Personal Archiving Resources

“Of all our national assets, archives are the most precious; they are the gift of one generation to another” -Arthur G. Doughty

Everyone is an archivist! History doesn’t live only in repositories like ours. It also lives in homes, among families and individuals. Passed down generation to generation, the records of the past fill in gaps in the historical record and allow stories to endure through time, shaping our communal and personal memories, identities, and sense of meaning.

Whether you are preserving a family archive, your personal legacy, or the history of an organization or community, we are here to help by providing guidance and resources!

Borrow a Backpack
Digitization Station
Donations
More Resources

Personal Archiving Backpack Loan Program

Check out a backpack of preservation and digitization supplies and resources from Buncombe County Public Libraries!

Call your local library or 828-250-4740 to request a backpack. You will receive a phone call when the backpack is ready to be picked up. There is no cost to borrow a backpack!

Your archives backpack will provide materials to get you started with properly storing, caring for, and digitizing your personal archives so that they can be shared with others, now and in the future.

(For oral history projects, check out our Oral History Backpack Loan Program, too!)

Borrowing Rules and Procedures

  • Only one backpack may be checked out per household at a time.
  • Borrowers must be 18 years or older, with a Buncombe County library card in good standing.
  • The loan period is four weeks.
  • Backpacks can be picked up at any Buncombe County library.
  • Backpacks must be returned during normal library operating hours, either inside or using curbside service. NO OUTSIDE DROP BOX returns.
  • Files must be saved by the borrower before returning. Any data on returned devices will be deleted and may not be recovered.
  • Archival supplies are intended for your use. Unused materials should be returned along with the backpack, scanner, and USB cable.
  • Backpacks will be considered lost when 10 days overdue. The charge for lost items is: flatbed scanner $100; backpack $30; USB cable $10.

Forms and Documents

For borrowers:

For librarians: 

Similar Projects and Inspiration

The direct inspiration for this project is “Archivist in a Backpack,” a program of the Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Special Collections Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Backpack contents and documents are largely modified versions of the resources generously made available through UNC-CH.

Additional credit is due to Heather South, Lead Archivist, Western Regional Archives, State Archives of North Carolina, whose “dos and don’ts” of archival preservation are included on pages 6-9 of the Personal Archiving Handbook.

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Digitization Station

The reading room of Buncombe County Special Collections includes one computer workstation where you are welcome to digitize your personal archives. We encourage you to contact us at packnc@buncombecounty.org in advance to discuss your project and ensure that the “digitization station” will be available.

Currently, we have the following equipment and software:

  • Epson Perfection V500 Photo Scanner (for use with Epson Scan software) [instructions]
  • Samsung VR5705 4-Head VCR (for use with OBS Studio software)
  • Marantz PMD222 Audiocassette Player (mono audio only; for use with Audacity software)

Got media playback equipment or technical expertise to contribute? Please let us know!

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Donating Archives

Donating your personal archives helps ensure that the information you’ve collected is available to the public for generations to come, helping us all better understand our shared history. Potential donors must contact us at packnc@buncombecounty.org to discuss their donation in advance.

Buncombe County Special Collections will only collect items that align with our collection policies, at the discretion of the Collections Manager, with deed of gift paperwork.

It is the donor’s responsibility to communicate to librarians about any restrictions on access or use of donated materials. As a public library, we do not accept donations of any materials that will be indefinitely or permanently closed to the public.

Digital Donations

Buncombe County Special Collections gladly accepts digital donations of high-quality scans, if you would like for the originals to remain with you, your family members, or your organization. Donations of high-quality born-digital items are also welcome. All digital donations must meet minimum size and resolution requirements.

Loaning for Digitization

Occasionally, at the discretion of the Collections Manager, we are able to accept physical materials to be digitized by BCSC staff, and then returned to you. It is the lender’s responsibility to return to pick up originals after digitization.

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Programs and Resources

BCSC hosts public programs throughout the year to empower members of our community to become active stewards of our shared history. Visit our Events Calendar or sign up for our blog to be notified of the next workshops about best practices for preservation of photographs, documents, books, digital assets, and more.

Trunk of Troubles: Basic Care and Storage of Family Documents and Photographs event with Heather South, October 2023

There is no shortage of information to help you! We recommend the following:

We are always here for your questions! Reach out to us at packnc@buncombecounty.org to talk to an archivist about your personal archiving projects. Thank you for joining us in our work to care for our shared history!

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