Ever since I caught the genealogy bug (a very long time ago), I’ve been on a never-ending quest to solve my family mysteries, and for the the last 10 years or so, to sharpen my family history sleuthing skills. (Just call me a genealogy Nancy Drew!) Like many passionate researchers, attending RootsTech in Salt Lake City became something of a bucket list item for me back in 2011. But you know how life goes—between time constraints, budget limitations (those college tuition bills aren’t going to pay themselves!), and everyday responsibilities, making the pilgrimage to the mecca of genealogy conferences remained an elusive dream.
Then came the pandemic silver lining: RootsTech went virtual! While seasoned in-person attendees mourned the loss of hallway chats and exhibit hall treasures, I was practically doing a happy dance in my home office. Finally, I could attend this legendary conference, absorb wisdom from genealogy rock stars, and best of all—do it all in my pajamas!
My Virtual Conference Journey Begins
I’m not entirely sure how many courses were offered that first virtual year in 2019, but I eagerly signed up for nine classes and quickly fell head-over-heels in love with this format of learning. I’ll never forget discovering Amy Johnson Crow’s session on research logs—talk about a game-changer! That single class was like turning on a light bulb, illuminating just how much I still had to learn about structured research methodology. Her teaching style resonated so deeply that I immediately subscribed to Generations Connections (https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/connection/) and methodically worked my way through nearly every course in her library.
Another standout that year was Michael L. Strauss’s session on descendancy research—that “reverse genealogy” approach opened entirely new pathways in my brick wall problems. He remains one of my favorite speakers whenever I see his name on a conference schedule. That same year, I made one of my best genealogy investments by subscribing to Legacy FamilyTree Webinars. Let me tell you, that $50 annual fee is the genealogy bargain of the century! (Pro tip: they frequently offer discounts for new subscribers, so keep an eye out!)
The Gift That Keeps on Giving
What sets RootsTech apart from other virtual conferences is their generous approach to recorded content. Even after the live event concludes, you maintain access to the recorded sessions, at least for a few years. This flexibility has been a lifesaver for this corporate paralegal who’s constantly juggling professional obligations with genealogical pursuits! Since 2019, I’ve completed almost 200 HUNDRED classes—just typing that number makes me realize how much knowledge I’ve absorbed!
And yet, my digital syllabus still overflows with sessions waiting to be watched before they potentially disappear. (If any RootsTech organizers happen to be reading this—pretty please consider keeping these treasures available indefinitely? My ancestors aren’t getting any younger, and neither am I! 😂)
RootsTech 2025: Virtual but Vibrant
This year finds me once again attending virtually, thanks to an already-stretched genealogy budget. Between the Ohio Genealogical Society Conference in April, the NGS Conference in May, that intensive two-day Eastern European research workshop from NYG&B last week, plus various virtual courses… let’s just say my credit card needed a break! But the beauty of virtual attendance is flexibility—I managed to take Thursday and Friday off work to fully immerse myself in Day 1 and Day 2. What an incredible day it’s been already!
My Conference Battle Plan
How does one prepare for the virtual RootsTech experience? My strategy begins the moment registration opens. I immediately create my account and start building my personalized schedule, adding every session that catches my eye. Then, I make it a daily habit to check back regularly, watching for newly added classes to include in my lineup.
Two days before the conference kickoff—and again the day before—I dedicate serious time to syncing my selected sessions with my calendar and downloading all handouts. This preparation stage reveals the inevitable scheduling conflicts, forcing me to make tough choices about which sessions to attend live versus which to catch later in recorded form.
Take a look at my calendar screenshot from the end of Day 1—absolutely bonkers, right?
All those green blocks represent courses I’ve already completed between Wednesday evening and Thursday. I cleverly took advantage of early-release sessions available Wednesday night, getting a head start on content. The yellow blocks indicate sessions I planned to watch live, but since I can only be in one virtual room at a time, many will shift to orange by day’s end. Orange designates sessions I’ll catch after RootsTech concludes—these will eventually migrate to other dates on my calendar. (That prominent blue block on Saturday night is dedicated work time for my “Research Like a Pro® with DNA” course—I’m currently battling through Lesson 9, but that’s a story for another post!)
The Organization Behind the Madness
Another cornerstone of my genealogy education system is my beloved Airtable base. Yes, I fully embrace my inner organization geek! This digital tracking system allows me to record course dates, main topics, titles, presenters, and even upload handout copies directly to each record. Want a peek behind the curtain? Here’s a screenshot of my RootsTech 2025 table, where completed classes reveal themselves through filled-in “Run Times” entries.
This meticulous tracking serves a dual purpose. While I’m currently practicing family history for personal passion, I’m actively working toward professional certification in the future. Many accreditation programs require documentation of educational hours, making my Airtable records invaluable for that eventual application process.
Speaking of Airtable—it’s revolutionized my actual genealogy research too! If you’re curious about implementing this powerful tool in your own family history workflow, I highly recommend checking out Diana Elder & Nicole Elder Dyer’s Family Locket website (https://familylocket.com/). Their Airtable tutorials transformed my research organization a year ago, and I haven’t looked back since!
Day 1 Wrap-Up
My RootsTech 2025 Class Marathon
Let me share the genealogical feast I’ve been devouring at RootsTech so far! My brain is practically bursting with new research strategies after this whirlwind of sessions.
Wednesday’s Early-Bird Classes
Even though the official conference kickoff was Thursday, I took full advantage of Wednesday’s early-release sessions:
I started with “Making the Most of Your FamilySearch Affiliate Library” because—let’s be honest—who among us couldn’t benefit from maximizing those precious hours at our local affiliate library? I discovered at least three databases I had no idea I could access freely there!
Next came “Fruit of the Earth, Using Deeds to Uncover Your Ancestors (Parts I & II)” which reminded me just how much hidden genealogical gold lies in those dusty land records. I swear, there’s nothing quite like the thrill of discovering your ancestor’s distinctive signature on a deed book page, connecting them firmly to a specific piece of land at a specific moment in time.
I wrapped up Wednesday with the three-part series “Using Genetic Genealogy to Break Down a Brick Wall”—because nothing says “genealogy devotion” like diving into centimorgans and chromosome browsers until bedtime! I’ve been wrestling with a particularly stubborn ancestor who doesn’t seem to have any descendants who’ve had their DNA tested on any of the major DNA sites, so these advanced genetic genealogy techniques might finally give me the strategies I need to overcome this brick wall.
Thursday’s Full-Day Immersion
Thursday morning found me bright-eyed and ready for “Mastering DNA Matches in RootsMagic 10” since I’m transitioning from Family Tree Maker. Learning how to integrate my DNA analysis directly into my database software is a game-changer for my research workflow.
The eye-opening “Where Am I?: Are You Searching in the Right Place?” had me second-guessing nearly every search I’ve conducted in the past year—in the best possible way! Understanding shifting county boundaries and historical geography is so critical, yet so easy to overlook when we’re chasing those elusive ancestors.
The census-focused sessions were absolutely revelatory. Between “Mining the Census, Are You Finding Every Clue?” and the three-part “Diving Between the Decades” series about territorial and state census records, I’m now questioning everything I thought I knew about census research. Those non-federal census records contain treasures I’ve been overlooking! The case studies presented were particularly enlightening for tackling those pre-1850 research problems where we’re all so tired of counting tick marks in those early federal census pages.
“Newspapers: Family in the News” reinforced my belief that digitized newspapers might be the most underutilized resource in my genealogy toolbox. I’ve already identified three new newspaper collections I need to explore for my Swedish immigrant ancestors who settled in the Midwest.
The afternoon brought two sessions that spoke directly to my research challenges: “Intersecting Lines: Pedigree Collapse Helps Identify an Ancestor’s Parents” and “Endogamy? Now what?” My Swedish research has led me into some small farming communities where the same surnames appear generation after generation, creating quite the DNA puzzle! Meanwhile, I’m still searching for that elusive genetic connection to my great-great-grandfather, whose descendants seem remarkably absent from the testing pools. These sessions offered practical approaches to untangling these complicated genetic relationships.
I couldn’t miss Crista Cowan’s “What’s New at Ancestry” presentation. She’s known as the “Barefoot Genealogist” for good reason — her down-to-earth explanations of complex features always leave me with new search strategies to try.
“Beyond the Brick Wall: Strategies for Pre-1850 U.S. Research” might finally help me push past some third-generation roadblocks in my colonial research. The methodologies for working with indirect evidence were particularly applicable to my current research questions.
The AI-focused sessions (“AI Genealogy: Year Two” and “Efficient Locality Research with AI”) gave me a glimpse into how these emerging technologies might reshape our research methods. I’m cautiously optimistic but still firmly believe in combining these tools with solid traditional methodology—the brick-and-mortar archives aren’t going anywhere just yet!
“Women and Children Second: The Laws and Records of Citizenship” might just hold the key to my most intriguing research puzzle—trying to place a specific man in Illinois in 1929 who might be my ex-father-in-law’s biological father. Understanding how citizenship and residency were documented in that era could lead me to records I haven’t yet considered.
As Day 2 of my RootsTech journey draws to a close, this genealogist is thoroughly exhausted but intellectually energized! I still have Friday and Saturday sessions to look forward to, plus all those “watch later” recordings I’ve bookmarked.
I’ll be posting a comprehensive recap of my favorite sessions once RootsTech concludes on Saturday, so stay tuned to this space! Those midnight, 4 AM, and 5 AM slots on my calendar are definitely NOT appointments with consciousness—just placeholders for content I’ll watch at more reasonable hours over the coming weeks.
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