RootsTech, the world’s largest family history show, will return online as RootsTech Connect on 3-5 March 2022.
RootsTech was launched by free genealogy website FamilySearch in 2011, but the event was held in Salt Lake City, with steep charges to attend.
After the 2020 event was cancelled because of the covid pandemic, RootsTech brought it online for RootsTech Connect 2021.
The event proved such a success that it’s returning this year, with RootsTech promising “a hybrid online and in-person model” from 2023 onwards.
As usual, RootsTech has announced a programme of inspiring keynote speakers from around the world to talk about their family history.
This year’s speakers include Apollonia Poilâne, who runs her world-renowned family business, the Poilâne Bakery in Paris; actor Matthew Modine, known for The Dark Knight Rises and Stranger Things; and three-time world champion boxer Samuel Azumah Nelson.
RootsTech Connect also offers a programme of 1,500 sessions with practical tips on family history research from different countries, plus the chance to connect virtually with fellow family historians.
Leading family history companies and organisations will also have stalls in the virtual Expo Hall – including Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine. We hope to see our readers there!
You can register for RootsTech Connect here.
How to find relevant sessions on RootsTech
With over 1,500 sessions to choose from, it can feel quite overwhelming when you first visit the RootsTech website. It is worth watching the two minute tutorial before you start.
Next, go to 'sessions' and filter by 'Research Location'. You can choose 'British Isles', 'England', 'Scotland' and 'Wales'. Don't select 'United Kingdom' as this brings up numerous results for 'United States'.
Annoyingly, if you type a research location into the search bar, it replaces the last research location you had chosen as a filter. If you want to filter on multiple research locations (e.g. Scotland and Ireland), you need to manually select them from the sidebar.
Selecting just 'British Isles' doesn't seem to flag up all the relevant sessions. There are 91 sessions under the 'British Isles' filter but 106 under the 'England' filter so choosing multiple research locations will offer you the most options.
Click the + next to each session you like the sound of and it will add them to your playlist. You can access your playlist at any time by selecting the play button (the small sideways pointing triangle at the top right of the page). You can watch talks at any time and in any order to suit you.
There are lots of great sessions to choose from and you have plenty of time to watch them. Your playlist will be available after the event has finished, so take your time.
Finally, do come and visit us at the Expo Hall. There will be a free issue of the magazine to download and a chance to chat to us about the magazine.
Rosemary Collins is the features editor of Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine
