RootsTech 2011: Keynotes, presentations online

The inaugural edition of the RootsTech conference was quite an experience. Tracing the Tribe is looking forward to the 2012 event.

The keynote talks and select presentations are now available online for those who couldn't make it in person. FamilySearch media contact Paul Nauta - whose attention to detail and to the care of the geneabloggers and others was much appreciated - sent this press release:

Relive RootsTech 2011

Popular Conference Makes Select Presentations Available for Free Online

11 March 2011

SALT LAKE CITY—If you missed the popular inaugural RootsTech 2011 conference, you can now at least get a sampling of what all the excitement was about. The wildly popular new technology and family history conference held last month in Salt Lake City, Utah, made its keynote addresses and a few other popular presentations available online today free of charge. The six free presentations can be viewed at RootsTech.org.

“The scope of the RootsTech conference was unique. We wanted to try to fulfill a need to bring technology users (family history buffs and anyone interested in genealogy) and technology creators (developers, programmers, engineers) together in a unique, fun environment to collaborate and move the genealogy industry forward through technology,” said Anne Roach, RootsTech conference chair. And bring them together it did.

The inaugural conference, hosted by FamilySearch, was a runaway success. With over 3,000 in-person attendees and another 4,500 attending remotely over the Internet, it was arguably one of the largest genealogy-related conferences ever held in the country. In-person attendees hailed from 42 states and 15 countries. Some came from as far away as China, New Zealand, Australia, Namibia, and Israel.

Paul Nauta, RootsTech public relations chair, reported that there were over 40 bloggers in attendance. “Between online articles, blog posts, and nonstop tweets, the online community was buzzing 24 hours a day during the conference and for weeks following—and amazingly, articles and tweets are still going strong,” noted Nauta.

The new conference was pulled together quickly by industry standards—in about 6 months. “The fact that we were able to attract as many conference goers as we did in such a short amount of time testifies to the interest there is in technology and family history,” said Roach. “And we’ve put the videos of the keynotes and other presentations online for free to give others a chance to share in the RootsTech experience; to give them a taste of what they can expect for 2012,” added Roach.

A highlight of the conference was the extensive community networking—community zone (exhibit hall), collaboration stations, and unconferencing sessions. These integrated features produced an open conference atmosphere that seemed to be ideal to introduce technology creators to genealogy technology users and to foster discussions, learning, collaboration, and future industry developments.

Unconferencing sessions—impromptu, participant-driven discussion forums that promote brainstorming, the sharing of ideas, and innovation—were totally new to genealogy attendees, but were more familiar to the technologists. Attendees took advantage of unconferencing sessions to discuss user needs with technology developers and to brainstorm new ideas and solutions. “People emerged from these [unconferencing sessions] with eyes sparkling, and I overheard several people describing conversations between developers and genealogists that left both feeling validated and motivated,” said Polly FitzGerald Kimitt, an attendee and author of Pollyblog.

The RootsTech 2012 conference is scheduled for February 2–4 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

In addition to the six video presentations mentioned above, video interviews of other conference speakers and developers can be watched at Genealogy Gems YouTube.

About RootsTech

RootsTech is a new conference designed to bring technologists together with genealogists to learn from each other and find solutions to the challenges faced in family history research today. The conference’s activities and offerings are focused on content that will help genealogists and family historians discover exciting new research tools while enabling technology creators to learn the latest development techniques from industry leaders and pioneers.

RootsTech 2012 is set for February 2-4. Mark your calendars now.

RootsTech: Day 2

RootsTech' day two - Friday - was perhaps even busier than opening day.

One innovation at this event was the Microsoft Playground, a large space filled with billiards and ping pong tables, Wii screens and aso offering back massages. It was very popular!

My DNA presentation - It's In Our Genes: Revealing History via Technology ( A DNA Project Case Study - was delivered to a nearly full large room. One geneablogger - Joan Miller of LuxeGen - was tweeting my talk. It is always a great pleasure to talk about our IberianAshkenaz DNA Project at FamilyTreeDNA.com and explain the history behind it and how it can be used as a model for others to set up their own DNA projects. People who attended it were meeting me the rest of the day and commenting how much they enjoyed it.

Many conference attendees who are regulars at other annual events commented on the absence of FamilyTreeDNA.com at RootsTech, and wondered why they hadn't attended.

I also participated in a blogging panel, moderated by our own Thomas MacEntee, along with  A.C. Ivory (one of our youngest geneabloggers at only 23 years of age), Lisa Alzo and Pat Richley AKA Dear Myrtle. There was much discussion and many comments by the panel with questions by attendees and the hour flew by before we knew it.

Sessions at RootsTech are only 60 minutes (45 minutes presentation followed by 15 minutes of Q&A), and that time really goes fast!

Some of today's presentations included several by Steve Morse as well as:

• "Playground Rules for the Genealogy Internet Collaborative Space," with Janet Hovorka
• "Powerpoint 2010 for Presenters" (several labs), with Barbara Renick and Gena Philibert Ortega
• "Digital Images for Genealogists and Technologists," with Geoff Rasmussen
• "Names in Stone: Unique Approach to Cemetery Research," with DAvid Day and Bruce Cheney
• "Enhanced Smart Matches and Social Networking Technologies Applied to Facilitate Collaboration between Familes and Researchers," with Daniel Horowitz
• "Use Your Android Phone for Genealogy and Family History," with David Lifferth
• "Security and Disaster Recovery," with Kaeb J. Albee
• "Finding Your Family's Stories Online," with Tami Glatz
• "Genealogy Blogs: Impact and Influence in the Genealogy Commmunity," with Thomas MacEntee
• "Collaborating with Genealogists to Redesign a Digital Library," with Kathleen Murray
• "Easy Digital Newsletters," with Dear Myrtle
• "Google News and Timeline," with Dan Lynch

That's only a few of today's nearly 50 sessions.

This evening, many of us went to the Family History Library for a late night schedule, including the newest Who Do You Think You Are? segment, with Tim McGraw. 

Tracing the Tribe is not really into country music, so I'm the first to admit I barely recognized his name and didn't know much about him. I was rather impressed in that he came across as a really nice guy who was interested in his connections.

Of course, the show makes it seem so simple. Each time, one of the researchers told Tim, "I have this document for you," the audience of genealogists laughed. We all knew the number of hours it took to be able to say that one short sentence!

One researcher had connected him back eight generations, his ancestors were mentioned in George Washington's journal - GW was then only 16 and on a surveying team in the Shenandoah Valley where he met Tim's Hite family.

Although some geneabloggers have reported that Tim seemed disinterested or disengaged, our group didn't feel that way. Indeed, we felt that Tim came across as a modest person who felt very connected to his ancestors and their place in history.

We were a tired bunch when we got back to our hotel!

The general comments among attendees and geneabloggers were that we were all looking forward to RootsTech 2012, which is set for February 2-4. You might want to mark it on your calendar now!

RootsTech: Day 1

Tracing the Tribe was so busy yesterday that we couldn't manage to post this information!

The day started very early for the geneabloggers with a 7am breakfast hosted by FamilySearch.org.

After a demo on FamilySearch, the group received a first-look at the exhibitor floor.

The media hub has been active all day, with bloggers working from the stations, and interviews being conducted in glass-walled booths.

The demo hub has events scheduled all day and Daniel Horowitz of MyHeritage.com announced the company's IPhone mobile app.

Tracing the Tribe sat next to One-Step guru Steve Morse during the opening keynote address by HP president Shane Robison.

Some of today's 51 sessions:

• "Interactive Genealogists," with Lisa Alzo
• "The 50 Most Popular Genealogy Web Sites (Really!)," with Kory Meyerink.
• Virtual Family RReunions: Using Online Tools to Find More Cousins Than You Know What to Do With," "with Crista Cowan.
• "Will Your Work Survive the Digital Age?" with Janet Hovorka
• "Exploring Cemetery Solutions," with Gordon Clarke (a panel discussion)
• "Software Forecast: What Geneaogists Need for the Future," with D. Josh Taylor
• "Toy Story: Electronic Tools for Genealogists," with Sandra Crowey
• "Tweet Your Ancestors: Social Media for Genealogists," with Patricia Van Skaik
• "Cool Tools to Enhance Your Online Research," with Tami Glatz
• "Social Networking for Genealogists," with Drew Smith
• "Digitally Preserving Your Family Heritage," with Barry Ewell.
• "Self-Pubishing for Genealogists and Genealogical Societies," with Thomas MacEntee
• "How Should We Handle Sources?" with Rick Laxman (an open discussion among genealogists, bloggers, vendors and website providers)

Tonight - Thursday - we are attending a special Night at the Planetarium exclusively for conference-goers. The program includes a casual dinner, star shows, 3D IMAX movies and interactive exhibits, with prizes to be awarded all evening.

It has been a busy, if tiring, very full day!

RootsTech: Blogger events on Tuesday

Today, Tracing the Tribe noted Dick Eastman, Dear Myrt, Thomas MacEntee, Drew Smith, Lisa Cooke, Renee Zamora and many more of our intrepid group.

At 3pm, the geneabloggers met across from the Library to board a bus to the huge FamilySearch microfilm distribution center here (exterior view below). [Credit: Property of Intellectual Reserve.]

Have you ever used microfilms at the FHL or your local Family History Center? Ever wondered how they got there? Geneabloggers were given a rare look into the system that processes and sends out those films after orders are received from family history centers.

The computerized system tells a crane to pick films in tubs from shelves (below left). An operator pulls the correct film from the tub via a bar code scanner, checks it against the order, and then places it in a box for shipment.

The Distribution and Print Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - its formal name - covers 1,097,419 square feet, about 19 football fields.

Some facts:

• There are more than 4,600 family history centers in 126 countries
• 725,000 microfilms (copies, not originals) are stored in the center, which can hold some 900,000 films.
• The Center processes some 255,000 microfilms annually.
• The average microfilm is 100 feet long
• If every film processed in a year were to be unwound and placed end-to-end, it would cover 4,800 miles.

Following the tour - with main tour guides David Rencher and Paul Nauta - we were taken to a five-star dinner at The Roof at the top of the century-old Joseph Smith Memorial Building, which used to be the Hotel Utah. Lovingly restored and very elegant, the facility is something to see.

If you are visiting SLC, do visit The Roof. The view from the building is wonderful, particularly at sunset!

Tomorrow morning a specia breakfast presentation begins at 7am for media and bloggers. Stay tuned for more as RootsTech opens. Expected attendance is some 2,700 individuals - quite impressive for a first edition of a new annual conference.

Salt Lake City: Rain and shine!

Tracing the Tribe arrived in Salt Lake City yesterday. In a matter of hours, the sky turned black and we were treated to driving rain that turned to snow, all accompanied by whistling winds. 

This morning, however, dawned bright and sunny (see photo above).

After brunch at the Radisson, I'm now heading over to the Family History Library about two blocks away.

Tonight, at 7 pm, I'll be listening in on Daniel Horowitz's talk to the Utah Jewish Genealogy Society, which will be meeting at the FHL.

Tomorrow afternoon, there's a tour to the FamilySearch microfilming facility, followed by a dinner for the media and bloggers.

Stay tuned for more.

RootsTech: Some sessions to be online for free

As Tracing the Tribe gets ready for our trip to the new RootsTech conference in Salt Lake City, we learned that six popular sessions will be broadcast live and free on the Internet.

Global viewers can see them at RootsTech.org.

More than 2,000 attendees have registered for the new family history and technology conference which runs February 10-12.

Tracing the Tribe arrives Monday and hopes to get some research time in at the Family History Library, take an FHL tour on Tuesday, and that evening attend Daniel Horowitz's talk for the Utah Jewish Genealogical Society on researching Israel genealogical resources.

Special events for media/bloggers include a Wednesday trip to the FamilySearch microfilming facility, a dinner, a special breakfast program on Thursday and other events.

In addition to assisting Daniel Horowitz at the MyHeritage.com display, my own conference sessions include participation on the Thursday bloggers' panel - moderated by our good friend Thomas MacEntee of Geneabloggers.com - and on genetic genealogy (with a Jewish twist) on Friday.

The six sessions to be broadcast include some keynote speakers and a sampling of programs (times are MST - Mountain Time):
Thursday, February 10

· 8:30-9am, A World of Information, Shane Robison, chief technology officer, Hewlett Packard

· 9-9:30am, Turning Roots, Branches, Trees into Nodes, Links, Graphs, Jay L. Verkler, chief executive officer, FamilySearch International

· 3-4pm, Digitally Preserving Your Family Heritage, Barry Ewell, founder of MyGenShare.com

Friday, February 11

· 8:30-9:30am, The Changing Face of Genealogy, by Curt Witcher, manager of the Historical Genealogy Department, Allen County Public Library

· 9:45-10:45am., Cloud Computing: What is it and how it has been used to create the next familysearch.org, by Brian Pugh, senior engineer, FamilySearch International

Saturday, February 12

· 8:30-9:30am Personal Archiving and Primary Documents, Brewster Kahle, founder of the Internet Archives

· 1:45-2:45pm, Virtual Presentations Round Table and Collaborative Panel Discussion, Thomas MacEntee, professional genealogist and technology specialist

· 3-4pm, The Power of PDF: Tools for Every Genealogist , D. Josh Taylor, Director of Education and Programs at New England Historical Genealogical Society.

Broadcasting some sessions is an excellent idea, and it is fitting that this new genealogy and technology conference should make this possible.

Tracing the Tribe wishes more gen conferences would do the same, to give more people a "taste" of what they would be experiencing if they had personally attended.

RootsTech: Don't miss early registration discounts

If you've been thinking about Salt Lake City - for RootsTech 2011 - remember that early discounted registration ends January 15.

The event is set for February 10-12, at SLC's Salt Palace Convention Center - walking distance to the Family History Library. Tracing the Tribe is arriving a few days early and hoping to get some research in at the FHL.

Until January 15, registration is only $99, and it will jump to $150 after that date. Even better, this new conference is only $35 for students. It's good to see a gen conference offering such good price break for our younger fans.

Tracing the Tribe is looking forward to RootsTech as I participate in a panel chaired by Thomas MacEntee of Geneabloggers.com and also speak on genetic genealogy.

RootsTech 2011 is a new conference focused on bringing technology creators together with genealogy technology users to learn together and identify solutions to family history research challenges. Genealogists and family historians will discover exciting new research tools while technology creators will learn the latest development techniques from industry leaders and pioneers.

Registration includes three full days of conference attendance, conference materials, Clarke Planetarium dinner event entry, Family History Library extended access, closing reception event admission, prize drawings and Community Zone (exhibition hall) accessibility.

Advancing technology is becoming an integral part of the future of genealogical research. Whether a person is new to genealogy or is an experienced researcher, RootsTech is the ideal place to discover the latest family history tools. In addition, technology creators will learn the skills needed to deliver innovative applications and systems, and they will have the opportunity to receive instant feedback from peers and users on their ideas and creations.

Keynoters will include Shane Robinson, Hewlett Packard chief strategy and technology officer; Brewster Kahle, founder, Internet Archive and digital librarian; Jay L. Verkler, CEO, FamilySearch International; and Curt Witcher, Historical Genealogy Department manager, Allen County Public Library.

The new event on the gen calendar is designed to bring technologists together with genealogists to learn from each other and find solutions to the challenges of today's family history research. It is focused on content to help genealogists and family historians discover exciting new research tools while enabling technology creators to learn the latest development techniques from industry leaders and pioneers.

For more information about the conference, go to the RootsTech site.

RootsTech: Official blogger

Tracing the Tribe is an official RootsTech conference blogger.

In addition to assisting in the effort to get the word out about this new event, which runs from Thursday-Saturday, February 10-12, in Salt Lake City, Utah, I will be presenting on genetic genealogy and participating in a geneablogger's panel (moderated by Thomas MacEntee).

The many presentations demonstrate the increasing role of technology in our quest for information. The sessions cover searching for information, storing it as we find it, and the newest technology available now or coming down the road.

The conference organizers are also extending assistance to the geneabloggers in terms of dedicated spaces to conduct audio interviews and podcasts, video recording of scheduled video interviews with copies to post on our blogs or websites, office space to access the Internet, recharge equipment and assistance in scheduling interviews with speakers and VIPs.

For more information about the event, including registration and the sessions, click here.

Tracing the Tribe hopes to see you in Salt Lake City.