Memory Lab

The Memory Lab, consisting of two dedicated rooms, located in the Emerson History and Genealogy Center on the 2nd floor of the Clark Family Branch is a do-it-yourself digitization space where you can convert your memories into digital format. 

Personal History Recording Studio

The Personal History Recording Studio offers one station to record personal history via webcam with an embedded microphone. Users can select to record with or without video while seated on a comfy couch. A table with a computer will have Adobe Suite available for editing purposes.

Scanning and Digitization Studio

 The Scanning & Digitization Studio is one room that contains three stations. Each station has a computer to utilize Adobe editing software to adjust photos, documents, and video transfers. An overview of items that can be converted include:

  • Scanning slides, negatives, and photographs
         Max photo size is 8.5” x 11” (wide format to be added in the future)
         Scanning larger sized documents and books up to A3 (11.34” x 16.12”)
  • Transferring VHS, MiniDV, DVD to digital formats
  • Transferring cassette tapes to digital formats

The shared studio space only allows for one user at each station. Appointments are for use of one station. 

Make An Appointment

Using our appointment portal is the quick and easy way to reserve use of the Memory Lab. Walk-ins will be accepted on a first come first serve basis. 

Make an Appointment

 
Limitations

  • All appointments are for 2 hours
  • One appointment is allowed per day with a maximum of 2 appointments allowed per week
  • Appointments can be made up to 30 days in advance
     

Usage of Memory Lab

Patrons use the Memory Lab at their own discretion and assume all risks and any others which arise because of their use of the Memory Lab. The Library is not responsible for any injuries caused during the use of equipment, damage to personal property, or loss of data that may arise from foreseeable or unforeseeable causes including, without limitation, caused by objects or materials, manufacturing defects, issues with quality of workmanship, flaws or failures in materials associated with the use of tools or equipment.   

Equipment and computers in the Memory Lab are to be used for personal endeavors related to digital preservation only. All material brought into the Memory Lab needs to be inspected by staff before it can be placed in any of the equipment. Staff will look for several key issues, and depending on the issue, the material may be ineligible for digitization.  Patrons must save their files on an external storage device. Project materials cannot be stored on Library property.

The Library reserves the right to refuse conversion services based on prohibited material, degradation of material to be converted, and when usage could cause damage to equipment. 

The public is prohibited from using equipment to:

  • Transfer of Copyrighted Materials using the Memory Lab is prohibited. By law, individuals cannot transfer copyrighted material unless: 1) Memory Lab user obtained permission from the copyright holder, or 2) the transfer is for fair use purposes. Responsibility for possible copyright infringement lies solely with the user and the District Library disclaims any responsibility or liability resulting there from.
     
  • Transfer of Obscene Materials, or content that is otherwise inappropriate for the library environment, is prohibited.

Planning Your Visit

 
Plan Accordingly

Material brought into the Memory Lab will be inspected by staff to investigate the quality and condition before utilizing the equipment.

The Library's Memory Lab is a Do-It-Yourself space. Basic information/instruction about the Lab resources can be provided by staff. Guides are available for each piece of equipment in regards to operation and best practices. 

Digitization of video and audio takes place in real-time. Digitizing VHS takes at least as long as the running time of the VHS tape. For example, if your video is 90 minutes long, it will take at least 90 minutes to digitize the files, plus time to prepare the equipment and transfer the digitized files to your storage device. Scanning photos, slides, negatives and documents takes at least two minutes per photo, not including time to prepare the equipment and transfer the digitized photos onto your storage device.

Users are responsible for saving their work on a personal, external memory source. It is recommended to bring a USB compatible flash drive or external hard drive for saving files.

Hard drives or other personal items needed for saving or transferring files cannot be stored at the library. Materials brought to the Memory Lab for scanning must remain with the user at all times. 

Food and drink are NOT allowed in the Memory Lab area. 

 

Getting Items Ready

  • Locate everything you want to digitize. This may include photo albums, file folders, carousels of slides, CDs of photographs, and more.
  • Organize by clumps that make sense to you. For example: Years, Holidays, or Stages of Life.
  • Curate. Do you need all the photos of the beach that you took on vacation? Or are there one or two key photos you want to preserve?
  • Remember, making digital copies of your important items is important, but it is also time-consuming.
  • Prioritize. Determine which items are most important to you. These may be things requested by friends or family, or simply the thing you love most.

 

Check the Condition

You won’t be able to scan documents or photos with mold, mildew, or dirt, or transfer broken and damaged VHS tapes.

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