Each day, POINTers arrive early at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and immediately head for the film readers and/or computers to start or continue their research, in many cases helped by the staff and volunteers of the Library.
Those who had made prior arrangements through Ruth Merriman (#4887) to have the films they needed brought to the Library from the Archival Vaults find that the films are ready for them and the daily work/fun begins.

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Dominic Militello
A former collegiate soccer player at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and professional player with both the Salt Lake Sting and the Atlanta Attack, Dominic spoke of what it was like growing up as the middle child (he has a brother and three sisters) and what child psychologists say about the problems of being a middle child. He then told a story about each of his siblings as well as his parents.

Joanne Milner
A senior advisor to Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, Joanne served three terms in the Utah State House of Representatives and is an advocate for under-represented ethnic minorities. Joanne also spoke about what it was like growing up in an Italian-American family, and her love of her family and her Italian heritage.

Following the talks, Tom thanked everyone for coming and supporting POINT, and encouraged all to return in 2010.

From the moment we walked through the front door of the Family History Library on Monday morning until we said our last good-byes after dinner on Friday evening, we were immersed in genealogy. Downstairs in Basement #1, we saw rows and rows of microfilm readers and computers, stacks of books, tables everywhere for sitting and writing (or just chatting with each other) and the central desk staffed with helpful, friendly and knowledgeable volunteers, all just a few steps from the classroom where Ruth would give her talks each morning at 11am.

Many POINTers were already at work reading films or using the computers, which they would continue to do until it was time for Ruth’s talk. After each talk, a short break for a bite to eat, and then back to the machines for the rest of each afternoon. It was genealogy heaven.

I asked a couple of POINTers why they did their research at the FHL in Salt Lake, when they could have the same films delivered to their local Family History Center and work close to home. I was told that some local centers may have very few film readers or printers or may be open only certain hours of the day or certain days of the week, meaning they could not always work when they wanted. Also, the delay in waiting for films to arrive after being ordered from Salt Lake could be as much as a month, and then, if one found out another film was needed, there might be another long wait. One POINTer told me he had done more research in one morning at the library than he could have done in a month back home. When he found a film he was reading did not have the record he needed, he just got up and walked a few steps to the film cabinet, pulled out the next roll and went back to the film reader he was using.

Because the number of POINTers attending this conference was smaller than at previous ones, and also because we were all close together all day long all week, we really got to know each other much more, I believe, than at past conferences, and many of us talked about how anxious we were to get back together again at the next conference in 2010, which will also be in Salt Lake and have a similar format.

My husband and I really enjoyed the recent POINT National Conference in Salt Lake City. The vast amount of data stored in the Family History Library and the helpfulness of the people who work there made our researching very easy. The lecture series was instructive and entertaining. It was a wonderful experience. We look forward to 2010.

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the POINT National Conference in Salt Lake City. Ruth's talks and hand-outs were informative and inspirational. Having the staff, interpreters and films at our fingertips made me look forward to each day's research. The Library staff was extremely courteous, enthusiastic and helpful. We were also able to attend several of the other dozens of lectures available at the Library on various subjects. We especially enjoyed getting to know our fellow POINTers better, making new friends and getting reacquainted with those we had met at previous conferences. We worked side by side daily, helping and encouraging one another. It seemed a little like a family reunion ... with Dr. Tom as our patriarch! The dinner and speakers were the icing on the cake. We look forward to the next conference in 2010.

Phone: 702-257-6628
E-mail: DrTom@point-pointers.net

Ruth Merriman: merrimanrl@ldschurch.org