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Dust off those old photographs and unbox those heirlooms. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's Lovejoy Library is hosting a free Digitization Day event to help area residents preserve history for generations to come. Scheduled for Tuesday, March 24, and Wednesday, March 25, Digitization Day is a unique opportunity for community members to play an active role in preserving local history.

For two days only, a cataloger from the Mobile Memory Lab, a service of Illinois Heartland Library System (IHLS), will carefully scan or photograph 2D and 3D family heirlooms and community artifacts in high resolution, work with owners to record important details about the items, and catalog them for inclusion in the Illinois Digital Archive. Owners get access to the digital images while ensuring their family’s or business’ stories are shared with future generations.

All items digitized by the Mobile Memory Lab are added to the Illinois Digital Archives, a free and accessible repository for the digital collections of the Illinois State Library and other cultural institutions and libraries across the state.

The Mobile Memory Lab digitizes other items as well, including slides, letters, documents, postcards, 3D historical items (which librarians call “realia”), personal art, and more, as long as the owner holds reproduction rights or the items are in the public domain. All items are returned at the end of each appointment.

Space is limited, and appointments are required. Walk-in appointments may be available but are not guaranteed.

Interested in digitally preserving your family or community treasures during Digitization Day? Sign up for a free in-person appointment with the registration form or email siwilli@siue.edu.

Event hours are 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Lovejoy Library.

Appointments are one hour. This event is free and open to the public. 

PHOTOS: Lovejoy Library and Mobile Lab flyer