If you are new to genealogy, you might feel a bit intimidated about attending RootsTech. It is, after all the biggest genealogy conference of the year! You don’t have to be an expert genealogist to go, though. There are plenty of things for beginning genealogists to check out.
One of the best things about conferences is that it is a great opportunity for people to learn more about whatever subject the conference is focusing on. Genealogists, both beginners and experts, will find plenty of interesting and informative presentations and sessions to attend. There is also lots of genealogy related technology stuff to check out.
If you are brand new to genealogy, or consider yourself to be a beginner, don’t worry! RootsTech has plenty of sessions that are intended for beginners. Here are a just a few that might catch your attention that are taking place on the first day of RootsTech.
There will be a presentation called “Mining Newspaper Archives”. This session will teach beginning genealogists how to get the most from freely available newspaper archives. It will be presented by Kathleen Murray, PhD, who is a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Texas, and Tara Carlisle, M.A., M.S., who is the Project Development Librarian at the University of North Texas.
Also on Thursday, February 2, 2012, there will be a presentation called “A Genealogical Society Using Social Media”. This session uses the Genealogy Society of Norway as an example of how to use new tools to promote genealogy and facilitate research. It is presented by Torill Johnsen, President of the Genealogical Society of Norway.
“Google+ for Genealogists” is a presentation that will show beginning genealogists how to use the basic features of Google+ in order to connect with other genealogists. It goes over Hangouts, Instant Uploads, and other basic features that can help genealogists to share information with each other. The presenter will be Drew Smith, MLS, who is a Director of the Federation of Genealogical Societies and President of the Florida Genealogical Society of Tampa.
“To Pay or Not To Pay” is a presentation that will inform beginning genealogists about the Commercial Portal sites that are available at Family History Centers for free. If you subscribed to all of them individually, outside of the Portals, it would cost $1,200 per year. This will be presented by Bonnie Raymer Petrovich, a Director of a FHC for the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints for nine years.
“Help Index the 1940 U.S. Census” is a hands-on workshop for beginning genealogists. It gives you a sneak preview of the 1940 census, and it helps you to get ready to index it. It is presented by Jim Ericson.
Image by Valerie Everett on Flickr