Having been around for over six decades, I have seen numerous advances in technology that have changed my life for the better. One of the most amazing and helpful advancements for me is the ability we have today to convert pictures, text and sound into a digital format so it can be easily stored, accessed and shared. I never realized the blessings that could come to individuals and families until I started digitizing a few years ago. I started with old slides and super 8 movies. Once they were digitized I enjoyed how easy it was to access and review these cherished memories. I also found that sharing them electronically with others blessed and enhanced family relationships.
Consider the many types of material that you may have that could be saved and shared digitally:
- Photos
- Home movies
- Missionary calls and releases
- Awards and recognitions
- Books
- Letters
- Cards or notes
- Journals
- Artwork and drawings of children
- Newspaper articles
The Granite Family History Center has many excellent resources for digitizing and you can now schedule a time to use these resources. For patrons who want to scan their documents themselves, we have two new Epson 680W photo scanners, two new Epson V600 flatbed scanners and a book scanner. The scanners are located in two different rooms so that multiple patrons can be using the equipment at the same time, while social distancing. If you are new to scanning, we have consultants available to help train and assist you.
In addition to the scanners that are available for patron use, we have a memory preservation room where our tech team will digitize slides, audio cassette tapes, reel to reel audio, and duplicate DVDs for you. We also just added a digital Super 8 and 8mm film converter to add to the other conversion equipment operated by our tech team.
Often times meaningful pictures and documents that have the potential of blessing family members of many generations, are thrown in a box, stuck in the basement and forgotten until someone dies. Those cleaning out the house may not understand the value and dispose of or simply transfer these memories to another basement. We have the opportunity now to preserve these memories in a format that is safe and easily accessible to all family members. Don’t delay. Make an appointment to start digitizing and preserving your memories today!
–Dave Castleton – Director, Granite Family History Center
Thank you for sharing this blog each week. I have been following it for about 4 months now and every week I feel inspired and uplifted by the articles and stories shared. Having our own local Family History Library is truly a blessing!