In partnership with Kings Funerals, we are excited to launch Saving Family Stories at two more locations.

Saving Family Stories gives the local community free access to equipment and technical support to scan, save, edit and share old negatives, slides, photographs, video and film footage. This project enables precious family stories and treasured memories to be shared, enjoyed, and digitally preserved for future generations.

Sponsorship from Kings Funerals has allowed us to extend the service at Belmont Library to Leopold and Newcomb libraries. It has enabled the purchase of additional digitisation equipment, including a new mobile film scanner and two new film and photo video scanner stations. It also adds two Standard and Super 8mm film converters to the service. Customers can also use free USBs to store their files, also generously donated by Kings Funerals. The new service locations and equipment will be available to customers from 1 March.

The equipment allows customers to transfer video footage from VHS, DVD, and now Standard and Super 8mm format to digital files at the library. The borrowable Kodak mobile film scanners form part of 'Library of Things' available to all library members and can be borrowed via the library catalogue for use at home.

Introductory sessions will be held at Leopold and Newcomb libraries (and continue at Belmont Library), allowing community members to explore and learn how to use the equipment with specialist library staff. Following an induction session, library members can book the equipment to work on their digitisation projects at their own pace.

The success and popularity of the Saving Family Stories initiative is evident from the equipment usage and continued positive feedback since its introduction at Belmont Library in July 2022. Since then, customers have collectively spent over 500 hours using the equipment for various projects.

Library member, Dan O’Meara, 80+ years young said, “It’s wonderful. I’ve learned so much about technology thanks to the friendly Belmont Library team. I can download photos including family holidays overseas to Japan and Australia and then upload them to my smart tv. I’ve then been able to show my kids these memories.”

” For a fella like me, the library has kept me in touch with people and technology, as well as kept me occupied learning new things. I’m really looking forward to using the new equipment to transfer all my movies! I don’t think you should ever stop learning”.

The new equipment will complement the family history resources available through Geelong Regional Libraries, including genealogy PCs and specialist family history support and programs delivered by the Kim barne thaliyu/Geelong Heritage Centre team.

Visit the online catalogue to borrow a mobile scanner, visit the website, or speak with a team member at your local library for more information.