Memory Lab Support | California Revealed

The Memory Lab Network was created to help individuals and communities across the United States to preserve their personal histories and recorded memories for the future. By furnishing a free, do-it-yourself space for the digitization of photos, documents, and audiovisual recordings, Memory Labs offer a unique opportunity for organizations to connect with community members, save shared history, and drive home principles of preservation and access. Memory Lab components - equipment and resources are designed to be modular and scalable, and can be set up variously as in-house, curbside, and/or mobile programs.

A Memory Lab provides library staff and patrons with guidelines, tools, and training for personal analog and digital archiving. Additionally, California Revealed is available to advise institutions and their community members as they plan and build out their Memory Lab. If community members are willing to save and share a copy of their files with the host Memory Lab, their family's stories can be added automatically to the California Revealed collection of digitized materials related to state history, thereby widening the impact of this community archiving initiative.

Grantees are encouraged to connect with other Memory Labs to build regional partnerships in California and contribute to the Memory Lab Network - exchanging information, troubleshooting, and reaching wider audiences. Check the Memory Lab Network map for a Memory Lab near you.

Application Information

The California State Library currently invites applications for a CopyCat grant that will support the development of a Memory Lab project in a nine-month period (December 2020 - August 2021). Grant awards are for up to $20,000 and can cover staff as well as equipment. The Memory Lab toolkit has been developed to help organizations apply for and implement the project.

Application deadline: Monday, November 9, 2020.

Please fill out the CopyCat Application Form.

Training

In partnership with the Memory Lab Network, California Revealed will provide support and training through the course of the grant, and beyond. Based on the Memory Lab Network training model, these monthly webinars will provide grantees with practical knowledge in digitization, and help them plan their own digitization program.

The following webinar sessions will be available:

Webinar 1: The Memory Lab Model(s): on-site/curbside/mobile

Friday, January 15, 2021, 10:00am-11:30am