SPL Family Research Forum

Are you unraveling the threads of your family history? Swing by the Family Research Forum every third Tuesday for inspiration and advice. The wise sages at SPL will light the way for you to boost your genealogy skills. Stick around till the end to ask a question or spin stories of your epic lineage. We’d love for you to join us in a magical hour of learning and sharing.
Preserving Personal Archives in the Digital Age is an illustrated talk exploring how individuals and families can safeguard their personal histories and contribute to shared cultural memory in an era where technology often acts as a hurdle more than a tool. The talk covers case studies in citizen & public archiving and introduces practical techniques to preserve and extend the life of photos, documents, and digital files. Participants will learn simple systems for long-term storage and discover how to conceptualize small-scale “living archives” using a hybrid approach that blends new technology with traditional archival practices. Our presenter is Cal LaFountain is a writer focused on cultural memory, archival storytelling, and emergent preservation technologies. Learn more at www.callafountain.com