BROOKINGS Learn how to preserve important family documents during two free programs next week at Brookings Public Library.
Michele Christian is archivist and special collections librarian at SDSU and will speak April 22 at 6 p.m. about preserving photos, papers and digital files. Then April 24, Christian and her staff will produce digitals scans for library patrons. Both programs are free; but space is limited for the scanning. Registration is available at bit.ly/regbpl.
Christian said there are simple methods to keep old documents from deteriorating.
Its basic things like putting them in proper boxes or enclosures folders of some sort, she said. Especially with photographs if youre going to be going through them frequently it helps to put them in those polyester or polypropylene sleeves. You can probably get those anyplace. You find them online, at specialty archive stores or in photo stores. It just helps the photos not stick to each other and helps keep everything in good shape.
Shell provide a brief presentation on the world of archiving.
One of the tenets in preservation is, do no harm. So if you cant undo it, dont do it, Christian said. Do not put things through a laminator. That does not save things, and it causes a lot more damage than just letting things be. The glue and the heat that is used to keep the paper sandwiched between the plastic causes irreparable damage.
Shell also discuss preserving digital documents.
Digital photographs do degrade over time, Christian said. The bits and pieces that make up the digital image fall away, corrupt and corrode. One of the things I will be talking about is preventative measures to make sure your files are in good shape and that you can refer back to them over time.
During the scanning event, she and her staff will both digitize photos and paper documents as well as convert old digital files for use with modern technology.
When people come in, well sit them down and talk to them. Well start scanning their materials and once things are scanned, well send them on their way with those items, Christian said. Then well also be bringing a 3 1/2 inch floppy disk drive. If people bring in those disks, we can help you transfer those to another medium so you can still use them.
She said technology has advanced considerable in the last decade.
Things have changed over the past ten years, so itll be nice to tell people about the digital aspects, Christian said. More and more is not being printed, and everybody is sharing digitally. But its going to come to a point where everyone is going to want to save that. So Ill provide information on how to do that.
Christian said shes always been fascinated with history.
Its important to know where weve been in order to see where were going, she said. I first wanted to be a librarian. Then I talked with my grandparents who grew up with the Great Depression and lived through the Roaring Twenties. I thought these things were fascinating hearing how tough things were out on the farm and all the historic events that they witnessed.
She encourages people to act now and preserve materials for future generations.
Im fully aware that not everything is printed anymore. But thats okay, because were getting into that era of learning how to take better care of our digital stuff, Christian said. Thats one of my favorite parts of the job helping people find information about their family or whatever theyre looking for, but then also helping them preserve memories to share with other family members.
She and her staff welcome questions anytime.
Ill try to help them the best I can and lead them to the right information, Christian said. Mostly I help people find information thats in our collection (at SDSU), but I can also connect them with other places where they can find what they need. On our website, theres a researcher form. People can fill out that form, or email or call us. If they want to set up a time to talk, well set up a time.
More information is at https://www.sdstate.edu/sdsu-archives-special-collections.
Contact Jay Roe at [email protected].
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