FGS Conference in Little Rock September 2-5, 2009

The Federation of Genealogical Societies Annual Conference is set to take place this September 2-5 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Based at the Statehouse Convention Center in the exciting Rivermarket District, this event is drawing genealogists, historians, librarians, and archivists from all over the United States and beyond. You can still join them for four full days of learning more about genealogy, finding cousins, seeing how much is online, seeing how much is not online, figuring out how to get the most out of records, determining what archives or libraries have the answers, helping your genealogy society, and spending some money in the large Exhibit Hall. There will be almost 200 educational sessions. Don’t let this event pass you by.

The Arkansas Genealogical Society is the host for this event that has previously been in Boston, Seattle, Phoenix, Fort Wayne, Davenport, Orlando, Philadelphia, Austin, St. Louis, Dallas, Salt Lake City, Rochester, Cincinnati, Kansas City, and places in-between. It’s a place to meet authors, lecturers, librarians, archivists, and bloggers whose names you will recognize.

Registration Deadline
August 26 is the last day to pre-register for the conference online or by mail. It is also the deadline to reserve your spot at the luncheons, gala banquet, or the special Night at the Ballpark. There may be only a few extra tickets available at the conference registration on Tuesday, September 1st for these events.

Onsite Registration
Tuesday, September 1st is the first day pre-registrants may visit the FGS/AGS registration booths on the lower level of the Statehouse Convention Center to pick up your name tag, tote bag, CD syllabus of lecture handouts, miscellaneous goodies, 20 door prize tickets, and begin the networking. Not pre-registered? No problem. There will be a line for just that task. You may register for one day or the full conference. Registration opens at 2:00 p.m. and runs until 6:00 p.m. on that day. It reopens at 7:00 a.m. on September 2d. Conference Registration

Exhibit Hall
What will you find in this hall on Thursday-Saturday? Aisle after aisle of booths featuring books old, new, and rare; genealogy software and hardware and demonstrations; preservation supplies; genealogical and historical societies; ethnic organizations; libraries; archives; maps; gifts; genealogy professional organizations; DNA companies; popular magazines; scholarly journals; databases; continuing education opportunities; author book signings; publishers; hotels from Salt Lake City; and places to sit, rest, and network with other registrants. The Hall is also open to non-registrants.

Door prizes
Many of the vendors in the Exhibit Hall will be giving away conference door prizes. Each registrant will receive 20 door prize tickets with your conference name tag and syllabus CD at the registration booth. The ticket will ask for your name, mailing and e-mail addresses and phone number. Bring along some of those address labels you have sitting around or print some up before you leave home to save some writing. Each participating vendor will have a box labeled for door prizes. Each attendee chooses which door prize box to drop their tickets in depending on the door prize being given. Some will have more than one door prize drawing during the three Exhibit Hall days. The names of the winners will be posted on a bulletin board in the Exhibit Hall. If you are a winner, all you need to do to claim your prize is to revisit the specific vendor’s booth.

Conference sessions to be recorded
Many of the conference sessions will be audio recorded and available for purchase on CD. Listings of those sessions being recorded will be available at the conference. Jamb-Inc. will be doing the recording and will have a booth where you can make your on-site purchases. The CDs will also be available after the conference from Jamb-Inc. but mailing fees will be charged.

Last minute Conference Information
Be sure to read the Conference News Blog during August and even during Conference Week to learn last minute details, reminders, suggested things to bring along, types of clothing to wear, and detail on special items. . Some exciting special announcements will be made in the next couple of weeks on the blog!