Preservation Week 2024: Preserving Identities

Overview

From family letters buried in the attic to computer hard drives from 2002 storing digital photographs, everything deteriorates over time. Preservation is the set of strategies used to slow that deterioration down and ensure future generations have access to the things we use today. We at the Athens-Clarke County Library Heritage Room believe that these paper, digital, film, and other mementos should last a lifetime and beyond. The physical and digital materials used today, as well as those used in the past, contain important information about an individual, the community, as well as our cultural identities and experiences as humans. The preservation of these materials contribute to our understanding of history and its participants just as collections in libraries, museums, and archives do. The personal materials hiding in attics, basements, closets, or on the forgotten Dell Inspiron 2200 laptop from 2006 all hold value historically. So, the Heritage Room has developed a series of programs around Preservation Week 2024: Preserving Identities to help the Athens-Clarke County Community preserve their valuable and vibrant collections. By attending one of the programs listed below participants will be entered into a drawing to win a professional Photo Preservation Kit.

Events

Heritage Room Open House

Saturday, April 27, 2024, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Multipurpose Room A, Athens-Clarke County Library, 2025 Baxter St, Athens, Georgia
More Information
Join Clarke Oconee Genealogical Society & the Athens-Clarke County Library Heritage Room to kick off 2024’s Preservation Week: Preserving Identities. Bring in family photos, heirlooms, or other items to share stories and experiences with other attendees. Stay for a short presentation about Preservation Week activities and the digitization equipment available to use at the library for FREE. Then small groups will be able take a behind the scenes tour of the archives at the Athens-Clarke County Library.

Book Us! Scanning Sessions

All day Saturday, April 27, 2024; various times Wednesday, May 1, 2024; and Thursday, May 2, 2024.
Heritage Room, Athens-Clarke County Library, 2025 Baxter St, Athens, Georgia
Register Here
Celebrate Preservation Week by booking a one-on-one with Heritage Room staff to learn how to digitize your family photos, slides, negatives, documents or other material. Please note that each session is for 45 minutes, so please plan accordingly. If you have questions please email heritageroomref@athenslibrary.org

Creating a Personal Digital Archive

Tuesday, April 30, 2024, 5:30pm-7:00pm
Hybrid, ACC Library, Multipurpose Room A or Online via ZOOM
Register Here
Just like paper, digital materials like photos, documents, and data can be damaged over time. Learn from Heritage Room staff, with archival and digital preservation experience, how to best plan, organize, and execute a personal digital archive plan. We will review various file types, software solutions, equipment, digital organizational methods, and workflows that will help you get started.

Organizing & Care for Personal Collections

Tuesday, May 14, 2024, 5:30pm-7:00pm
Hybrid, ACC Library, Computer Classroom or Online via ZOOM
Register Here
Do you have photos, slides, film, documents, textiles, furniture, artwork, silver, ceramics, stoneware, crystal, or various other types of materials to care for; not sure how to organize or store those materials? Learn expert tips from Heritage Room staff with archival preservation experience on how to best organize and store your heirlooms for the future. Downsizing and not sure what to keep, sell, or donate? Staff will share tips and best practices for curating a personal collection future generations will value. Examples of storage materials and organizational workflows will be reviewed. Be sure to come in-person to see examples and get some hands-on experience.

Funds for this project were provided by Georgia Public Library Service through the Library Services and Technology Act from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).