Online registration for the NGS 2018 Family History Conference opens on Friday, 1 December 2017. Registration brochures will be mailed to members in November. If you are not a member, e-mail Courtney Holmes to request a brochure to be mailed to you.

All speakers are asked to submit a two or four-page summary of the highlights of their lectures (also called a handout) which we publish in a syllabus. All conference registrants will receive the full conference syllabus by e-mail about one week prior to the conference.  The e-mail will include a password to access the syllabus in a PDF format, and you can save this digital file to your computer or handheld device. This early release of the syllabus provides the opportunity to print summaries for the lectures you plan to attend if you did not order the printed syllabus. If you pre-ordered the full syllabus on USB drive and/or the print version during Early Bird* registration, it will be distributed with your registration materials. [Early Bird Registration applications received online or postmarked by 20 March 2018 may include an order for a printed syllabus for an additional $35 and/or the syllabus on a USB drive for an additional $5 to be picked up at the conference at attendee check-in.] We recommend that first-time conference attendees consider ordering the printed syllabus, as it is easier to browse and to become familiar with the speakers and their topics. The printed syllabus will not be available for purchase at the conference. The summaries for each lecture are also available on the NGS Conference App and can be found by clicking on the speaker, lecture, and handouts under Resources.

Most attendees dress in casual or business attire during the day and in business clothing for social events. Wear good walking shoes and bring layers; air-conditioning is difficult to regulate in large facilities, and lecture rooms can be overly warm or chilly.

Yes. Lectures will be recorded for speakers who granted permission to record. Sessions not being taped are identified in the conference program with a pen that indicates “note taking.” Audio recordings will be sold on-site during the conference and afterward.

Absolutely. Beginners revitalize our field. NGS welcomes and encourages genealogists of all levels to attend NGS conferences. Each speaker targets lectures to a certain level of research expertise, from beginner to advance. The Registration Brochure will indicate the experience level for each lecture. Beginners will also learn from lectures targeted to more advanced audiences. In addition, beginners will benefit by visiting the exhibit hall, which features genealogical software, DNA providers, books, research aids, genealogical and historical societies, and much more.

Yes. NGS Family History Conferences are geared towards all researchers, wherever their interests lie. NGS holds conferences in different parts of the country to enable our members throughout the United States to attend. Each year the main focus is on a certain geographical area and research in that area. In 2018 some lectures will focus on midwestern states and migration paths to the Midwest. However, all NGS conferences contain sessions on varied ethnicities, methodologies, immigration, record groups, repositories, and technology including social media and DNA.

The sessions and events will be held in the DeVos Place Convention Center. The exhibit hall, lectures, registration, luncheons, and à la carte food items will also be available at the conference center. Please see the Conference Registration Brochure, which will be released on 1 December 2017, for specific details. All events will be held on two floors of the DeVos Convention Center and the Exhibit Hall and luncheons are close to the lecture rooms. The Amway Grand Plaza Hotel is adjacent to the convention center.

The full conference registration includes admission to all sessions and lectures. Single-day registrations include admission to all sessions and lectures on that particular day. Social events, tours, and workshops require an additional fee and must be purchased during pre-registration.

No, it is not a requirement, but if the event is oversold, librarians have priority. However, the program is tailored for genealogical librarians and librarians who serve genealogists. This pre-conference event requires advance registration.

Yes and no. Conference registration is not required for the BCG Education Fund Workshop or Librarians’ Day, which are pre-conference events. However, each does require registration for the particular event. A conference registration is required for all other workshops.

No. You may select the “Meals Only” registration option and pay to attend the social event(s) you choose.

No, you may not attend without purchasing a luncheon ticket or stand in the back of the room. Luncheons are “meal events.” People who purchase tickets are not only paying for the meal, they are also paying to hear the luncheon speaker’s presentation.

Unfortunately not. All meal tickets must be purchased prior to 20 April 2018 because NGS must give a meal count to the caterer in advance.

To add meals or workshops to your existing registration prior to 20 April 2018, log on at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org, click on My Account, and then My Events. If you are asked to select a registration type, choose Meals Only. You may print a copy of your Agenda, add workshops and meal events, or add events to your calendar. For cancellations and questions, please e-mail our conference registrar, Courtney Holmes.

Please contact Courtney Holmes to be placed on a wait list.