People across Aberdeenshire are being invited to share some of their family history through treasured objects, letters, photos and documents, and tell the stories behind them.
Live Life Aberdeenshire is running the ‘Precious Things Precious Stories’ project with a series of events taking place at libraries across Aberdeenshire over the coming weeks.
The pilot project aims to capture the oral history of Aberdeenshire and the stories shared will be stored online alongside photographs of the objects.
Cllr Anne Stirling Chair of Aberdeenshire’s communities committee explained: “We are looking for everyday objects through this unique project – those that are precious and important to the individual contributor but not necessarily financially valuable.
“We hope to demonstrate that these objects and stories are vital to our shared cultural experience in Aberdeenshire and that by digitising, preserving, and providing a platform to share them, we are supporting people to value and take pride in their own personal histories, and in the communities in which they live.”
Cllr Anne Simpson, vice chair of the sub committee which supports Live Life Aberdeenshire added: “This project is also a way of diversifying our historical records by engaging with communities to find the untold and unseen aspects of life in Aberdeenshire, adding to the libraries archive for future generations to study and enjoy.”
Libraries HQ staff will bring their digital expertise into local branches, passing on skills and confidence with the latest technology, to local team members on the ground. The events will provide an opportunity to digitise stories and objects so that they can be preserved forever in a high-quality digital form.
Please book a slot to come with your artefact for scanning/recording, and a friendly discussion. Events will take place on the following days and locations:
- 11th May – Banchory Library
- 14th May – Garioch Heritage Society
- 21st May – Peterhead Library
- 1st June – Huntly Library
Slots can be booked by calling: 01467 532929, emailing libraries@aberdeenshire.gov.uk or online (search ‘precious’ in the events section) at: www.livelifeaberdeenshire.org.uk
The items which are scanned will be curated on a website called Sketch Fab which hosts 3D, audio recording and video recording for cultural organisations and will be sent to each individual contributor too. Find out more at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_sozMLvvKM