Most
genealogists likely have a collection of “must have” or “go to” reference books
either on their physical bookshelves, or in their virtual ones. I’ve recently added a new title to
mine: How to Archive Family Keepsakes by Denise May Levenick (a.k.a. "The Family Curator") [FYI: I have the e-Book]
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| Image courtesy of Denise May Levenick |
This
book is exactly what I need. In
2006, I sold my parents' house in Pittsburgh. Both Mom and Dad had passed away, and being an only child, the
responsibility fell solely on my shoulders. Before I could finalize the sale, I had the unenviable task
of cleaning out a 40-year accumulation of "stuff." The house was not very big, but had enough
space for just the three of us. There
were two rooms downstairs (living room and kitchen), two bedrooms and a bath
upstairs, plus a basement (And, we didn’t have a garage). But, somehow we managed to store an
amazing amount of “stuff” in that living space. Collectively we had clothes,
furniture, family documents, and photographs. Also, I discovered plenty of my own possessions still stored in the basement and attic including dolls and
toys, books, stuffed animals and a huge record collection. Mom left behind jewelry,
dishes, figurines, appliances, and vases of every size, shape and color (among other items), and
Dad left his baseball caps, a scrapbook of photographs and newspaper clippings from
his days as a basketball player, and a huge collection of carpenter’s tools,
including every type of nail, screw, and drill bit you can imagine. I did not have much time to get
everything cleaned out before the closing date, so basically I threw out what
was broken, or otherwise believed to be trash, and then packed everything else
up in labeled boxes and moved it six hours away to my own home.
I'm embarrassed to say all that “stuff”
has sat mostly untouched for six years in a spare room and our garage. I have not done much in the way of organizing, save for a few “clean and purge” sessions I have been
able to squeeze in between work, family time, and other obligations. Each January, I set a goal to “downsize”
and archive, and I start off with good intentions. I will organize a few things,
toss some others, but somehow I just never seem to get around to the “archiving” part.
When
I first learned that Denise wrote this book, I was thrilled for her because she
is a colleague and friend, but I also knew it was a book I had to read. I need help with archiving (lots and lots of help actually). Thankfully, in her book, Denise provides just the tools I’ve been
waiting for! Also, I’d like to
note here that a portion of
the proceeds of this book's sales go towards helping to fund the 2013 Student Genealogy Grant, founded in 2010 in honor of Denise’s mother, Suzanne Winsor
Freeman. I first met Denise at the
2009 Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree. I sat with Denise and
her wonderful mom, Suzanne, at the banquet, and I commend Denise on her
generous example of “giving back” to the genealogy community.
But…back to the
book. From
archival papers to artifacts, software solutions to source citations, How to Archive Family Keepsakes, is
packed with so many useful tips for genealogists and family historians or curators of all levels, experiences,
and interests. It's a one-stop
organizational solution. Over the
years I have read other books and articles on organizing and archival
practices, but Denise’s book stands out for me.
The book begins with how to set
goals and objectives. I like
goal-oriented projects. The scope of organizing and preserving family keepsakes
is a massive one and always seems so overwhelming to me. But, Denise does an excellent job of
breaking the associated tasks into a series of smaller, more manageable
steps. There are a series of “Checkpoints” (lists, inventories,
forms), with estimated times for how long each task will take, as well as
recommendations on the best storage containers and archival supplies. I also
like the practical suggestions and the “easy-working solutions that are gentle
on you wallet,” and the “call out” boxes that have definitions, tips, or other
key points.
I could go on and on,
but I’ll simply say: "Buy this book. You won’t be disappointed!"
The
only complaint I have (it’s actually not
a complaint, but an observation) is that I wish How to Archive Family Keepsakes had been available seven years ago!
But, “better late than
never,” right? Now that I have this book, I finally believe I have the impetus
I need to get going and get organized!
Whether you’re a packrat, a genealogist,
or a curator (or all three), I think you’ll feel the same way too.
Disclosure: I was not paid to review How to Archive Family Keepsakes However, I did I receive a free PDF
copy of this book from Denise Levenick to review. The links included are to Denise's website. My review reflects my honest opinion
of this book.
Copyright 2013, Lisa A. Alzo
All Rights Reserved
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