| Schedule | Recorded Presentations & Videos | Instructor Bios |
| Student Collections |
WELCOME!
Thank you for registering for the online course, Organizing and Preserving Your Family History Papers!
Do you have boxes of family papers, photographs, and letters in your basement or attic? Learn how to organize and preserve these important family heirlooms for generations to come. In this online course the archival experts at New England Historic Genealogical Society and the Jewish Heritage Center at American Ancestors will guide you through the process of assessing your collection for preservation needs, storing and caring for photographs and albums, managing your born-digital files, scanning and digitizing your materials, and organizing your collection.
This course includes five 90-minute classes; exclusive access to handouts and recordings of each presentation; and in-depth q&a sessions with the instructors.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Return to this page often for additional resources!
| Course Activity | Dates of Access | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Class #1 | ||
| Class #1: Online presentation (live!) | 1/17/2018, 6:00 eastern time | Class #1: Surveying Your Collection Instructor: Judy Lucey, Archivist Archivist Judy Lucey will discuss the first essential steps in organizing and preserving your family papers: surveying what you have, evaluating the condition of your family items, identifying preservation issues, and making a plan for how to proceed. |
| Video of Class #1 | 1/18/2018 and after | Watch the first class presentation. Available exclusively to course participants. |
| Class #2 | ||
| Class #2: Online presentation (live!) | 1/24/2018, 6:00 eastern time |
Class #2: Caring for Photos, Albums, and Scrapbooks |
| Video of Class #2 | 1/25/2018 and after | Watch the second class presentation. Available exclusively to course participants. |
| Class #3 | ||
| Class #3: Online presentation (live!) | 1/31/2018, 6:00 eastern time |
Class #3: Organizing and Preserving Born-Digital Items Note: To attend, return to your confirmation email received at the time of registration with a link to the live event. If you are unable to attend the live event a recording will be posted to this page, the following day (see below). |
| Video of Class #3 | 2/1/2018 and after | Watch the third class presentation. Available exclusively to course participants. |
| Class #4 | ||
| Class #4: Online presentation (live!) | 2/7/2018, 6:00 eastern time |
Class #4: Best Practices for Digitizing Family Papers Note: To attend, return to your confirmation email received at the time of registration with a link to the live event. If you are unable to attend the live event a recording will be posted to this page, the following day (see below). |
| Video of Class #4 | 2/8/2018 and after | Watch the fourth class presentation. Available exclusively to course participants. |
| Class #5 | ||
| Class #5: Online presentation (live!) | 2/14/2018, 6:00 eastern time |
Class #5: Organizing Your Collection Note: To attend, return to your confirmation email received at the time of registration with a link to the live event. If you are unable to attend the live event a recording will be posted to this page, the following day (see below). |
| Video of Class #5 | 2/15/2018 and after | Watch the fifth class presentation. Available exclusively to course participants. |
RECORDED PRESENTATIONS & VIDEOS
Class 1: Surveying Your Collection
Presented by: Judy Lucey, Archivist, American Ancestors
Running Time: 1:46:39
Live Broadcast: January 17, 2018
In this first class, Archivist Judy Lucey discusses the first essential steps in organizing and preserving your family papers: surveying what you have, evaluating the condition of your family items, identifying preservation issues and storage supply needs, and making a plan for how to proceed.
Class 2: Caring for Photos, Albums, and Scrapbooks
Presented by: Timothy Salls, Archivist, American Ancestors
Running Time: 1:28:17
Live Broadcast: January 24, 2018
A picture is worth a thousand words—but how do we make sure those words are around for generations to come? Manager of Manuscript Collections Timothy Salls will discuss how to properly care for and store photographs, photo albums, negatives, and scrapbooks.
Class 3: Organizing and Preserving Born-Digital Items
Presented by: Stephanie Call, Manager, Jewish Heritage Center at American Ancestors
Running Time: 1:35:42
Live Broadcast: January 31, 2018
Although not paper, born-digital files, such as emails, genealogical software files, and digital photographs, are an integral part of your family history collection and legacy. Learn how to make sure these important files should be cared for and incorporated into your preservation activities.
Class 4: Best Practices for Digitizing Family Papers
Presented by: Sally Benny, Curator of Digital Collections, American Ancestors
Running Time: 1:34:34
Live Broadcast: February 7, 2018
In this class, Curator of Digital Collections Sally Benny will discuss best practices for digitizing your family papers and photographs at home. She will provide recommendations for scanning equipment and software for enhancing images, and discuss when it’s necessary to seek professional assistance.
Class 5: Organizing Your Collection
Presented by: Lindsay Sprechman, Collections Archivist, Jewish Heritage Center at American Ancestors
Running Time: 1:36:27
Live Broadcast: February 14, 2018
Now that you have completed your collection survey, identified preservation issues, learned about proper storage, and digitized your collection, it’s time to organize! Collections Archivist Lindsay Sprechman will offer suggestions on how to arrange your papers and prepare for possible donation to an archive.
INSTRUCTOR BIOS
Sally Benny, Curator of Digital Collections joined the staff in 2010 and works in the R. Stanton Avery Special Collections Department. She has an M.S. in library science with a concentration in Archives Management from Simmons College. She previously worked at the Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America. Her interests include digital preservation; digitization; and genealogical research in Nantucket, Virginia, North Carolina, Cornwall, Finland, and Sweden.
Stephanie Call, Manager of Jewish Heritage Center at American Ancestors is responsible for managing and overseeing the JHC’s core activities of archival preservation, family history, and educational outreach. Stephanie received a B.A. in English and Jewish Studies from Mount Holyoke College and a M.S. in Library and Information Science with a concentration in Archives Management from Simmons College. She is a member of the Society of American Archivists and the New England Archivists.
Judy Lucey, Archivist joined the staff in 2003. She received a B.S. in Education from Northeastern University and an M.S. in Library and Information Science from Simmons College. Her genealogical interests include Irish genealogy, Newfoundland, 19th and 20th century genealogy, Beginning genealogy, Italian genealogy, and the history of Cambridge and Somerville, Mass.
Timothy G. X. Salls, Manager of Manuscript Collections manages the R. Stanton Avery Special Collections Manuscripts Department, which includes the Society's manuscript collections and archives. Timothy Salls is from Framingham, Massachusetts and joined the Society in 1995. Tim received a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell and an M.S. Information and Library Science from Simmons College’s Graduate School of Library & Information Science with Archives concentration.
Lindsay Sprechman, Collections Archivist of Jewish Heritage Center at American Ancestors began her work at the JHC in October 2014 as an intern and joined the staff in August 2015. As Collections Archivist, Lindsay manages processing projects and is responsible for reviewing and encoding finding aids. She received a B.A. in History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a M.S. in Library and Information Science with a concentration in Archives Management from Simmons College. She is a member of the Society of American Archivists and the New England Archivists.
STUDENT COLLECTIONS
Course Handouts
Class 1 Handout
Class 1 Slides Worksheet
Class 1 Slides (large)
Class 2 Handout
Class 2 Slides Worksheet
Class 2 Slide (large)
Class 3 Handout
Class 3 Slides Worksheet
Class 3 Slides (large)
Class 4 Handout
Class 4 Slides Worksheet
Class 4 Slides (large)
Class 5 Handout
Class 5 Slides Worksheet
Class 5 Slides (large)
Suggested Resources
Collection Survey Worksheet
Photographic Survey Worksheet
Vendor List