Salt Lake City, FGS and RootsTech

I haven't blogged about my plans, but now I'll tell you: I am in Salt Lake City today through Saturday. I attended RootsTech about three years ago and enjoyed it. I have never before been to a Federation of Genealogical Societies conference. I could not resist attending the joint conference when FGS and RootsTech combined their conferences for 2015. And I volunteered to be a blogging FGS ambassador.

During the last couple of months of research, whenever I found a record in an index and I knew I might acquire the record from FamilySearch Library microfilm, I noted the record, located the FSL microfilm number and stuffed the sheet of paper it into a folder. So, getting ready for my one day of FSL research was not too stressful.

I took an early morning flight to Salt Lake City, dropped my bag in my room and walked a couple of blocks to the Library. I expected a crowd, but was pleasantly surprised that I had no problem finding vacant microfilm scanners whenever I required one. Signs on the scanners warn that there is a 30 minute limit for each patron at each scanner. 

My typical strategy is to collect about three films, scan the images, load the images onto my thumb drive, put the films back in the drawers, collect about three more films and head back to the scanners. I can usually scan three images in much less than 30 minutes. So, if there had been a line, I would not have kept people waiting very long. I managed to scan about 42 images (some documents were more than one page) and another 44 as a favor for a genealogy organization.

I ate lunch in the FSL snack room and went back to work. By about 3:30 pm my eyes were crossing - up too early and too much computer screen work. I decided to call it a day.

On the way back to the hotel I passed by the Salt Palace Convention Center and stopped in to register for the conference. This year's conference bag is quite nice: essentially a small bicycling bag. It even has a pocket for an iPod or smart phone and a hole for earphones.

With this puppy I should be ready for all conference contingencies.

This evening I used the RootsTech app to work on my schedule and develop my conference calendar. At this stage, if I am interested in more than one presentation for a time period, I put them on the calendar, anyway. I usually make the final decision on which one to attend on the fly. I have placed the app on my phone and my iPad. If past experience is a guide, I will likely use it consult my calendar most often during the conference on my iPad. 

Some presentations provide handouts that may be  downloaded via the RootsTech app. One may use them within the App and even, apparently take notes on them (I'll have to try that). One may also download them into other apps on one's mobile device or send them via email. I have placed several into my GoodReader app on my iPad. 

Since I may attend lectures at both conferences, it is sometimes overwhelming trying to decide which presentations to attend. Thursday at 11 am, for example, there are more than 20 talks from which to choose.

I have also been blocking out some time to help out at the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies booth during the conference. I do have some free time, but I am having trouble finding two-hour blocks ( I definitely do not want to miss either a Thomas W. Jones or Judy Russell presentation (!)).

Tomorrow, I will be attending FGS presentations. I will start with the 8 am General Session: "Focus on Societies - Successfully Embracing the Future." After that will attend some sessions on effective genealogical society management.

I will try to catch Judy Russell's talk, "The Ethical Genealogist," and then round out the day with additional sessions geared toward improving society offerings.

I have been contacted by a Labun, Ukraine researcher (Labun is my father's family's community in today's Ukraine) whose relative from the community was not Jewish. I am hoping to get to meet her this week. She's doing some interesting research.