Genealogical Society Holds Conference in Salt Lake City

The National Genealogical Society had the largest attendance ever at its national conference when the group met in Salt Lake City in August. An officer of the group says the Church’s Genealogical Library was part of the reason.

Kip Sperry, who served as NGS national conference chairman for 1984–85, says the quality of the program and of the convention facilities—Salt Lake City’s Salt Palace—also contributed to the success of the convention. But, he said, the LDS Church headquarters is thought of as “the international center for genealogy,” because of the library and the Church’s emphasis on genealogy. Many of those attending the conference came early or stayed afterward to take advantage of the opportunity to work in the Church library.

Brother Sperry, a collection development specialist for the United States and Canada in the Church’s Genealogical Library and the only LDS member of the NGS governing council, said more than 2,300 people came to the August 6–9 conference. That was double the attendance at any previous national conference since the 82-year-old NGS began holding them in 1981.