RootsWeb Day 1

Today was my first day at RootsTech and I must say it is with mixed feelings.  I have never been to RootsTech; but have attended the Southern California Genealogical Society's JAMBOREE about 5 or 6 times.  So far, other than having more vendors in the exhibit hall, I am more impressed with the presentations I have attended at Jamboree.  I batted about .500 today.  Two of the presentations were pretty much a waste of time and I thought I learned something in the other two.  I am hoping tomorrow is better.  Maybe my choices today were just poor. 

I did find some statistics provided by Family Search's CEO interesting.  There were over 8000 people registered, there are 32 countries represented and 49 states (South Dakota was missing); all of which qualify it as the largest Genealogy conference in the world!  They have 135 vendors represented in the exhibit hall.  Including the live streaming of sessions that they are doing world wide, they expect RootsTech to reach over 150,000 people. 

Following are some photos.

Me during Lunch in Temple Square

I arrive on Tuesday and spent about half a day doing research at the Family History Library (FHL).  I spent the full Day Wednesday at the library.  The above photo was taken during a break for lunch.

 

 

Registration Opening Morning

Fortunately, I registered Wednesday evening when the line was no more than two people deep at any one of the many windows.

Leaving Opening Session

There was only about 20 minutes to get to the first presentation as we left the Opening Session and the halls were packed.



Exhibit Hall 

 

The exhibit hall is very impressive and everyone who is anybody in the genealogy business is represented.   

 

 

Lecture Hall

 

 They have about 20 lecture halls and each of the four daily session offers about 15 to 18 choices of topics and speakers.  I think they would be better off if they had fewer sessions, thus improving the quality of speakers; but the down side would be the large number of attendees in each class.

I am hoping that my choices of speakers tomorrow improves and that I have a more positive impression tomorrow evening at this time.