Preserving Your Family History by Sharing It

Assembling priceless photographs and objects can result in a heritage scrapbook that’s a family heirloom in itself. But how do you share it with your family today and make sure it survives for future generations?

Fortunately, technology offers new ways to create connections more widely than we dared dream even ten years ago. Here are some ways to share your family’s heritage media while protecting it.

Digitizing the Family Record

The first step is to scan or digitize your materials. You can do this yourself as most flatbed scanners sold new today will be able to produce sufficient resolution and color fidelity.

For scanning and editing, Picasa is a sophisticated entry-level program. GIMP is a more advanced editing program that’s similar to Adobe Photoshop. Both are available as completely free online downloads.

Depending on the size and quality of my originals, I scan at 600 dpi (dots per inch) or higher. Software makes adjustments a snap, but it’s very easy to go too far as well. With scrapbook pages, be sure to remove sheet protectors to reduce glare. For an archival-quality scan, the Library of Congress recommends saving in TIFF format. Then make a copy of the image for any color or editing adjustments needed to match the original.

Most stores with photo centers also have photo scanning as an option, though you will probably still need to make a few color adjustments. When you’re happy with the result, it’s time to share.

Ways to Share Family Memories

Picasa offers the ability to upload images directly from the program to a free album on the web, which you can share with family as a slideshow. Or, upload the images to a free account at Flickr.com for more advanced options.

Free websites like Slideroll.com let you produce slideshows that look and feel more like videos. It offers the ability to pan photos and add background music. The web service, combined with downloadable software, also allows sharing via YouTube and by burning to DVD.

My personal preference for sharing family memories is a DVD slideshow. I use widely available archival-grade DVDs (usually they’re a gold color) for longevity and compatibility across devices. These slideshows make excellent personalized gifts that can play on computers and DVD players alike. Most computers now come with video editing and burning software pre-installed, such as Windows MovieMaker or iMovie for Mac.

For a simpler gift, just burn your images directly to a CD or DVD. The recipient of your gift will be able to easily add them to their digital photo collection and screensaver.

Scrapbook MAX!, a Windows-based software program, provides templates and virtual embellishments that you can use with your digital photos and create a traditional scrapbook look and feel and can still be printed and bound or burned to disc for a gift. It costs $40, but has a thriving online community, tutorials and expansion packs.

I’ll have links to all these resources at hometownheritage.org. There, you can also find more information on how to plan and assemble heritage scrapbooks and other media.