Monday, September 15, 2014

Conference Early Bird Discounts Extended – Deadline Today

The Ancestry Insider at RootsTech 2015The end of special registration discounts to RootsTech and the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) conferences snuck up on many of us, so conference organizers have extended the deadline to today to give them one last marketing push. If you’re considering attending one or both of these coincident, colocated conferences, today is the day to act. These are two of the three national conferences (the National Genealogical Society conference in May being the third). Who knows when or if ever these two conferences will be held together again. 

Another upside is that the conferences are being held in Salt Lake City, just south of the famed Family History Library. The downside of that is, you may be vying with 5,000 other people for 50 microfilm readers. Okay, maybe that isn’t an upside. Still, the two conferences together or alone may be worth the trip. And the library is extending its hours for conference attendees.

RootsTech offers a plethora of registration options for the general public (one day or three day passes for 12-14 February 2015), technologists (11 February), beginners (one or three day passes), students (three day passes), and families (who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - 14 February). Over 200 classes are listed on the conference schedule. Frequently asked questions are answered on the RootsTech website.

The FGS Conference offers registration options for early-bird, regular, onsite, single day, and student rate. The FGS Conference brochure will answer your questions about the tracks, sessions, speakers, hotels, and travel options. The FGS conference opens Wednesday night with a special event, “Behind the Scenes: Family History & Television.” Tickets are $10. Further information is available on the conference website and on the conference blog.

The FGS Conference and RootsTech share expo hall, keynote sessions, and Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening events. The two share two lecture tracks on Saturday on technology and DNA. Each offers their own set of extra cost luncheons. Full conference registrants of one conference can add the other for $39.

While generally the conferences run Thursday through Saturday (12-14 February 2014), both FGS and RootsTech have specialized events on Wednesday. FGS sponsors Focus on Societies Day for genealogical society officers, board members, and perennial volunteers. Focus on Societies is included in your regular FGS registration. RootsTech sponsors the Innovator Summit for software developers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs. This event can be added to your RootsTech 3-day pass for $20. On Tuesday, ProQuest sponsors Librarians’ Day for $10.

While the special discount price expires today, early bird pricing continues through 23 January 2015.

Register now for RootsTech 2015

Register now for the FGS 2015 conference

Extra credit: This frame, below, from a RootsTech 2015 promotional video, captured several people I know at RootsTech 2014. In true Waldo fashion, if you know them, can you find them?

  • Myself (the suspenders and T-shirt give me away)
  • More than three official conference bloggers (including Renee, Randy, and Myrt)
  • FGS 2014 Conference chair (Ed)
  • More than three current and former FGS officers and board members (including Cherie, Gordon, and Mike)
  • More than two deputies to David Rencher, FamilySearch chief genealogical officer (including Fran and Elaine)
  • Retired president of OCLC and WorldCat (Jay Jordan)
  • Two general authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Elder Bradley D. Foster and Elder Allan F. Packer)

The audience at RootsTech 2014 contains many people I know

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