Do you have a box of old home videos in the garage? Or stacks of photo albums collecting dust in your closet?
Bring them over to the Library and transform them into digital files you can enjoy today!
Last month, we reopened our Creative Lab to the public with access to the Digitization Station. The Digitization Station allows you to turn your old media like VHS tapes, records, and slides into digital files.
Patron Ann Campbell has been visiting us for the past week, transferring her family members’ old slides into digital files.
Campbell’s mother, Mossie Moorby, was a nurse, who graduated from Toronto General Nursing School in 1937. She worked in hospitals in the area and, from 1964-1972, lived in the Northwest Territories working as a nurse for Stringer Hall Anglican Hostel in Inuvik. Campbell has a twin brother who also lived in the Northwest Territories in the late 1950s, in Aklavik.
Campbell had boxes of slides from her mother and brother’s time up north, of people and staff at the hostel.
“I’ve got thousands of slides from that time,” she said.
She wanted to preserve them to pass down to the next generation.
When she heard our Creative Lab was open, she was excited to get started on the digitization project to preserve her family’s precious memories.
“Once I got going, it was fine,” Campbell said about the digitization process, where she can scan four slides at a time. “I just put it on the Cloud and family members and friends can look at them.”
She thinks her mother would be happy to see her preserving part of her history.
“She was always a forward-thinking person, she would think this is great,” said Campbell. Her mother even labeled each slide with a location and date.
After converting her slides, she plans to scan all her mother’s memorabilia and photos from her time at the Toronto General, including a diary of her time at the school.
“She kept track of everything,” said Campbell, pointing to a page outlining Mossie’s budget and list of expenses.
Like Campbell, Franz Aschwanden has been popping into our Creative Lab for the past few weeks to use our Wolverine MovieMaker Pro Super 8 movie converter.
He had stashes of old media around and wanted to digitize them to share with family and friends. This week he was working on digitizing film from his trip to Italy in 1966, and Niagara Falls in 1970.
“I think it would be nice if my kids knew about it,” said Aschwanden. “I have been looking for this (digitization) for a while and had even considered buying a machine.”
He enjoys coming into the Creative Lab to work with the equipment for free with his library card.
Getting started with your digitization project is easy!
You can book your first appointment with our Emerging Technologies Specialist, Wendy, who will familiarize you with all the software and equipment to transfer your files.
Once you have a working knowledge of the programs, you can start booking your own appointments to complete your projects.
Here’s a look at some of the equipment we have in the station:
Canon Canoscan 9000F scanner: This is where you can scan all your photos, documents, slides, and negatives. There is basic editing software available on the scanner to spruce up your files as well as advanced editing software options available on Adobe Creative Cloud like Photoshop and Lightroom.
Elgato Video Capture Software: This is used to convert VHS tapes. In order to use this, you will need a digital storage device to save your files, such as a USB stick or SD card as well as wired headphones to check sound recording. Basic editing is available on the software, or if you prefer, there are advanced program options on Adobe Creative Cloud like Premiere Pro.
EZ Vinyl Tape Converter and Ion Tape 2-PC player: To use these, you will need a USB stick or SD card to store your files, as well as a set of wired headphones. Basic editing is available on the software, as well as more advanced program options on Adobe Creative Cloud like Audition.
Wolverine MovieMaker Pro: This program is used for 8mm and Super 8 movie conversions. You will need a 32GB or less SD card to save your files. This software doesn’t come with editing options, but there are advanced editing options available using open-source software or programs on Adobe Creative Cloud like Premiere Pro.
Audio Technica Turntable and Audacity Software: These are used to convert your vinyl records into digital files. To use these programs, you will need a USB stick or SD card to save your files as well as a set of wired headphones. Basic editing is available but there are also more advanced options using open-source software like Audacity or programs on the Adobe Creative Cloud.
To book your first appointment in the Digitization Station, fill out the form online here:
Over the next few months, we will expand services in the Creative Lab, including 3D printing and vinyl cutting with the Cricut machine. We can’t wait!
Stay tuned for details on our website at www.bradford.library.on.ca
Natasha Philpott is the marketing and communications co-ordinator with the Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library.
