Countdown to RootsTech 2014 - Things to Remember

The excitement is building with RootsTech 2014 coming up so quickly! Hopefully, you are registered to attend one or more days of the conference, February 6-8, 2014. There is still time to register to attend at https://rootstech.org/registration/.  If you cannot attend, please join in the streaming classes as listed here.

There are always so many things to think about at the last minute so here are a few reminders.

Download the Mobile App

It is a useful tool to help you create your schedule and plan your time at the conference.
     Here is the Apple app.
     Here is the Google play app.
     Don't have an iPhone, iPad, or Android device? View the Web app.

Enter your schedule as best you know. This helps FamilySearch plan for the crowds. Remember that classes are first come, first served.

Food

Plan ahead for your meals. Bring snacks. Food will be available to purchase at the RootsTech Diner and concession stands for $10-$15 in the Expo Hall. Or, there may still be a few tickets left for purchase for lunch/presentations from industry leaders. Update your registration if you want a ticket to a lunch on Friday or Saturday. If you want to find local restaurants, check out Visit 
Salt Lake.

Wednesday Developer Sessions
If you registered for a full-pass to the conference you can attend any of the Developer Sessions on Wednesday afternoon between 11 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Registration Check-in

To get your RootsTech name badge and conference materials, stop by Registration Check-In located in the South foyer of the Salt Palace Convention Center. Be sure to bring photo ID. Avoid the lines and check in at your earliest convenience! Registration Check-In is open at the following times:

• Wednesday 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Innovator Summit
• Wednesday 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 
• Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Friday 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 
• Saturday 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Thursday Evening Opening Social 
The free opening night social will have a light dessert buffet starting at 6 p.m., with the entertainment taking center stage at 6:30 p.m. You will receive a ticket in your registration package. Be sure to keep it safe. 

Friday Night Fun at the Library

The Family History Library is the place for a Friday Night Pizza Party.  The largest library of its kind in the world is staying open late for you. Come do some research, find a name, and grab a slice of pizza. There will be an "Open Mic Night" for five-minute story sharing and then catch an episode of The Story Trek, hosted by Todd Hansen, who will be a keynote speaker at RootsTech Saturday morning. Tickets for the pizza are nearly gone, but the library is open late that night for everyone!

Interactive and Hands-on

Be sure to check out the new Family Discovery Exhibit, sponsored by FamilySearch, in the RootsTech Expo Hall.

Photo Scanning Area

Make digital copies of family photos that you can preserve, share, and even upload directly to your FamilySearch Family Tree. There are also plenty of high-capacity scanners that make great digital copies quickly. 

What to do: Bring the photos you want to scan and a flash drive. 

Recording Booth - Record Your Story

Video or audio record your favorite family story in one of our enclosed sound booths. Your private recording session includes ten minutes of recording time and you'll get a copy of it on a flash drive. Enjoy sharing the memory for many years to come. 

What to do: Think of a family story or memory that you want to capture and preserve. Story helps will be provided on-site.

Record a Call - With Someone Who Inspires You

Make a phone call that will last a lifetime. Simply call a parent, grandparent, or someone who inspires you and find out more about their life. Our app will record the conversation and you can take it and treasure the memory for years. 

What to do: Bring a phone number of a person you want to call and interview, as well as an email address you'd like to send the recorded file to.

See Yourself in History

How would you look as a cowboy or as one of the pretty maids all in a row? Have your face (and the faces of your friends) added to one of several fun antique photos and e-mail yourself a digital copy you can share. 

What to do: Have an email address to send your new photo to. 

FamilySearch Book Scanning Booth

Get your family book scanned for free. We'll make a digital copy, you keep the original and a searchable PDF copy for yourself. You can also donate personal works, books that are copyright protected, and books that are in the public domain. Questions? bookdonations@familysearch.org

Syllabus Materials
This year's conference syllabus materials are now available to download from the website. They will be available for a limited time after RootsTech 2014 is over, so be sure to download and print them soon.

Be Part of the Conversation

Add your voice to the RootsTech conversation on Twitter and Facebook. Use the official RootsTech hashtag (#RootsTech) for your tweets and posts! It could win you a pass to RootsTech 2015! 

See you there!