Discover the Magic of Large-Format Document Digitization and Enhance Your Collection
Ever wondered how to digitize those larger-than-life documents in your collection? Whether it’s oversized newspapers, record books, or even maps and blueprints, we’ve got you covered! At Anderson Archival, we’re here to guide you through the process and ensure that your valuable items are preserved with the utmost care, all while giving your collection a […]
Get Ready for Preservation Month
On May 6th, 1973, the first National Preservation Week began. Established by the National Trust of Historic Places, the week was meant to promote heritage tourism and showcase the social and economic benefits of historic preservation on the local, state, and national levels. Donald Sheehan, the member who pitched the idea for the event, explained […]
Exploring Family History Worry-Free
POW belt buckle. Image provided by Christopher Parrish and used with permission. By Team Lead Marcia Spicer While much of the country braced for a pre-Christmas polar vortex and snowstorm, I got to speak with Christopher and Molly Parrish via Teams from our respective homes. The Anderson Archival team has fond memories of digitizing their […]
Reconnecting with Corporate History Through a Functional Archive
What do local historians and corporations around the country have in common? One answer: a passion for historical corporate legacy. St. Louis-based Guarantee Electrical Company has been lighting up communities since its inception in 1902 to power the 1904 World’s Fair. Over a century later, Guarantee continues to impact not only the St. Louis skyline […]
Chronicling America One Newspaper at a Time
by Shana Scott Above photo from neh.gov Newspapers are unique cultural artifacts that give a broad sense of the world at the time of their printing. The articles may show what was considered important to people, but ads, classifieds, and comics all offer a window into the lives of the public. Newspapers become a snapshot […]
World Digital Preservation Day
by Shana Scott The first Thursday in November is World Digital Preservation Day (WDPD). This year that falls on November 3rd. WDPD is a way to celebrate digital preservation’s contributions to the archival community. If you’d like to join in the celebration, the Digital Preservation Coalition has lots of suggestions and ways to participate and […]
Hit by Flooding? Here Are 3 Things You Can Do Now
by Marcia Spicer Plus: two ways you can prepare for the future to conclude National Preparedness Month The summer of 2022 has been a season of unexpected flooding for many areas, including our own here in St. Louis, Missouri. Many of our friends and neighbors experienced damage and loss—placing this particular natural disaster at the […]
Preventing the Worst-Case Scenario
by Marcia Spicer Ask any archivist, collector, or researcher who works with historical materials what their worst nightmare is, and you’ll probably get a few variations of the same answer. Total loss and destruction of a collection, history, language, people… you can’t get much worse. Yes, recovery techniques have dramatically improved over the last 100 […]
Practical Tips for Document Longevity
by Marcia Spicer Are you a proud owner of historical material written by or to famous individuals? Perhaps your collection isn’t recognizable to the public but impacts your family or community. Preserving these documents for future generations can be a daunting task for the new or unprepared collector. Too often, collectors inheriting these materials are […]
Don’t Lose Your History
Recorded history is an irreplaceable treasure, but physical historical records are constantly under threat. Books, records, photographs, and hand-written letters are meant to be passed on to future generations, but the more they’re used, the more likely they are to sustain irreversible damage. Over time, the valuable information recorded on paper can become indistinguishable from […]