The Final Stretch
Today was the final day of RootsTech 2025, and I’m officially genealogied-out (if that’s not a word, it should be!). I dragged myself out of bed at 8 AM to start my day a recorded session (and a very large cup of coffee), and somehow managed to power through nine total sessions lasting just over 9 hours. My coffee maker definitely earned its keep today! It was a long day, but worth every minute to squeeze as much learning as possible from this fantastic conference.
Today’s Genealogical Feast
Morning Sessions
I started with Michael Brophy’s recorded session on “Unlocking Your Family’s Hidden Story: Harnessing the Powers of the United States Census.” I had one of those “why didn’t I think of that?” moments when he talked about the various demographic insights contained in the census records. And the information about where to find the enumeration district maps will hopefully help me find some “lost” ancestors in Brooklyn, NY!
Next was a live session on “Document Analysis: Digging into the Details” with Angela Packer McGhie. Her methodical approach to examining documents and asking questions when analyzing them was was eye-opening – I’ve definitely been skimming over details that could break down my brick walls. Her handout is already flagged in Evernote and waiting for me to put her techniques into practice.
Nicole Dyer’s live session on “AI-Powered Transcription of Handwritten Documents” felt like it was created just for me. Anyone who’s stared cross-eyed at Swedish parish records knows my pain! The AI tools she demonstrated might save me from the headaches I get trying to decipher my great-grandfather’s birth record. I bookmarked Transcription Pearl before the session even ended.
Afternoon Sessions
After a quick lunch break with my husband (who I fear I have been neglecting a bit this week), I continued with Lisa Stokes’ session on “Citing Family Sources.” She has a fantastic way of making citations sound easy! I thought of the boxes of WWII letters from my grandfather to my grandmother, and the other WWII from my great uncles to my great-grandparents, sitting untouched, silently judging me for months now. This session gave me the kick I needed to finally start documenting them properly.
Shannon Green’s “From Questionable to Credible” session was great. She has a nice, straightforward action plan for treating questionable sources that I think I can easily work into my current workflow (along with Angela Packer McGhie’s questions as well!).
The live session on “Learning to Use AI Tools” with Steve Little a bit of a repeat (after all, this is the THIRD session of his that I’ve taken this weekend!), but he’s a very good speaker. I need to figure out how to tame the jungle of DNA match information I’m working through for my report for my Research Like a Pro® with DNA course. And his suggestion about transcribing oral interviews will definitely come in handy when I finally have a chance to interview my parents.
Allison DePrey Singleton’s session on “Using the Genealogy Center from Home” revealed several databases at the Allen County Public Library I had no idea I could access remotely. There go next weekend’s plans – in the best possible way!
Evening Sessions
Even as my energy was flagging, I couldn’t resist Shannon Combs-Bennett’s “Finding Your Family Online at the Library of Congress” session, and I wrapped up with LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson’s “The Importance of Developing Research Plans”. Her organized approach to crafting a research questions was exactly what I needed – it’s the part I have the most trouble with, even though I have lots of unanswered questions!
Applying What I’ve Learned
My Airtable has dozens of new entries, my digital folders are stuffed with handouts, my Evernote notebooks are full, and my to-do list has grown impressively. With about 25 sessions still waiting in the wings (strategically scheduled over the next few months), I’ve got plenty of learning still ahead.
My priorities after this knowledge-filled weekend:
- Try those DNA clustering techniques to organize my Swedish matches (they’re multiplying faster than I can track them!)
- Set up a proper citation system for the family artifacts
- Set up a document analysis “cheat sheet” for myself to tackle the Swedish records I’m reviewing
Between the Research Like a Pro® with DNA course and the upcoming study group on Evidence Explained with Cari Taplin, my genealogy calendar is pleasantly full. The past three days have given me new tools and perspectives to tackle those stubborn research questions.
Now I think I’ve earned a short break before diving back into those Swedish parish records. But first, I need to update my calendar with those 25 remaining sessions… because apparently, I’m a glutton for genealogical punishment! 📚🔍😴
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