Opening Session of NGS – Jay Verkler

• Opening Session - Jay Verkler, CEO of FamilySearch, is talking about technology and how it is advancing so fast.
• Genealogy community is using more and more technology like social networks, digitization, organization and sharing
• FamilySearch's goal since the beginning in late 1800's - collect and copy, preserve, and distribute.
• Verkler is showing a video of the Granite Mountain Vault outside of Salt Lake City
• The microfilm in the vault holds about 3.5 billion images!! And there is more room to grow!
• Some records in the vault are the only copies that exist! Now they are working on digitizing these records.
• Digitization was going to take over a century, but with new technology it will take about 10 years!!
• Over 300,000 registered indexers that help with the digitization process!! Learn more at familysearch.org
• 300 million new records on FamilySearch!!
• In 1984 the GEDCOM standard was set
• FS(FamilySearch) has been working on a collaboration effort called Family Tree
• He is talking about using the iPhone to "pinpoint" his location in a cemetery for reference. <3 the iPhone!
• Even "deep experts" need to collaborate with other "deep experts"
• Now talking about the FS Wiki. "Fundamentally designed for sharing"
• Encourages to contribute to the wiki. Learn more at wiki.familysearch.org
• Register at beta.familysearch.org