Imagine a Madison where stories can be preserved, regardless of income, experience, or access to technology. The Personal Archiving Lab’s collection of equipment allows patrons to digitize tapes, DVDs, audio cassettes, photographs, paper documents, and more, all at no cost.
In 2024 alone, nearly 200 training appointments were booked.As Community Engagement Librarian Sean Ottosen explains, “People bring all kinds of materials that are meaningful for them, including school art projects, answering machine recordings, photo albums from R&R trips during wartime, videos of holiday gatherings, and scrapbooks, just to name a few.”
It was important to library staff to create a welcoming environment that respects the emotional nature of this work. “Through the digitzation process, users may hear a voice from long ago or see a friend who has recently passed. So securing a private space, as much as we can in a public building, is crucial,” notes Ottosen.
What makes the Personal Archiving Lab unique is not just access to equipment, but the opportunity to participate in the process of preserving memories. Visitors are engaging, and building confidence with new technology and archival workflows. “Digitization projects can feel overwhelming at first,” Sean explains. “But after a tutorial, many people realize it’s simpler than they thought, and they feel confident getting started.”
Thanks to a generous gift from the John & Twila Sheskey Charitable Fund, the Library’s Personal Archiving Lab is helping even more neighbors preserve the moments that matter most. In making the gift, Catherine Sheskey worked with Foundation staff to design a meaningful tribute to her parents, inspired by their shared interest in genealogy and preserving personal and local history. The Personal Archiving Lab was a perfect fit!
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