Medford Library's Community Archivist Workshop Series

Are you the memory-keeper of your family? Do you worry about the boxes of photos in your attic? Did you just inherit every piece of paper that ever made its way across your grandfather’s desk? We’re here to help!

Physical keepsakes are the roots that anchor our histories, but, unless appropriately cared for, they can deteriorate rapidly over time. Medford Library’s Community Archivist Workshop Series seeks to assist in the development of basic archival skills to help our community in the preservation their own histories.

At the end of this four-session series, participants will have learned:

   -Archival best practice
   -How to handle fragile material
   -How to arrange, preserve, and describe materials
   -How to build and maintain a personal archive

Additionally, the series will provide a number of benefits:

   -The skills and tools necessary to preserve legacies for generations
   -Building stronger community connections
   -Opportunities to learn about local history from local community members

Workshop participants will be provided with a free “Archivist in a Box.” This starter kit contains a collection of archival materials that will help participants as--together with USC Lancaster’s Director of Archives, Logan Cocklin, and Medford Library’s Instruction and Outreach Librarian, McKenzie Lemhouse--they learn how to organize, store, and protect precious memories.

Each week will cover a new skill, including photograph preservation and collection arrangement.

Dates: 10.01.2026, 10.08.2026, 10.15.2026, and 10.22.2026

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