February 22, 2024
Introduction: In this article, Gena Philibert-Ortega – who has been to RootsTech many times in person and online – gives tips to attend the conference virtually this year. Gena is a genealogist and author of the book “From the Family Kitchen.”
It’s almost time for RootsTech 2024! The great thing about RootsTech this year is that you can attend in person or virtually – so you can customize the experience that best fits your needs.
There are benefits to attending in person, but online attendance provides you with some of the same benefits, namely presentations by genealogical experts. Choose the lectures that best suit your needs and that can help you grow as a researcher. On-demand sessions mean you control your schedule, making it easy to watch when it’s best for you.
Some other things to consider as we get ready for the biggest genealogical event of the year happening February 29th – March 2nd can be found below.
First, Register
Before you attend RootsTech, you must register for the conference. Registering for the virtual option is free. Just go to the RootsTech homepage.
Click on the white button labeled “Register Now for Free.” This will take you to a form where you will enter your name, email address, phone number, country, and agree to FamilySearch’s Terms of Use.
Once you successfully register you will receive a “Congratulations” message that states you should receive a confirmation email within a few days. In my case, it arrived within 10 minutes of registering.
Next, Plan
What can you do to prepare for RootsTech? I’d recommend perusing the schedule to determine what presentations will be available for online viewers, so you can determine what you will watch. From the RootsTech website you can view the schedule.
Keep in mind that not all presentations will be available online. As you browse the schedule, colored buttons appear at the top of each course tile that indicate either that the presentation is Online, In Person, or In Person and Online. Clicking on the oval Schedule button allows you to save that presentation and create your own schedule of the presentations you are most interested in.
RootsTech runs Thursday through Saturday (Feb. 29th – March 2nd). Classes start at 8:00 am each day (keep in mind that RootsTech, being in Salt Lake City, Utah, is on Mountain time). On-Demand sessions are available all day. The Expo Hall opens at 9:00 am (yes, there is also a virtual Expo Hall).
You can find GenealogyBank in the Expo Hall in person at booth #1307 or online.
In the meantime, while you wait for RootsTech to start, you can watch videos in the RootsTech On-Demand Library. The Library features “1,500 sessions on 185 topics in over 30 languages.” These sessions are from previous years. To find the topics that are of interest to you, search and filter topics you are interested in. For example, you can search “GenealogyBank” (without the quote marks) and you will find six presentation. Five of the presentations are from last year’s event and one is scheduled for March 1st at 2:00 pm.
Also, consider reading the RootsTech blog in the days leading up to the event. The blog will help you become acquainted with everything the conference offers.
Need Help?
Attending an event virtually has its own set of questions. You may not be able to find the course you want or the web page you remember seeing. What do you do if you find you are having trouble navigating the RootsTech website during the conference?
Luckily the volunteers at RootsTech are there to help. You can choose to either email the team at info@rootstech.org or, from the RootsTech website, click the blue chat button on the lower right side of your screen. Don’t forget to consult the Frequently Asked Questions located at the top right of the website, under the Menu tab.
Will We See You at RootsTech?
RootsTech promises to be the genealogical event of the year. Even if you can’t travel to Salt Lake City, you can still attend from the comfort of home. Register for the online conference today!
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Note on the header image: RootsTech genealogy conference. Credit: mormonnewsroom.org.
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