Genealogy Conference scheduled in Salt Lake City

13 August 2005

A rare opportunity for Coloradans to attend a national conference is available late this summer. If you haven’t planned this year’s vacation, you might want to consider Salt Lake City from September 7-10 for the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) 2005 conference, Reminders of the Past. Visions for the Future. Most national conferences are in cities far from Colorado, but Salt Lake City is an easy eight hour drive.

There are several reasons to attend a national conference:

Fantastic lectures from some of the world’s best genealogists. The lectures offer a chance to learn more about topics related to your research interests. This would be the perfect time to enhance your research skills and learn new ones. There are lectures on methodology, ethnic groups, geographic areas, specialized records, technology, and more.
There will be eight lectures presented simultaneously during six sessions each day. Although you cannot attend every lecture, you will receive a syllabus with material for all lectures.
There are many opportunities to network with other genealogists. Not only in the lectures but also at the luncheons and in-between sessions. Every year there is someone who finds a cousin at the conference. This happened to my friend Sherril a few years ago. She met a man who was descended from the same ancestor in Ohio. They had not previously known each other and during the conference they were able to compare and share information on their common ancestor.
There is a chance to see and try out the newest genealogy products and services. The exhibit hall is filled with books, CD’s, software, maps, and other research materials. Attendees can talk to developers, view demonstrations, meet authors, and buy almost any product related to genealogy. The exhibit hall is open the entire conference, so it is easy to browse in-between sessions.
This is the perfect occasion to research at the Family History Library (FHL). The FHL adds an extra incentive to attend this conference. The conference will take place in downtown Salt Lake City, a few blocks from the FHL.

The library will have extended hours to accommodate the conference attendees and will have additional staff on hand to assist. I have written before about this great research library. The FHL has 142,000 square feet of space on five floors and has over 2.4 million rolls of microfilm, 310,000 books, and 700 electronic resources. There are 200 computers and over 500 microfilm machines, so don’t worry about getting a space.

The FGS conference is for every experience level: beginner to advance researchers. If you have an interest in genealogy, I encourage you to make a serious effort to attend. Consider inviting a family member or a friend. Sharing the cost of gas and hotel can cut the cost considerably.

Early-bird registration is available until July 26. To see the program or to register, go online to http://www.fgs.org/2005conf/conf-proghighlights.htm.

See you in Salt Lake City!

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