Are You Ready?

Tomorrow is the opening day of RootsTech Connect 2022, which is 100% virtual and 100% free.

The most important question of the day is:

Have YOU registered to attend this fabulous conference?

If yes, then you are ready to go! If you are a first timer to the virtual conference (due to the pandemic, RootsTech 2021 was also virtual), then read on, as I’ll share some tips for getting the most out of your visit.

The key to success at RootsTech 2022 is right at your fingertips. It’s the Conference home page.

I had to screen capture to show you the open drop down menu in the top right corner.

The toolbar at the top includes Home, Sessions, Expo Hall and the drop down menu.

These tabs are your navigation portals. Home, Sessions and Expo Hall are self explanatory, so let’s look at the Menu choices.

I do want to mention here that General Sessions will be presented live, but recorded so if you’d like to attend, but the time zone doesn’t work for you, you can view the sessions later.

Also, there will be an Expo Hall Preview on 3 March 2022 from 8:00-10:00 a.m. (MST) to view and browse, followed by the opening General Session at 10:00 a.m. and the website going live at 11:00 a.m.

Speakers – Today’s list introduces the keynote and session speakers from RootsTech 2021. When RT 2022 goes live tomorrow, you will be able to browse through the list of all of this year’s speakers.

Innovators Portal – From the page description: Here you’ll find all the latest innovative technology in the family history and genealogy industry. At RT 2021, there were links to view all these sessions. There are 11 companies participating in 2022.

FAQ – Self-explanatory

RootsTech Store – Shop for RootsTech swag items like tee-shirts. There will also be a RootsTech Speaker Store to purchase products offered by speakers in their class sessions. This does actually cost money – as much as you want to spend. 🙂

Language – Select your language of choice to listen to the general sessions – eleven languages available!

All of this looks pretty good, but it doesn’t answer the question about how we keep track of all of this year’s 900 new sessions plus the 1500 sessions recorded in 2021.

The answer is: My Playlist

Sessions are grouped in many ways – by Language, Keynotes, Topic, LDS Church, etc.

Simply browse the categories in which you are interested.

See the + sign in the bottom right corner of each session? All you have to do is click on the + sign and the session will be added to your play list.

How long will the 2022 sessions be available to view? At least one year AND the 2021 sessions can also be viewed (even today, if you want to check them out.)

That’s all there is to it. When you want to view a session, just go to your playlist and choose!

RootsTech has several other fun and helpful events scheduled.

First, there is the Relatives at RootsTech 2022 Experience. To participate, you must be part of the FamilySearch Family Tree.

If you haven’t shared your own family tree with FamilySearch, there is time today to do it so you have the opportunity to meet online cousins during RootsTech.

The Family History Library currently offers 20 or 30 minute online virtual consultations between patrons (us) and library staff to answer research questions and to guide us to helpful resources.

This service IS AVAILABLE during RootsTech 2022. If you are interested, sign up for a time slot. If they are already full, don’t despair as you will be able to schedule a consultation after the conference ends.

One closing thought before the excitement and craziness begins tomorrow – Keynote talks and class sessions will be available after the conference closes.

What WILL NOT be available after 5 March 2022 is access to the Expo Hall. There will be many vendors and lots of conference-only pricing on offer.

Be sure to set aside lots of time to visit the vendors, who will have virtual booths and be available for demonstrations and to answer questions.

Personally, I LOVE wandering through the Expo Hall, as there is so much to learn about and opportunities to buy bright, shiny objects that catch  my eye at conference prices.

Each year in the past, I’ve written about new-to-me vendors at RootsTech. In our pre-pandemic world, I wrote about the vendors after RootsTech closed because attendees had to be there in person to benefit from sale prices.

For even more info, be sure to check out A Guide to Navigating the RootsTech 2022 Website on FamilySearch.

Now that RootsTech is virtual, and because discount prices are only available during the virtual conference, I will introduce the Expo Hall in tomorrow’s post.