family papers

Digital Preservation Fundamentals

Digital Preservation Fundamentals

An acute preservation challenge lies in saving digital items. Technology enables us to create, use, and be enriched by information in ways that were unthinkable generations ago. But the same advances that make sharing information so easy also pose some problems. The complexity and diversity of technology is overwhelming, even as storage capacity becomes cheaper. The volume of digital data, unstable storage media, and obsolete hardware and software make the usability of digital items a challenge.

How to Save Your Life

How to Save Your Life

As you reflect on your life, what moments or thoughts would you like to save? What about some of your family members? Wouldn’t you like to record their opinions on their lives?

Open-ending questions about people’s life experiences yield surprising results. Use these questions to record your thoughts, or start a conversation with a relative. When possible, record the interview on audio or video.

What Does "Archival Quality" Mean?

What Does "Archival Quality" Mean?

When you are creating your family archives, you will most likely have to rehouse your family treasures in suitable storage containers, such as folders, enclosures, and boxes. These items are often described as “archival” or “archival quality” by their manufacturers, but these terms convey no specifics about their preservation use.

Copyright Fundamentals for Family Historians

Copyright Fundamentals for Family Historians

It may seem as though you wouldn’t have to worry about copyright issues when you are creating family history projects. If you have original diaries, photos, and letters in your possession, you might also think that you own the rights to them, especially if they are old. However, even though you may own the physical materials, the author of the documents retains their legal copyright, sometimes for much longer than you would assume.

Save Your Memories Before It's Too Late

Save Your Memories Before It's Too Late

Everything you own and love will fall apart.

Archivists and preservation professionals try to slow down this process as much as possible. Lucky for you, you have access to the techniques utilized to save the finest and rarest artifacts to protect your family treasures.