From the DC Public Library:
People and families in seven communities are one step closer to being able to digitize and preserve videotapes, photographs and other family keepsakes at their library. Their libraries have been awarded a Memory Lab Network Grant.
The Karuk Tribal Library, CA; Houston Public Library, TX; Pueblo City-County, CO; Los Angeles Public Library, CA; New Ulm Public Library, MN; Boyle County Public Library, KY; and Broward County Public Library, FL are the recipients of the grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
As centers of learning and catalysts of community change, libraries and museums connect people with programs, services, collections, information, and new ideas in the arts, sciences, and humanities. They serve as vital spaces where people can connect with each other,” said IMLS Director Dr. Kathryn K. Matthew. “IMLS is proud to support their work through our grant making as they inform and inspire all in their communities.”
The finalists were selected from more than 30 applicants based on their interest and commitment; location; library system size and population served. The DC Public Library and the Public Library Association are administering the grant.
Under the grant, the libraries will attend a five-day, in-depth digital-preservation boot camp in Washington, D.C. At the camp, staff will receive digital preservation training and equipment recommendations that support their respective digital archiving programs. The project will also create training materials that other libraries can use to create similar programs.
The grant is modeled after the DC Public Library’s Memory Lab, which features technology like scanners and VCRs along with and step-by-step instructions for saving items in a digital format. Since the lab’s launch in 2016, patrons have booked more than 500 sessions and digitized more than 1,200 hours of video, audio cassettes and other personal materials.
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