If you are the keeper of family history items that you believe could be of interest to scholars, you may wish to donate them to an institution where they will be archived and available for others to use. The Society of American Archivists (SAA) provides an excellent Web site with
In my book, Creating Family Archives: A Step-by-Step Guide for Saving Your Memories for Future Generations, I discuss the techniques that archivists use to protect historical materials from the ravages of time. I find that it’s also helpful to discuss what can cause damage to your archival items. Many hazards
Yesterday, I had lunch with Irene, my mother-in-law, and Donna, my husband’s aunt. Aunt Donna was the inspiration for my latest book after I helped her organize her family papers and photographs; I highlighted her story in my Preface. Our conversation turned to family history, and I listened to such wonderful stories,
