Oct 27

Written by: Joe Longo
Monday, October 27, 2008 

You can have your photos scanned for free at the library on Nov. 1. Do you wish to scan a photograph but don’t have a scanner? Then bring them along to this free library programme.

Among the most precious possessions we could conceivably lose are our photographs. They take us back instantly to places we have loved and the people who were such a special part of our lives. They connect us in many cases to the past.

Yet they are one of the most fragile items we own. They can discolour, they tear, and in some cases, they even become faded to the point of extinction.

On Saturday November 1st between the hours of 10 am – 4 pm in the LaMarsh Room of the Victoria Avenue Library, we will host a session that will digitally scan your photographs to a CD which will be yours to keep. All we ask in return is that you allow the Library to retain a copy of the image to use in the Historic Niagara Digital Collections, if needed. If you do not agree that the Library may use your photographs in the image collection, then a handling fee of $3 per item will apply.

We will not be making appointments, it will be on a first come, first served basis and we may limit the number of scans per person if needed. There will be three scanners and three operators, so hopefully the wait will not be long. The maximum size photograph that we will be able to scan for you is 8½” x 17” and all photographs should be removed from any frame before bringing them to the Library.

You can also bring 35 mm negatives and in some cases we may be able to handle older, large size negatives and filmstrips. Bring them along and we will take a look and see if our equipment can accommodate them. It will not be possible for staff to do major repair work to your photographs due to time constraints but small touch ups may be possible.

This service to the public will also help the library develop our Image Database on our website www.nflibrary.ca . Photos of local people are the largest number there with more than 3500 records.

The other top images are about our City, businesses, stores, construction projects, streets, the Niagara River and Falls, buildings, factories, industries, sports, churches, hotels, Chippawa, tourist attractions, aerial views, ships, bridges and many others.