch all that took place at the conference, I must say I was delighted to catch a moment with the mascot of BYU — Cosmo!

Football season is upon us. BYU has a new head coach. It’s a new season — Go Cougars!

Personally, I find football, family and family history a great combination. Is family history going to be part of your game plan this season? For our family, it’s a definite “YES!” Whether or not you attended the conference, it is my hope that you will score many genealogical touchdowns (i.e., family history breakthroughs and/or success stories) this season! Keep me posted :-)

Calling All Family History Consultants to the BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy!

Posted on July 29, 2016 by Lynn Broderick @thesingleleaf

The Final Day of the 48th Annual BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy

The keynote addresses are finished, many vendors are gone and this is the final day of the BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy being held in Provo, Utah.

Initial registration offered Ward Family History Consultants one day of training at no cost. For those who have pre-registered, today is the day! During the first session, Devin Ashby will present Taking Names to the Temple as a Family, Ward, or Stake. Next, Lisa Ratzlaff will teach consultants how to virtually assist every patron. Merrill White is a popular speaker who will discuss FamilySearch. Other topics include working with individuals and relationships in the FamilySearch Family Tree and getting youth involved in family history. All sessions will be held in Room 2258 and anyone who is registered for the conference may attend.

In addition to the ward family history consultant training, FamilySearch will have its own track. Jim Ericson will give attendees “straight talk about the state of indexing” and Courtney Connolly will teach “6 steps to host a successful indexing event.” As genealogists, where would we be without indexing?

Instruction in British Isles and United States research will continue as well as an LDS ancestral research track. There are three other tracks offered today: Methodology, Technology/Tool, and Genealogy and the Law. There really is something for everyone interested in family history here at the conference :-)

At this time I would like to thank the vendors stationed in Room 2260 who provided us with more than a glimpse of what they have to offer to those within the genealogy community at any level of expertise, from beginner to professional.

THANK YOU!

In alphabetical order:

Ancestral Quest

Ancestry DNA

ArkivDigital

By Land or By Sea

E-Z Photo Scan

Easy Family History

Family History Expos

FOREVER

familyroots expo 2016

GenealogyWallCharts.com

James M. Beidler Research

Kindex

My Heritage

SHOTBOX [Kent Gardner won this at the Vendor Prize Drawing yesterday.]

Kent Gardner won the SHOTBOX at the Vendor Prize Drawing yesterday.

The Family History Guide

Your Family Tree: The Game

[Not pictured: Family Roots Publishing Co., Lisa Louise Cooke’s Genealogy Gems, Family Storehouse, Bella Italia Genealogy, Cherry Creek Radio.]

THANKS AGAIN!

One Never Knows What One Might Learn at the BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy

Posted on July 28, 2016 by Lynn Broderick @thesingleleaf

The Third Day of the 48th Annual BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy

Steve Rockwood answers questions after his keynote yesterday.

Today Paul Milner, Mdiv, MSc will give the final keynote presentation. I have no idea what his topic will be, but I am sure it will be something interesting. He is the author of 6 books on English and Scottish research, including Buried Treasure: What’s in the English Parish Chest. According to his website, “Paul has been designing genealogy workshops, writing books, and lecturing for over 35 years. He holds an advanced degree in Theology and is particularly knowledgeable about the church and its role in record keeping. As a genealogist he speaks on a variety of topics relating to research in the British Isles, migration to North America and research methodology.” For more information visit milnergenealogy.com.

Following the keynote address, there are a number of sessions dedicated to record sets, including church records, unique and unusual records, and military records. Paul Milner and others will present the British Isles research track. The International track will cover Italian, Latin, Slavic, and Spanish research as well as how to use the research wikis to begin your foreign research. There is a track dedicated to Scandinavian research as well.

Free Book Scanning is located in Room 2285

THIS IS THE LAST DAY for many of our vendors! If you are new to genealogy or just want to see what genealogy database programs have to offer, you have two options: attend each of the vendor presentations at the scheduled time in Room 2254 or visit their respective booths.

Here is the schedule:

9:45-10:45 am — Ancestral Quest as an Aid to Research by Gaylon Findlay
11:00-12noon — Planting Your Tree in RootsMagic by Bruce Buzbee
4:00-5:00 pm — Organizing, Planning & Sharing Using Legacy Family Tree by Leonard Plaizier

Computers are available in Room 2283

Other vendor sessions include Research Ties (11:00-!2:00 noon) and Family ChartMasters (2:45pm-3:45pm) in Room 2254. The vendor hall is in Room 2260. Don’t forget to VISIT EACH VENDOR to receive your stamp BEFORE NOON and turn your form in at the registration desk. The vendor prize drawings will be in Room 2254 at 1:00pm and YOU MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN!

Good Luck :-)

Steve Rockwood to Rock the Opening Session at the BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy

Posted on July 27, 2016 by Lynn Broderick @thesingleleaf

The Second Day of the 48th Annual BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy

Steve Rockwood, president and CEO of FamilySearch, will open the second day of the 48th Annual BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy. He will present FamilySearch: Past, Present & Future. Rockwood became president and CEO of the organization 10 months ago. He addressed the public for the first time as such at RootsTech earlier this year. He is a man that admits that he looks at things upside down and backwards to bring about technological innovations. Traditionally, transcripts of the keynote presentations have been made available shortly after the conference week ends. I will keep you posted as to this year’s availability. Transcripts of the 2013-2015 keynote addresses can be found by clicking on the conference archive tab.

After the opening session, participants will have the opportunity to attend 5 additional sessions from 8 different tracks that cover topics such as basic record types, methods, tools, and tech. New this year is a track for Utah Libraries and Archives with sessions about the Utah State Archives, BYU Family History Library, and BYU Special Collections. There will be tours of the BYU Family History Library from 6-9pm. Shuttles will be available from the Conference Center. The popular topic of DNA research will be presented throughout the day with its own track followed by a DNA Research Roundtable at 6pm.

There are 8 computers in Room 2283 for participants to use. Book scanning will continue throughout the week in Room 2285. Representatives from the Daughters of the American Revolution will be available in Room 2279 to assist those interested in completing their applications to join this organization. Additional vendors will be in Room 2260 today and tomorrow.

Have a great day!

It’s Time for the 48th Annual BYU Conference on Family History & Genealogy

Posted on July 26, 2016 by Lynn Broderick @thesingleleaf

The First Day of the 48th Annual BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy

The lower level entrance is accessed from Lot 20Y located at 730 E. University Parkway and the Marriott Center’s Lot 19Y.

An important reminder: Conference Center parking and the entrances are affected by construction. As the official website states, “[a]ll handicap parking is now located at 1550 North 900 East in Lot 23A, southeast of the BYU Conference Center. The rest of Lot 23A is reserved for those with an “A” permit. In the event that all handicap stalls are occupied, a handicap permit allows you to still park in this lot.”

The upper level entrance is located off 1550 North 900 East in Lot 23A, southeast of the BYU Conference Center.

“Free visitor parking is available in Lot 20Y located at 730 E. University Parkway, west of the BYU Conference Center. Parking is also available in the Marriott Center’s Lot 19Y. Please do not park in stalls or areas identified with “Service Vehicles” or requiring an “A” permit.” For a map, click here.

The keynote speaker for the opening session is Paul Cardall, described as “a pianist with a heart.” An award-winning recording artist, he has a story to share with us today. His most recent album, 40 Hymns for Forty Days, debuted at Number 1 and stayed in the top ten for more than 40 weeks. Participants from the myFamily History Youth Camp will be joining us for this opening session.

I met some wonderful conference participants from California, Texas, and Washington at early check-in yesterday :)

After the keynote address, sessions—organized by tracks—will span all skill levels from beginner to advanced with a track that addresses the ICAPGen accreditation process. Online research and methodology sessions are offered throughout the day. Sessions covering research in the United States, Germany, and Scandinavia will be offered. For more information, click here.

The FamilySearch track begins with a session titled, “Begin at the Beginning: Helping Others to Love Family History.” Next Robert Kehrer will present “Finding Elusive Records on FamilySearch.org.” Other FamilySearch topics discussed will be the mobile tree app and the use of FamilySearch hinting. In the final session of the day, Brian Edwards will provide a product road map, titled, “FamilySearch Past, Present, and Future.”

Yesterday Michael Provard and his wife prepared the computer lab for use throughout the week.

There is a computer lab in Room 2283 and book scanning available in Room 2285. Representatives from the Daughters of the American Revolution will be available to assist those interested in completing their applications to join this organization.

The BYU Family History Library is open from 7am to 12 midnight Tuesday through Friday. It will be open from 8am to 12 midnight on Saturday. The library has subscriptions to many noted genealogical websites and houses a large collection of microfilm. To check to see if the library has a microfilm of interest, obtain the film number from the FamilySearch catalog at FamilySearch.org and then check FHL Films and Fiche at BYU to see if the film of interest is here. Scanning, printing and other services are available. For more information about the BYU Family History Library call 801-422-6200.

Making Difficult Research Easy and Accurate at the BYU Conference on Family History & Genealogy

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Lynn Broderick @thesingleleaf

Robert Kehrer discusses robo-keying as one of the most important technologies to expedite FamilySearch indexing.

The day began as youth and adults gathered to hear Robert Kehrer, FamilySearch senior product manager of search technologies, present the new and upcoming features of FamilySearch during his keynote address titled, “FamilySearch: Making Difficult Research Easy and Accurate.”

It would be impossible to recount all of the features Mr. Kehrer demonstrated and discuss all of the statistics he provided in this post. He described his presentation as trying to pack 90 minutes of material into 60 minutes of time! Nevertheless, what he showed the crowd was impressive. He shared that when he first came to FamilySearch, he went incognito over to the Family History Library to experience first-hand what a visit entails for the average person. It was much more than he expected. Kehrer mentioned that statistically only about 3% of individuals are interested in the research process, which includes documenting and sourcing lineages through analysis and proof arguments, but there are many ways individuals can contribute. FamilySearch is working to make this happen.

One of the ways that those who are not interested in the research process contribute to FamilySearch is through indexing. Currently, FamilySearch has indexed 1.34 billion records, 68,569,328 records this year! There are 15,795,814 records awaiting arbitration. There are currently 450 projects and 213,184 contributors. The new indexing web application is simpler, easier, and more collaborative. It will run on all devices! For more information he recommended another conference session on Friday at 9:45 a.m. in room 2258 CONF, presented by Jennifer Tonioli Smith, titled, “FamilySearch Indexing: It’s a Whole New World!” There will be a Worldwide Indexing Event August 7-14, 2015. Mark your calendars to index at least one batch during this week :)

Some of the highlights of yesterday’s presentation included an upcoming feature in Memories that will provide a list view for easy editing, described by Mr. Kehrer as iTunes for genealogy; thumbnail images for record collections that are digitized but not yet indexed where markers can be placed for easy navigation in these records; and easier navigation in the catalog when viewing a microfilm reference number by allowing patrons to directly view the film if it has been digitized or having the option to order the microfilm. FamilyTree will soon allow sharing reservations, reminding users that FamilySearch will enforce the 110 year rule. There will soon be a direct messaging system to contact contributors to the FamilyTree. The mobile app will have a fully functioning search system. Indexes and images are now shown on the same page. When families are split by a page in records, such as censuses, FamilySearch will soon help users connect the dots so families displayed are shown together. Navigation arrows will be in place to view pages before and after. One of the most important technologies viewed yesterday was automated indexing which is performing with a high level of accuracy. Collections that have been released using this automation are noted so that if individuals find an error in the record they can provide feedback so that the record can be corrected. There will be a session on Friday, “FamilySearch Indexing, Robo-keying, and Partnering, Oh My!” on Friday by Jake Gehring at 1:30 p.m. in room 2258 CONF that he highly recommended attending if you’d like more information.

Some of the participants of the myFamily Youth Family History Camp

After the keynote address, the youth attending the myFamily camp loaded university vans for a day in Salt Lake City. While there, they toured the Family History Library, Temple Square, the Discovery Center, and the Church History Library.

Mary E.V. Hill teaches participants how to organize their genealogy.

Ugo Perego discussed the uses of DNA in genealogy as part of the DNA track.

Today Lisa Louise Cooke will be the keynote speaker at 8:30 a.m. Her topic will be, “The Future of Technology and Genealogy: Five Strategies You Need.” Following her presentation, sessions will be offered about methodology, migration, military records, and LDS ancestral research. Today Scandinavian, French, Dutch, and Italian research will be discussed, as well as a general overview of Latin American Catholic church and civil records. A track on the use of technology tools, such as Evernote and apps for smart phones and iPads, will be offered. Throughout the day presentations from those representing online subscription sites will be given by Fold3, Newspapers.com, Ancestry.com, and MyHeritage.

An appreciation shoutout to Nate, Brianna, Abby, and Isabell (and others) who host conference participants at the Morris Center cafeteria :)

The onsite computer lab houses eight computers for use by conference participants. Many more are available at the BYU Family History Library.

FamilySearch will continue to provide complimentary scanning as well as hosting a computer lab onsite for attendees. This is the last day many of our vendors will be onsite in rooms 2260 CONF. The vendor prize drawing will be held TODAY at 1 p.m. in room 2254 CONF. Vendor presentations will be held from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. in various rooms throughout the conference center. My Family Online, Historic Journals, Legacy Family Tree, Family Chartmasters, My Mission, Green Planet Maps, and SHOTBOX LLC will be represented. This evening at 7 p.m. at the Varsity Theater in the Wilkinson Center on BYU campus, Cokeville Miracle, a film by T.C. Christensen will be screened in preparation for the keynote address by this filmmaker in the plenary session tomorrow morning.

Creating Eternal Families: BYU Conference on Family History & Genealogy, Recap of Day 1 and On to Day 2

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Lynn Broderick @thesingleleaf

Elder Gerald N. Lund, an emeritus member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, gives the keynote address

Yesterday was opening day at the 47th Annual BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy with the keynote address given by Elder Gerald N. Lund, an emeritus member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the author of many fiction and nonfiction books, including two popular series, The Work and the Glory and The Kingdom and the Crown.

Elder Lund and his wife are the parents of 7 children, 29 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren. He shared that his wife of 51 years passed away a little over a year ago but outlined four identifying characters she possessed: (1) a love of the Savior, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (2) a fierce love and commitment to her family, (3) a love of music, and (4) a passion for family history, with a love of photography. She took over 200,000 photographs! It was obvious upon hearing this and more that family history has been a part of their lives since the beginning.

He commented that the idea of family history as doctrine was new to him. He had always known that turning “the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers” was scripture and even that this concept is mentioned in all four books of scripture, but something intrigued him. There is a scripture found in Doctrine and Covenants 98:16 that says, “…seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children.” How could this be if the fathers were dead? His oldest daughter had an experience in the temple that provided an answer; “[t]hey are not dead, only living somewhere else.” He then expounded on the relationship of the living to the dead, the dead to the living, and the living to each other. He also quoted Elder Russell M. Nelson saying, “we come to earth to start our eternal family.” The doctrine is not only about the past and the future, it is about the present and our relationships here. Elder Lund said, “I believe it is about creating eternal families whose hearts are bound together in love and service to one another.” We serve them by remembering them, honoring them, and performing their temple work. Their example can motivate us. He also believes that they serve us from the spirit world.

Although he has always felt guilty about not writing his family history, he realized that most of his historical fiction books have come about because his heart was turned to the fathers, e.g., Fire of the Covenant. Personal histories have shaped the plots of his books, within his novels are the names of some of his children and grandchildren, and he takes his family on research trips. He shared many stories, some humorous and others sacred, which I cannot recount at this time, but concluded with the thought that our ancestors influence us in many ways beyond completing their temple work. Could they not be the angels who speak by the power of the Holy Ghost?

James Marion Baker spins the wheel at the BYU Family History Library booth and wins some chocolate!

With the keynote address establishing the tone for the conference, individuals could attend up to five more sessions throughout the day. I spoke with many conference participants, some who return each year and others who are attending this conference for the first time. Stories were shared that I hope will be written in journals and recorded for the inspiration of others and for posterity. Some have started their applications to lineage societies, courtesy of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) workshop. DAR will continue to help participants with this process all week in room 2279 CONF. The vendors in the main hall displayed their products and services. The BYU Family History Library had participants take a chance to spin a wheel where they could win a printed fan chart or some candy.

Today Robert Kehrer will be the keynote speaker at 8:30 a.m. He is a senior product manager of search technologies at FamilySearch. His topic will be “FamilySearch: Making Difficult Research Easy and Accurate.” Following his remarks, sessions will be offered on DNA research, finding stories, technology and tools, and preserving family history. Today the United States and Canada research presentations will continue and a track on British Isles research will be offered. ICAPgen will continue its sessions outlining the process of accreditation.

Scanning services are offered in room 2285 CONF throughout the week!

FamilySearch is providing complimentary scanning as well as hosting a computer lab onsite for attendees. Additional vendors will be available in rooms 2260 CONF today and tomorrow. Vendor presentations will be held from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. in various rooms throughout the conference center. Although the day can be long, staying for one of these presentations sure beats traffic :) This evening the BYU Family History Library will host an open house from 6 to 8 p.m. I hope to see you there!

It’s the First Day of the 47th Annual BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Lynn Broderick @thesingleleaf

Walk-in Registration is still available for the BYU Conference on Family History & Genealogy

The BYU Conference on Family History & Genealogy starts today, but things are a bit different :) For the past two years, the conference has invited youth to spend a day learning about family history. This year BYU is hosting a conference just for youth titled, myFamily: Youth Family History Camp! Upon my arrival yesterday I was greeted by Hannah Z. Allen, a very popular presenter, and a number of youth who were checking in for their own four-day adventure. The youth will join the traditional conference for the keynote address each day but then they will be off to learn more about family history, including an excursion to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Yesterday I spoke with John Best, assistant program administrator, who reported that more than 60 youth from throughout the United States have registered for this year’s youth program.

If you are just young at heart, the traditional conference is the place to be. The first keynote address will be given at 8:30 a.m. by Elder Gerald N. Lund, an emeritus member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His address is titled, ‘They Are Not Dead, Only Living Somewhere Else.”

After the keynote address, courses will be offered specifically for the beginner, general methodology, online research, and writing & publishing family history. United States, Canada, and German research instruction will also be given. FamilySearch will host a track, including a presentation highlighting partner apps. For those interested in accreditation, ICAPgen is presenting lectures throughout the day.

Karen E. Hyer, Ph.D., J.D. setting up the DAR workshop to be held today!

For the first time, as part of the US/Canada Research track, a hands-on workshop will be given to assist individuals interested in joining the Daughters of the American Revolution. Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak with Karen E. Hyer, Ph.D., J.D. who will be presenting “Joining the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and Other Lineage Societies” at 9:45 a.m. in room 2267 CONF. She will outline all of the steps necessary to prepare a successful application and provide worksheets and guidance.

This morning and throughout this week, John Best and his staff will be ready to greet and assist over 700 conference participants. Although the youth registration is closed, walk-in registration is available for the traditional conference.

The BYU Family History Library is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and until 6 p.m. on Friday. On Wednesday night from 6 to 8 p.m. the library will host an open house. For those staying through the weekend, the library is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. The library has subscriptions to many noted genealogy websites and houses a large collection of microfilm. Scanning, printing, and other services are available. The BYU Family History Library is located on the second floor, which is downstairs and to the right of the main entrance of the Harold B. Lee Library. For more information contact the BYU Family History Library at (801) 422-6200.

The Final Day of the 46th Annual Conference on Family History and Genealogy

Posted on August 4, 2014 by Lynn Broderick @thesingleleaf

Friday marked the final day of the 46th annual Conference on Family History and Genealogy at Brigham Young University. Many of the vendors were gone, the book scanning moved back to its West Valley facility, and family history consultants were invited for a day of free training. There was no keynote speaker, just the choice of five classes throughout the day from the 8 different tracks offered. Maybe it was just me, but it seemed that all of us were a bit exhausted!

One of the goals at FamilySearch is to provide training to family history consultants who serve in their local areas, including the many family history centers throughout the world. Although there are many resources online, the opportunity to ask questions was a bonus to conference participants. There was standing room only for the first session titled Family Tree Primer for Consultants. I happened by a wonderful question and answer segment on the policies for submission in From Tree to Temple. Consultants were also instructed in ways to encourage individuals to record their history in the My Family booklet. The final session of the day for consultants was one of the most popular sessions last year as well, Facebook for Family History Consultants.

The youngest family history consultant present was 13 year old Ruby Baird. Her grandmother, Marsha Hartmon, describes Ruby as an old soul in a very young body. Ruby was named for her great grandmothers, one from each side of the family. Ruby researches her ancestral lines, prepares names for the temple, and gifts the ordinance cards to family members so that they can complete the temple work; she also helps others pursue their ancestors.

There were about 750 participants at this year’s conference and an additional 50 youth. Among them were many great family stories to share. New this year, the FamilySearch computer lab was well used during the course of the conference. Many personal photographs were scanned for the benefit of participants. About 100 books were donated to be scanned; these books will be placed on-line at books.familysearch.org in about a month.

Although the sessions were not recorded, the address from Elder Paul E. Koelliker, Family the Fabric of Eternity, and the presentation material from David E. Rencher, The Role of FamilySearch in a Worldwide Community, are on-line for review. The syllabus will continue to be available at a cost of $20 for the CD and $35 for the printed edition. This syllabus contains 588 pages of helpful material, including links and bibliographies to further your research. You may order by calling 1 (877) 221-6716.

It is impossible to acknowledge all of the wonderful people I met during the course of this conference, but I put together a slide presentation of some of the highlights from this year’s event. I hope that you will enjoy it! I would also like to acknowledge the conference planning committee, including Stephen Young, FamilySearch project manager; Kathy Warburton, FamilySearch project coordinator; Michael Provard, FamilySearch conference logistical coordinator; and Kelly Summers, Church History and Doctrine, BYU. I would like to thank John Best, assistant program administrator, BYU Conferences and Workshops, and his staff, especially Jon Collier, event planner, for an excellent conference. In addition I would like to thank all of the instructors for their presentations and the participants for their many contributions!

The BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy invites you to set aside July 28-July 31, 2015 for the 47th annual conference to be held next year on the BYU Provo campus!

A Global Perspective: the Role of FamilySearch in a Worldwide Community

Posted on August 1, 2014 by Lynn Broderick @thesingleleaf

The 46th annual Conference on Family History and Genealogy is coming to a close. Today, in addition to those who registered to attend the full conference, family history consultants have been invited to receive a full day of training. The consultants will be instructed in their core responsibilities to help others find their ancestors. There will also be classes on United States, British, LDS ancestral, and professional research, methodology, FamilySearch compatibles, and computers & technology.

From left to right: Frederick E. Moss, legal advisor to the Federation of Genealogical Societies, David E. Rencher, and Glenn Kinkade of Dallas, Texas

Yesterday, David Rencher, chief genealogical officer for FamilySearch International, gave the closing keynote address, The Role of FamilySearch in a Worldwide Community. Mr. Rencher outlined the journey of growth and phases of FamilySearch International. Sometimes by looking back we may achieve a clearer vision of the future.

FamilySearch invites everyone, especially members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to search for their ancestors. As people accept this challenge, there are going to naturally be more beginners. He asked those present to remember when they first started their family tree and to be patient with the errors made by those new to this endeavor. He encouraged participants to manage this learning curve by mentoring them in their pursuit. He spoke about “pain points” and acknowledged that mistakes have been and will continue to be made.

Mr. Rencher compared FamilyTree to the recent renovation of the LDS Ogden temple where he realized that “scraps will be left over when building a temple” and that the same is true when reconstructing the pedigree of the human family online. He addressed the debate of quality vs. quantity and shared his experience of completing work that was a duplication in his earliest days in this field. He said that, “why all that I did was completely disposable, I had an experience that turned my heart.” In essence, the time he spent was never “wasted,” yet FamilySearch is “trying to have the most accurate lineage-linked system” as organized by man. “Let’s focus on the work that we are to do and do the best work possible.”

Mr. Rencher outlined the role that FamilySearch has taken, from its earliest days of negotiating access to the world’s records to a point of agreement and signed contracts. Microfilm is still being used by the request of a few repositories. In addition, there are 189 cameras in the field capturing digital images, while microfilm is being scanned from the vault to be placed online. “The films I wanted were converted first; the ones you wanted — last, not really, but there must be some executive privilege,” he joked. Mr. Rencher discussed how FamilySearch has improved its quality check. “You know the image skipped is the one you want.” Amazingly, FamilySearch provides 1.6 million new searchable names each day, so “if you did not find your people yesterday, check today.”

Once FamilySearch International was “the only game in town.” Now there are major for-profit companies and FamilySearch “welcome[s] them to bring their resources to the table.” He said, “we are not in competition.” He mentioned the free access members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints received to ancestry.com, findmypast.com, and myheritage.com. He says that it is about a $700 savings for members each year. However, “these members fund all that is free on familysearch.org.” He said that he is also very excited about FamilySearch’s partnership with BillionGraves and shared an example of his contributions to this project. He said, “I have no teary-eyed videos today. You are stuck with my humor,” as he pointed out a discrepancy between a vital record and a cemetery stone he used as an example from his personal research.

FamilySearch also collaborates with non-profits, such as the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS). One current project is the Preserve the Pensions from the War of 1812. FGS “took point on that” and the images will be offered for free on fold3.com. He showed examples of the plethora of documents found in these files, including “that torn page out of the family bible” from the days when duplication services were not available. There are 7.2 million pages related to this project. Each dollar that is donated will preserve two pages; this becomes four pages with ancestry.com’s commitment to match donations dollar for dollar. These files are being digitized alphabetically and the records are currently digitized to about the letters G-H and are available online. For the month of July there was a goal to raise $1800 a day to preserve these records. Although it is now August, your monetary support to this project is still greatly appreciated!

Mr. Rencher admitted that “there is an element of independence that must be given up to collaborate and sometimes it is painful … [but, the goal is to] connect people to their ancestors.” His presentation slides, The Role of FamilySearch in a Worldwide Community, are available on the conference website. Elder Paul F. Koelliker keynote address, Family the Fabric of Eternity, is also available on the conference website.

The Single Leaf

Researching individuals of the past in the context of family, community, and social history for the generations

Tag Archives: BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy