My Family Archives
 Photo and legal files |
 Flat files and storage cabinet |
The storage cabinet holds boxes of newspapers, artifacts, scrapbooks, and other items. The more hearty books in my collection are kept on a regular bookshelf nearby.
 Flat files |
 Legal files |
 Photo files |
The legal files are fairly self-explanatory.
My photo file cabinet is actually meant for microfiche, but is the right size for 4x6" mylar photo sleeves. Any photograph of that size or smaller is stored here. Small newspaper clippings and other small flat objects are also here.
Although archivists do not recommend basements for storage, mine is completely dry and remains at a fairly consistent coolish temerature, between 65 and 70 degrees.
I've catalogued my collection in a Microsoft Access database. I looked for ready-made software, but finally gave up and designed my own. Using this system, I have linked each item with the people, places and subjects included in the document. I am now able to locate items by searching for a given person or place. In building my own database, I was also able accomodate alternate names, not only for those pesky towns in Latvia that have changed names several times, but for people as well. It has been an enormous help.
I would estimate that approximately one-fourth to one-third of my collection has been digitized (scanned or transcribed), stored in files on my computer. Back-ups are kept in my safe deposit box. Both text documents and photos are linked to the database.
Finally, I will admit that the process of putting this together was both time-consuming and expensive. It took me several months to design the database, and about a year to catalog all of my materials. But the result has been very rewarding.
This site was last updated on February 14, 2004.
Copyright 2002, 2003, 2004 Betsy Thal Gephart.
Family Data | News | Photographs | Scrapbooks
Archives | Links | Share | Home