May 5, 2011 -- Who are you going to ask for advice on preserving your personal photographs?
A Library of Congress staff member answers questions about personal digital archiving. Credit: Bill LeFurgy
If you were able to come to the Library of Congress on Saturday, April 30, you knew exactly who to talk with: staff experts in physical and digital preservation. They were meeting with the public as part of Personal Archiving Day, held in celebration of national Preservation Week (external link).
About 150 people seized the chance to ask questions about keeping everything from 50-year old film negatives to today’s digital pictures. One person wanted some advice about moving digital images from 3 ½” floppy disks, while another confessed to keeping a family slide collection in a disused hot tub.
"I am so glad you are doing this," said a visitor. "I never really thought about preserving my digital photographs and other files, but now I see that it is really important. I’ve got some work to do!"
Library staff from NDIIPP and the Preservation Directorate. Credit: Bill LeFurgy
Staff from the Preservation Directorate provided guidance about care and handling of photographic prints and negatives, including the proper kinds of folders, containers and other storage supplies. Representatives from the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program answered questions about all things digital.
For information from the Library on keeping your hard copy family treasures, see //www.loc.gov/preservation/family/. Details about personal digital archiving can be found at http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/personalarchiving//.
