RootsTech Week Day 1 in the bag

What really happened, despite what you might have heard, that was not me...

What fun at the FamilySearch Library. Wow, its big!

Today’s Relative Count that I found in person: 18

Bullet list of activities today:

Met 3 cousins at Starbucks, and walked to the FS Library with them, chatting away. In line with about 35 others, it was a tad chilly and that hot chocolate was yum.

Got my favorite spot - 3 monitors, facing the room, next to the windows, 3rd floor.

Researched an hour, first set of book lookups done.

Guest live spot on Dear Myrt with Robin and Rick, a good time! If you haven’t checked that video out on youtube, go check it out.

Getting to meet Robin and have some giggles with her, was a fun ‘start’ to our friendship, since we had barely been chatting online for a few weeks now. She was so positive and supportive of my huge amount of nervousness! From her I learned that there is video software that will remove my ‘umms’ from videos. Learned something new today, yay, Robin, thanks!!

Met/saw/talked to 7 ‘famous’ genealogy influencers today. Not going to drop any names, because they are regular people doing regular research too, but I did wave like the fangirl that I am.

Learned about slide carousel digitizing machine, disc negative adapter, ClearClick digitizer, and other fun awesome ideas to bring back to the DigiStation! Spoke with some really fun digital engineers and got some 3D files to make some stuff that we need. (Alexis? Please?) Scan station has 2 new patron book scanners: Book eye 4s. Nice and large, way better and way easier for patrons than our Czur. Not sure the cost but might be a wishlist item soon.

Printed a 4-generation full color fan chart of my Dad to use at the next family reunion. It also highlighted VERY CLEARLY for me where my next brick wall challenge needs to focus.

Back to research. Found out that a 5-volume set of books I need that only exist in SLC have no index… there’s a much later ‘published’ printed index and there is ONE copy in the entire U.S. It is in L.A. at the FamilySearch Library there. Los Angeles not Louisiana. WHAT??? Yeah, and they’re closed today. First item on to-do list for tomorrow, call to see if pretty please they will do ‘just one’ lookup?

Got email from an amazing Ship Brooklyn researcher that she will be here just for the day on Wednesday. After a year of collabs via phone and text, I hope to get to hug her neck in person. She told me of 2 out of print books I needed to look up here to further our work on that line, and I found those and got pages digitized.

Then, checked out all the new Discovery Experiences downstairs. Create your own Coat of Arms, All About Me, Picture My Heritage, Where Am I From?, Tell Your Story, Picture My Face. All fun!

Met and talked to 7 FS volunteers, who were all Relatives. That count is growing. Everyone is so nice. I love family historians.

Found 3 more Relatives at lunch. Snack bar is newly renovated and has some great options. Pot pie, little pizzas, hot pockets, salads, Lunchables, fruit cups, lots of snack and drink choices and more. Microwave, utensils and condiments provided.

Both lockers and printing are free.

Went next door to Church History Museum. Ironically, just this morning, they took down the Brooklyn painting to rotate out the exhibit. Samuel Brannen’s chair and the sailers thimble were still there (photos below). Spoke with 2 sweet volunteers, the curator and the Ship Brooklyn historian who was in charge of recovery and validation of the painting. He was amazing and answered many of my odd questions and referred me to 2 different sources to track down Ship Brooklyn artifacts. Stay tuned.

About another hour of research in the stacks before the tummy growl took over and the slow headache started creeping in. After getting some restaurant recommendations, we walked about .3 mile to Crown Burgers and it was excellent. Are you listening, Franchisees? Houston needs a Crown (dare I say Tomball?). Nice brisk walk back to the library to wear off the fries. And did I mention they have 8 different shake flavors and baklava? I was a little worried about today’s weather, but in my cardigan, the only thing cold was my nose.

For the very last research half hour of the day, I looked for a microfiche that appears to be missing (try again tomorrow and talk to yet another FS research specialist), and learned how to use the map room, and found a cousin whose father on the FS FamilyTree said Walt Disney, no joke! He was a tad freaked out, but still was a good sport about it. The friends standing around joked, “Mickey, I am your Father” cue Mickey’s voice with a Darth Vader twist. We all laughed so hard. 4 new Relatives.

Then suddenly, it was 7:55 and I had to sprint out the door, they were already locking it. Oh, no!!! I’m THAT patron! (library friends cringe). I’m surprised that my genea-bud didn’t give up on me, but she’s a good sport and knows I was out making connections. Yes “Alan Disney” was my Relative, too.

Conclusion: Salt Lake is a blast when filled with genealogists. Didn’t meet a single person today I wasn’t related to. No kidding.

Tomorrow’s Plan

Archives and Records Custodian’s Symposium

We have brunch, first session, then load buses for tour to BYU’s Center for Family History and Genealogy tour and BYU Library tour, rounding out a buffet dinner and I should be back with just enough time to look for a couple of ship manifests at the library. We’ll see what happens instead.

I am so very blessed to have the opportunity to meet all of these wonderful people and I am so thankful that they are all here volunteering and giggling with me. Great times, great folks. Life is good.