Organize Your Family History

Stay focused and happy while exploring your roots

How to watch RootsTech Connect

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As you may know, the 2021 all-virtual RootsTech conference (dubbed RootsTech Connect this year), is going on right now. I have not been able to watch much of it yet, despite it being on my calendar for months. But I have explored the website a little bit and I’m blown away with the learning opportunities.

The great news is that most of the sessions will be available to watch until next year’s RootsTech in March 2022 (which is scheduled to be held in person). You can watch as many sessions as you want now. They’re available on demand. Live keynotes are available on a schedule. My understanding is that the keynotes will be available to watch after the conference.

But there are features that are probably going to be available only during the conference (that is, through Saturday). They include:

  • Chat, where you can interact with like-minded genealogists
  • Relatives at RootsTech, where you can see how many people who are registered for the conference are related to you through the Family Search tree. So far, I have 37,376 relatives attending the conference! (A quick tip: I found that when I clicked on “See Your Relatives” using Safari, I got an error message. But it works just fine in Chrome and Firefox.)
  • Searching for your friends who are attending see how you might be related (my dear friend and podcast co-host, Shannon Wilkinson, and are 9th cousins once removed!)

(I don’t know for a fact that these will be going away after the conference, but I don’t want to take any chances.)

There are lots of ways to approach participating in RootsTech, but here’s what I suggest (and this is what I plan to do this weekend when I’ll have more time):

  1. Go to the Rootstech website.
  2. Login to your Family Search account (or create one if you don’t already have one).
  3. Click on Menu, then Relatives at RootsTech to find your relatives and see how you’re related. If you want, send relatives a message either by clicking on Send a Message under their name or through the little Connect box at the bottom of the home screen.
  4. Click on Guide Me for some suggestions on what you might want to watch or if you’re feeling confused, watch the Website Tutorial by clicking the button near the top of the screen.
  5. Alternatively, if you know what you want to watch, click on Sessions and search or browse for sessions.
  6. Add sessions to your Playlist, so you watch them at your leisure.
  7. Join a chat room by clicking on Connect, then Chat Rooms. Click on the little magnifying glass to search for a particular group or interest.
  8. Explore the Virtual Expo Hall. You can browse or search for particular vendors.

The whole thing is free of charge and it’s an opportunity you don’t want to miss. I have always been blown away by how well organized RootsTech is. This RootsTech Connect conference takes it to another level.

I want to be clear, because my emails indicate there is some confusion, that I am not affiliated with RootsTech. I’ve been a speaker twice and I’m an enthusiastic  attendee, but otherwise I have nothing to do this amazing conference. I just want to make sure my readers are making the most of it!

 

 

 

 

RootsTech 2021 streaming schedule posted

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I just noticed that the schedule for the live-streamed main-stage talks at the RootsTech virtual conference February 25-27 has been posted! Here’s the link.

This is a truly global conference and the first thing that jumped out at me is that the conference actually starts on February 24 for those of us in the United States. See the graphic at the top of this post (from the RootsTech website) for the starting day and time where you live. The virtual Expo Hall Preview is from 7 to 11 pm EST on February 24.

In addition to the streaming schedule, there is an 18-page pdf of all the English-language sessions that will be presented. Times aren’t indicated for those, which makes me think that some, if not all, of them will be available on demand. I read on the website that all recordings and videos will be available on demand throughout the year. That’s amazing.

If you’re anxious to learn more before the conference opens next week, check out the Road to RootsTech videos on YouTube.

As I’ve mentioned before, this year’s RootsTech conference is free of charge. (Go to Rootstech.org to learn more and to register if you haven’t already.) It’s an amazing learning opportunity and I commend RootsTech for innovating a whole new type of conference when the pandemic made it impossible to have the usual gigantic in-person conference. I look forward to learning more about how it will unfold.

The last flight I took was on March 2, 2020, when I flew home from RootsTech. It’s hard to believe that at the end of February I was with tens of thousands of people under one roof. It feels almost unimaginable. I look forward to being under a virtual roof with hundreds of thousands of genealogy enthusiasts later this month!

 

 

Family History Library offering free virtual consultations, online learning center

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The mammoth Family History Library in Salt Lake City closed its doors in March 2020 because of COVID. According to this news release from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, they’ve been spending time while they’re closed improving online services, which is a real boon for genealogists.

They’ve launched a new website for the Family History Library (which is part of FamilySearch.org) that will provide “new online patron experiences and up-to-date information on the library’s services and activities,” according to the press release.

One thing that exited me was the availability of free 20-minute research consultations. According to the website, in those consultations “We can help with evidence analysis or translation of key words, or we can help identify a good next step. The goal is to empower you in your research journey.” The sessions are offered in English, Spanish, Chinese and American Sign Language. Detailed information is available here.

It’s important to note that the researchers are not physically at the library (due to COVID) so may not have access to resources that you don’t have already have access to. But their expertise and knowledge of the collection is bound to be helpful. Doesn’t being empowered by professional researchers sound great?

Another exciting development is the new Online Learning Center, which is making hundreds of previously recorded how-to webinars available on demand, all free of charge. When I clicked on the Learning Center link at the new website, just a few popular lessons were listed on the resulting page. As a test, I searched for Civil War and got a listing of 120 available lessons. I haven’t taken any of these lessons, but I look forward to exploring what’s available and taking some to expand my knowledge this way.

The news release says that while the library is closed during the pandemic, improvements are being made to improve visitor access to materials and services. That’s fantastic. I’ve had the opportunity to research there several times and I look forward to visiting the new, improved Family History Library. In the meantime, I’m delighted about the enhanced online access to learning.

 

 

 

Join us for Declutter Happy Hour!

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This isn’t strictly genealogy-related (though it could be). I wanted to let you all know about a fun opportunity to learn live from me and my podcast co-host, life coach Shannon Wilkinson. We will be presenting Declutter Happy Hour, a four-part class that will be held February 3, 10, 17, and 24 from 6 to 7:30 pm central time.

Shannon and I created Declutter Happy Hour way back in 2009.  It started as a teleclass then morphed into an ecourse before we retired it. It ended up being a precursor to our podcast.

We were thrilled to be invited by our friends at Fly Paper to bring Declutter Happy Hour back to life, this time via Zoom!

Declutter Happy Hour is a live experience where you actually get some decluttering done. I think it’s really special because it infuses the decluttering process with a secret ingredient: mindset change (plus fun and laughter).

Each of the four sessions starts with a discussion led by Shannon and me about an important aspect of the decluttering process and the mindset shift that goes with it.

Then, during the class, you get time to work on a decluttering project. It could be something to do with your decluttering your genealogy research. Or you may want to tackle your linen closet (or any other space in your home). Whatever you decide to work on, Shannon and I will stay in the Zoom room, ready and waiting to answer any questions and provide support and encouragement.

By the end of a month of Declutter Happy Hours you’ll have let go of more than just stuff and you’ll have the tools to take on decluttering projects on your own.

Again, Declutter Happy Hour runs on Wednesdays in February at 6 pm central time. You can register at eventbrite. Please don’t delay! Space is limited so we can make sure your questions get answered.

I’d love to see you there!