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Pub. DateTitleDuration
31 Mar 2025RootsTech 2025 Wrap-Up01:10:04

In this episode, co-hosts Elizabeth and Tami talk about their experiences at 2025 RootsTech Conference, from the Expo Hall to the Forums, what’s new at FamilySearch, and what other industry leaders are up to. 

The show begins with a follow-up to Tami’s Ancestry Pet DNA testing and Elizabeth’s FOIA BIRLS request.

Next up are highlights from RootsTech, followed by a visit with Gena Philibert-Ortega, who shares her enthusiasm about GRIP and her passion for reading.

What's Happening includes news about upcoming events, changes, and scholarship deadlines.

During Tea Time, Elizabeth provides an update on NY Vital Records, and Tami discusses genealogy in the virtual world of Second Life.


TIMESTAMPS

2:23 Tami shares results of her pound pup’s DNA test, which included a close shared match.

7:00 Elizabeth talks about receiving one of her FOIA BIRLS files.

RootsTech Wrap Up

14:06 RootsTech online

14:47 Relatives at RootsTech

17:58 FamilySearch's Global Tech Forum

19:21 FamilySearch Family Group Trees

20:23 FamilySearch Tree Integrity

23:26 FamilySearch New Change Log

24:00 Full Text Search Updates

25:01 FamilySearch AI Help ChatBot

26:44 Industry Highlight Forum

28:50 MyHeritage: New Cousin Finder, phone app update

29:57 Storied: Memory books; creating a new census index

31:50 SOAR

32:18 Remento

34:38 Ancestry’s phone scanner and AI tools

35:38 MyHeritage Ancient Origins

39:29 Gena Philibert-Ortega's RootsTech Experience

40:54  Her role at NGS

41:55 GRIP

46:05 Gena’s courses at SLIG

47:47 How Gena fits it into her schedule & reading goals

52:20 What Gena’s currently reading

WHAT'S HAPPENING

56:30 The National Genealogical Society 2025 Family History Conference “Tales & Trails” May 2025.

59:20 BCG adoption of two-part portfolio for CG application process

1:00:50  APG scholarships for the Professional Management Conference

1:02:27  NYG&B seeking volunteers and interns for their digitization team

1:03:21  Scholarship and awards deadlines on Conference Keeper

TEA TIME

1:04:00 New York vital records availability update.

1:06:18  Second Life chapter APG reorganization

RESOURCES

Ancestry Pet DNA - https://petdna.ancestry.com

BIRLS - https://www.birls.org/

RootsTech  https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/

Elizabeth's Blog about Relatives at RootsTech  - https://www.thefamilyheart.com/relatives-at-rootstech/

Imagetotext.io - https://www.imagetotext.io/

FamilySearch Labs - https://www.familysearch.org/en/labs/

FamilySearch Group Trees - https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/family-group-trees-learning-center

FamilySearch New Change Log - https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/using-the-improved-person-changelog-experiment

FamilySearch AI Help ChatBot - https://www.familysearch.org/en/labs/

Content Authenticity Initiative - https://contentauthenticity.org

MyHeritage Cousin Finder - https://blog.myheritage.com/2025/03/introducing-cousin-finder-gain-dna-level-insights-without-a-dna-test/

Storied - https://storied.com

SOAR - https://try.soar.com/team

Remento - https://www.remento.co

Ancestry Scanner - https://support.ancestry.com/s/article/Scanning-Images-with-the-Ancestry-App?language=en_US

Vivid Pix - https://www.vivid-pix.com

GRIP - https://grip.ngsgenealogy.org

SLIG - https://slig.ugagenealogy.org

GoodReads - https://www.goodreads.com

The Quest for Annie Moore of Ellis Island - https://www.amazon.com/Quest-Annie-Moore-Ellis-Island/dp/0996599312

NGS 2025 Family History Conference - https://conference.ngsgenealogy.org

BCG Springboard - https://bcgcertification.org/springboard

APG Scholarships - https://www.apgen.org/apg_awards_and_scholarships.php

NYG&B Internships -   https://www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org/content/internships

NYG&B Volunteers - https://www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org/volunteer 

ConferenceKeeper Awards/Grants/Scholarships - https://conferencekeeper.org/grants-scholarships

SL-APG https://slapg.wordpress.com

SLVGS https://slvirtualgenealogy.org

12 Dec 2024Episode 2: Cool Tools for Genealogy Story Collectors00:45:26

In this episode, co-hosts Elizabeth and Tami share the stories that got them hooked on genealogy.

Next, they discuss several tools for collecting, transcribing, and sharing your family’s stories (some are low-tech and free). They also offer story-collecting gift ideas for family members who missed the holiday get-togethers, as well as those who may be shy or less tech-savvy.

During What’s Happening, Elizabeth shares a call to action to support the Bring Our Heroes Home Act, and Tami shares a reminder to submit your nominees for NGS awards.

Finally, Elizabeth spills the tea on recent genetic genealogy lawsuits, but Tami “cleans up” with good news about recently announced RootsTech keynote speakers and kudos to an amazing 92-year-old FamilySearch volunteer.


TIMESTAMPS:

02:04 Tami’s “lost” family story

03:56 Elizabeth’s “lost” family story


Collecting Family Stories

08:01 The importance of listening and collecting stories

09:18 MyHeritage Live Memory

13:33 The Oral History Association

14:03 Vivid Pix Memory Station Software

17:19 StoryCorps

19:02 FamilySearch Memories

19:45 MyHeritage Mobile App

19:53 Pixstori

20:36 StoryMaps

21:43 Nominate someone for America 250


Recording & Transcribing Tools

24:12 Voice memo apps for iPhone

25:24 Otter.ai

25:53 Zoom transcription

26:53 Google Docs voice typing

Story Collecting Gift Ideas

28:32 StoryWorth

31:47 Storii

33:32 Remento

35:03 The DIY Way (low tech & low cost)


What’s Happening

37:00 APG supports Bring Our Heroes Home Act

38:35 NGS Awards


Tea Time

40:07 Genetic Genealogy lawsuits

42:33 RootsTech Keynote Speaker announcement

43:18 Kudos to FamilySearch Indexing volunteer Marilyn Clement


RESOURCES:

MyHeritage Live Memory - https://cm.myheritage.com/livememory/

Oral History Association - https://oralhistory.org/

Vivid Pix Memory Station Software - https://www.vivid-pix.com/memorystationsoftware/

StoryCorps - https://storycorps.org/

FamilySearch Memories - https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/tag/memories

PixStori - https://www.pixstori.com/

StoryMaps - https://storymaps.com/

America 250 (nominate someone) - https://america250.org/nominate/

Voice Recorder & Audio Editor (Apple app) - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/voice-recorder-audio-editor/id685310398

Otter.ai - https://otter.ai/

Zoom Transcriptions - https://support.zoom.com/hc/en/article?id=zm_kb&sysparm_article=KB0064927

Storyworth - https://www.storyworth.com/

Storii (Save 20% with code FESTIVE24) -

Remento (Save $15 with code SAVE15) - https://www.remento.co/

APG’s 1-Page Summary of BOHHA - https://members.apgen.org/ct.php?lid=346409795&mm=111054848883

Find your Senator - https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm

Find your Representative - https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

NGS Awards - https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/awards/

The DNA Geek: It Just Got Real (GEDmatch lawsuits) - https://thednageek.com/it-just-got-real/

The DNA Geek: FTDNA Joins the “So Sue Me” Party - https://thednageek.com/ftdna-joins-the-so-sue-me-party/

The Legal Genealogist: Of money and chances - https://www.legalgenealogist.com/2024/11/22/of-money-and-chances/

RootsTech Keynote Speakers - https://www.familysearch.org/en/newsroom/rootstech-2025-first-four-keynotes-announced


This episode is sponsored by Vivid Pix. All product opinions are our own.

28 Nov 2024Episode 1: Meet Your Hosts, RootsTech 2025, Black Friday Sales, & This Week’s Fave Tech Tools00:34:46

In this episode, co-hosts Elizabeth Swanay O'Neal and Tami Osmer Mize introduce themselves and discuss their (long!) genealogy journeys.

Then, they share their thoughts on the upcoming RootsTech Conference and give an overview of upcoming Black Friday sales on genealogy products.

During Tea Time, they spill some tea on the latest genealogy social media scuffles and share kudos for an esteemed genealogist who recently earned high honors.

Finally, the duo shares which websites they've been hooked on for the past few weeks.


TIMESTAMPS

About the co-hosts:

  • 00:40 Tami’s introduction and genealogy journey
  • 01:43 Elizabeth’s introduction and genealogy journey
  • 03:37 Elizabeth’s website, Heart of the Family
  • 04:33 Tami’s website, Conference Keeper
  • 08:49 Our vision for this podcast


RootsTech Conference 2025:

  • 10:30 RootsTech 2025 is coming
  • 10:47 In-person vs. virtual
  • 13:05 Shopping at the RootsTech Expo Hall
  • 14:42 The value of attending RootsTech


FamilySearch

  • 15:48 FamilySearch celebrates 130 years
  • 16:22 How we’re benefitting from FamilySearch’s work
  • 17:44 FamilySearch Labs (full-text searching)


Black Friday/Holiday Sales on Genealogy Products:

  • 20:25 Where to find our lists of Black Friday Sales


Tea Time:

  • 26:08 Spilling the tea on social media rumblings
  • 27:08 Kudos to David Rencher


Fave Tech Tools of the Week:

  • 28:11 Elizabeth has been using a site called Character.ai
  • 31:10 Tami’s been finding great stuff on MyHeritage’s Old News newspaper site


Resources:


Please let us hear from you at hello@branchingout.show with your questions and comments!

23 Jan 2025Setting (and Achieving) Genealogy Goals for 202500:48:04

Ready to set your genealogy goals? In this episode, co-hosts Elizabeth and Tami share strategies for setting and successfully reaching your goals, from education plans to specific research results. Elizabeth and Tami talk about their own goals for 2025 and how they plan to achieve them, including tips and tricks to ensure success.

During What’s Happening, they discuss the availability of the RootsTech Schedule and the RootsTech app for 2025, as well as the recently released BIRLS database from Reclaim the Records. Then, Elizabeth spills the tea on the extreme wait times when requesting NY State vital records. Tami brings the sweet tea, discussing FamilySearch’s goals for 2025.

Finally, during Listener Mail, Elizabeth shares where to find closed captioning for the Branching Out Genealogy Podcast.


TIMESTAMPS:

Genealogy Goals

04:34 Setting goals for the new year

05:03 Types of Genealogy Goals

08:35 Elizabeth’s goals for 2025

09:41 Tami’s goals for 2025

10:20 How Elizabeth sets and achieved a significant genealogy goal

15:43 How Tami sets and achieves her genealogy goals


What’s Happening

23:54 RootsTech Schedule & App

29:48 Reclaim the Records - BIRLS database


Tea Time

35:44 New York State Vital Records ordering wait times

40:43 FamilySearch’s Goals for 2025


Listener Mail

44:28 Where to find closed captioning for our podcast


RESOURCES:

GRIP Genealogy Research Institute (GRIP) - https://grip.ngsgenealogy.org/

Jill Morelli's Certification Discussion Group (CDG) - https://thecdgseries.wordpress.com/the-series/

Click-Up App - https://clickup.com/

Notion - https://www.notion.com/

Google Tasks - https://tasks.google.com/

RootsTech 2025 Class Schedule - https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/schedule?day=2025-03-06

RootsTech 2025 mobile app (Android) - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.familysearch.rootstech&hl=en_US

RootsTech 2025 mobile app (Apple) - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/rootstech/id6474192974

Relatives at RootsTech - https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/relatives-at-rootstech-faqs

Reclaim the Records - https://www.reclaimtherecords.org/

BIRLS searchable database (Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem) - https://www.birls.org/

CBS6 Albany Video on NY Vital Records - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYGSG5PmquY&ab_channel=CBS6Albany

FamilySearch's goals for 2025 - https://www.familysearch.org/en/newsroom/what-to-expect-from-familysearch-in-2025

African Oral History project - https://www.familysearch.org/africa/sve/select-country

FamilySearch Labs A.I. Full-Text Search - https://www.familysearch.org/search/full-text

FamilySearch "Get Involved" app - https://www.familysearch.org/getinvolved/

FamilySearch "Together" app - https://www.familysearch.org/discovery/together/welcome

Branching Out Podcast on Apple (live transcripts) - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/branching-out-genealogy-podcast/id1782416781

Branching Out Podcast on YouTube (live transcripts) - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCswrxVYz2y65xXJve-e35WA

_______

We would love to hear from you at ⁠hello@branchingout.show⁠ with your questions and comments!

This episode is sponsored by Vivid Pix.

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