Preservation for Children and Families
Preservation for Children
Resources for introducing young people to the importance of preserving objects and information for the future.
America’s Young Archivists: The K–12 Web Archiving Program
Students from around the country are participating in a new program sponsored by the Internet Archive and the Library of Congress to help archive the Web. Using Archive-It, students decide what websites to capture and attach a brief description to every site they archive so that people in the future will know what the sites are about and why the students selected them.
This video profiles an eight-grade class from the James Moran school in Wallingford, CT, the website-collection choices the students made and their resulting awareness of how websites require active management to ensure their ongoing accessibility.
Make Your own Book and Tell Your own Story
(Elementary school)
Through a series of brief videos available online, Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord teaches viewers how to make an accordion book, a “hot dog” book, and a “stick and elastic” book.
Hot Dog Booklet
Stick and Elastic Book
Accordion Book
How to make a hardcover mini art journal
This ten-minute video goes through the steps to make a small book using decorative paper, cardboard, glue, and computer paper. The use of an awl and sewing needles make this an ideal project for teens but not young children.
The Single-Page Folded Book Activity
Instructions for folding
Storybookonline.net
Storybook Online Network is a storytelling community for children. Their goal is to create, develop, and disseminate original short stories for (and by) children. The site features content in written, audio, animated, and video presentations.
Books to Check out at your library
Book Making
The Book Book: A Journey into Bookmaking
Pietromarchi S. Benini, (2007)
Making Books That Fly, Fold, Wrap, Hide, Pop Up, Twist, and Turn: Books for Kids to Make
Gwen Diehn, (1998)
Look at My Book: How Kids Can Write & Illustrate Terrific Books
Loreen Leedy, (2004)
Book History
Book
Karen Brookfield and Laurence Pordes, (2000)
Our library
Eve Bunting and Maggie Smith, (2008)
The Storyteller’s Candle
Lucía M. González and Lulu Delacre, (2008)
The Shelf Elf
Jackie Hopkins, and Rebecca M. K. Thornburgh, (2004)
The Library Pages
Carlene Morton and Valeria Docampo, (2010)
Encouraging Preservation Awareness in Children
This short article by Andrea Rolich suggests that proper book handling is best taught through modeled behavior.
Importance of Early Preservation Education
California Preservation Program
This article suggests that as children learn respect for other’s property in their homes and schools, this can carry over to their use of library materials. Includes a useful chart of Basic Do’s, Don’ts, and Why’s.
Teaching Conservation
Michigan Alliance for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage
Includes links to lesson plans for teaching about conservation and preservation of a variety of collections, as well as other resources related to collection care.
For more resources see Appendix 2: Resources for Children, Teachers, and Parents: An Updated Annotated Bibliography, from the Companion Website to Promoting Preservation Awareness: A Sourcebook for Academic, Public, School, and Special Collections by Jeanne M. Drewes and Julie A. Page.
Preservation for Families
“Libraries are sometimes thought of as bringing knowledge to a community. But in every community surrounding a library, there exists a unique set of customs, traditions, experiences, and viewpoints that are often overlooked. These are the imaginations of the children, the hopes of the teenagers, and the experiences of the adults. The local library, in whatever setting, has the opportunity to record these aspirations and preserve them for the future.” —Edward Hutchins.
1. Create Your Family Archive
Creating a family archive is one of the most rewarding projects you and your family can undertake. In fact, an archiving project brings family members together.
This video from the BYU History Library contains information about setting goals, deciding what to keep, and conducting research.
2. Create a Time Capsule
Memories and treasures should last a lifetime and be passed on to future generations. Family activities like making a time capsule are a great way to share memories and help children learn some science.
3. Take the Time to Record Your Family Stories
To get started, watch “National Day of Listening – Do-It-Yourself companion video”, from StoryCorps
4. A Game of Stories
Preserve your family memories with this home made
Family Fun Board Game.
“The object of the game is to be the first to return home with a box full of treasures collected during a trip through old neighborhoods. But the race to win is only half the fun; the real entertainment is in the reminiscing as players relive family history.”
5. Find Your Story, Keep Your Heritage
Is there a mystery surrounding your family heritage or an heirloom? The History Detectives at PBS have a video describing detective techniques. You can also submit a story.
#PreservationWeek