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Donating Digital Records

Why Donate Your Digital Records?

Our community’s history is increasingly recorded in digital formats—emails, digital photos and videos, word-processing files, and other media that tell the story of our people, places, and events. By donating your digital records, you help ensure these materials are preserved and made accessible for future generations.

What Types of Digital Records Can You Donate?

We welcome a variety of digital materials, including:

  • Photographs & Videos – Personal, community, and event-related media
  • Documents & Reports – Newsletters, meeting minutes, creative works
  • Emails & Correspondence – Messages that provide historical insight
  • Oral Histories & Interviews – Audio or video recordings with historical significance
  • Web & Social Media Content – Blogs, websites, and selected social media archives

If you’re unsure whether your materials are a good fit, we’re happy to discuss!

How to Prepare Your Digital Records for Donation

To help us preserve your records effectively, here are some steps you can take:

1. Organize Your Files

  • Group files by function, theme, event, or date
  • Remove duplicates or unrelated items
  • Keep related files together

2. Choose the Best File Formats (If Possible)

We prefer certain formats for long-term preservation:

  • Images: TIFF, PNG, or high-quality JPEG
  • Documents: PDF/A, TXT, DOCX
  • Audio: WAV, MP3
  • Video: MP4, MOV

No need to convert your files before donating—we can work with what you have and help determine the best preservation approach.

3. Ensure Files Are Accessible and Secure

  • Check that files can be opened without proprietary software.
  • Remove digital signatures, passwords, and encryption wherever possible.

4. Provide Context

  • Include a brief description (who, what, when, where, and why)
  • List of names of people involved (if known and with permission)
  • Let us know about any access or use restrictions

5. Transfer Your Files

Our preferred method of receiving digital records is through a secure upload link to our digital preservation system (Preservica). We’ll send you a link and guide you through the steps—it’s easy!

  • Cloud storage (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox)We also accept files via:

  • External drives (e.g., USB sticks, hard drives)
  • Email (for small files)
  • Other methods can be arranged as needed

Get in Touch

If you’re ready to donate or have questions, we’d love to hear from you! Contact us to start the conversation.