By: Jodi Roessler, Genealogy Blogger and KGS Board Member

If you have ever even considered attending a genealogy conference, be it big or small; national, state, or regional; DO IT, if even just once! While I am still new to this particular side of the genealogy world, it is one of the best decisions I have made to date in my genealogical journey. I learned so very much in a few short days, and not all of it in the sessions.

My first conference was the Federation of Genealogical Societies 2013 conference held in Fort Wayne, Indiana, conveniently located just steps from the Midwest’s amazing genealogical library at the Allen County Public Library’s Genealogy Center. I chose this conference based on its price within my budget, its location, being relatively close to my current location in Kentucky and my mom in Ohio, and also my desire to visit that library! I was able to cross off several items on my bucket list in that one conference. My mom and Aunt were able to come and share a hotel room with me and help me out with my two youngest children while I was at the conference, which was a big help both financially and logistically so this dream could happen for me. I must say that my first conference was all I had hoped for and so much more because of the friends and acquaintances I made there.

Here are some tips to consider in preparing yourself for your first Genealogy Conference, as learned by a first-time conference attendee:

Download, print, or order the full schedule. Most conferences occur over several days and have multiple sessions being presented throughout the day. I found it best to sit down with one day’s schedule at a time and really examine the offerings for the day. Be sure to consider the following:

• See the Who’s Who in Genealogy. Look for the Featured Presenters/Speakers or Sponsored Sessions, these are sessions that are given by some of the biggest names in the industry. Even if the topic might not immediately connect with your current goals or areas of interest, take the opportunity to catch these speakers if you have not heard them before.
• Make a game plan. Plan your sessions, see where they are being held, and take a look at the layout of the conference. Having an idea of where you are going and when will help immensely, whether you are a first-timer or a seasoned attendee. Note that the sessions being held in larger rooms is a big hint as to what kind of crowd the conference planners are expecting, so you may want to arrive at those early to get a good seat.
• Be flexible. So, I know just mentioned planning all of your moves out, but as helpful as that is for first-

  

  time attendees, allow yourself the option to change your plan as necessary. Make notes in your plan regarding alternative session options, especially when you are really divided on competing sessions. You may opt for Plan B, or a completely different session you had not considered before, and that is okay. By the last day you may be on information overload, and that is a wonderful thing, but if you are feeling tired at any point, it is best not to chance nodding off in a session!

• Download or order the Syllabuses. A session syllabus is a wonderful tool. Depending on the speaker, the syllabus might be a general outline of the session, which you may want to supplement with note-taking, or it could be very detailed,
  giving you time to absorb the discussion without having to take notes. If available, consider getting the entire conference’s syllabuses, this will be helpful in
  those tough decision situations, but also gives you more bang for your buck by still allowing you to learn from the sessions you did not attend.

Do not use the Conference Bag (at the conference). Please don’t get me wrong, I love the conference swag, there are some really cool
things they provide to attendees. Thank you Conference Planners! Many conferences provide a bag of some sort for their attendees. The problem lies in that when everyone is using “The Bag” for that year, the chances of grabbing the wrong bag are high. So, use that bag for your next conference, but for this one, if you choose to tote a bag around, consider something brightly colored and easily identifiable. If you do opt for a bag of some sort, pack snacks, gum, mints, notebooks, pens or pencils, whatever you might need to get you through the day without having to leave the main conference area. Unless, of course, your room is handy!

Ask questions. If you are lost, are unfamiliar with speakers, want to know more, anything, just ask questions! Don’t be shy. There are Conference Volunteers everywhere, in each room, in the hallways, in the expo area, and don’t forget about the friendly person sitting next to you in the session!

Bring your chargers. So many folks use their mobile devices to take notes, keep tabs on their schedule, and check in with social media at conferences. Bring your chargers. You will see people lined up on the walls at some point during the day getting a little extra juice for their phones, tablets, and laptops. Please remember to be mindful of turning your devices to silent, if possible.

Check out the Expo. Most conferences will have some sort of Expo Hall set up. I loved perusing the booths of different companies, interests, and societies. There are often giveaways and door prizes offered up, so it is very handy to have some pre-printed address labels with you to save yourself some writing time. Many of these booths are offering great deals on subscription sites, software, hardware, books and so much more.

Last, but most definitely not least: Be social, talk to people. The education and information being offered at conferences is obviously the main draw, but take the opportunity to talk to your fellow attendees. Network. You already have a common interest in genealogy, so no need for an ice breaker. Feel free to ask about the speaker, the topic, what sessions they are most interested in, etc. I am a naturally shy person, but I found myself uninhibited by my shyness in the conference atmosphere. Who knows, maybe that person sitting next to you is from your area, or is researching the same things as you, hence the common interest in that particular session. This is also a great way to find lunch or dinner friends. Some of my favorite memories from the conference I attended were from these social activities. If you use Twitter or Facebook, be familiar with the official hashtag for the conference as you can get some really excellent information on other sessions going on, speakers, updates, and more. This is another great way to find after-conference events and activities!

These are just a few tips on attending your first genealogy conference, there are many more to be learned, of that I am certain. I hope that this leaves you excited to plan and attend your first genealogy conference, as I know I am excited to plan my second!

About the Author:

As a stay at home mom, Jodi Roessler spends most of her time raising 3 young children and, whenever possible, spending her “spare” time researching their family history. Sometimes she even finds time to blog about it at Braiding Trees: http://braidingtrees.wordpress.com/ . She is active in several Genealogical communities through social media, and has recently become the Corresponding Secretary for the Kentucky Genealogical Society.

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