Document Type
Presentation
Abstract
Initially using digitization to make historical photographs, oral histories, and moving images accessible to the public in her role as a professional archivist, Leslie Wagner found it necessary to apply those same concepts as family historian, genealogist, and keeper of the family archives. As the eldest child, the tasks fell to her naturally, but when serving as executrix for her parents' estate (2016-2017), she came into possession of several generations of correspondence, photographs, film, audiotapes, and documents. Beyond the physical aspects of preserving these items, she was also challenged with the need to share the family history with the younger generation. A grandmother of six, she chose to use both digital and physical methods to preserve and disseminate images, along with their context in the family history, to her kin. Having lost two of her three siblings (1994, 2002), she had the additional challenge of providing her perspective and knowledge of the childhoods of both these siblings to their children. While a seemingly daunting task to accomplish, she streamlined the process by setting project priorities and deadlines to get results.
Publication Date
4-23-2018
Language
English
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Wagner, Leslie. "When You're 'It': Preserving and Sharing the Family Archives," presented at the Personal Digital Archives Conference, Houston, Texas, April 23, 2018.