Library can help preserve memories with digital transfer
Last fall, Bill Buesing of Hoffman Estates discovered some old 78 rpm recordings from the 1940s. They were tucked in a box of memorabilia he had stored after helping his mom move out of her home in Wisconsin.
"I had never seen these records previously," Bill said. "One was still in the original envelope sent to my mom in Wisconsin, with a return address from my dad in Quantico, Virginia."
Bill's dad was enlisted in the Marines at the time. After a bit of research, Bill learned PepsiCo provided recording booths for soldiers to record voice messages to send back home to their loved ones.
"Both my parents are long deceased," Bill said. "Having these recordings provides a glimpse into the World War II years that my siblings, I, our spouses and children never had."
Bill knew he wanted to preserve and more easily share the recordings, so he turned to Schaumburg Township District Library and its digital transfer equipment. With a little help from the library's staff, Bill was able to create digital versions of the records.
"While at the Schaumburg Library, I discovered that there was another record stuck to the one from Quantico," Bill said. "It was from my grandfather to my mom while she was away at college. My grandfather died in 1947, so nobody from my generation has ever heard his voice. This will be a special treasure for the whole family."
Bill has already shared the recordings with his family and said everyone was very moved and inspired.
"Besides letting us know about our parents in their 20s, it also gives you a better understanding of how our folks' generation sacrificed during World War II," Bill said.
Ready to preserve some of your family's memories? Use Schaumburg Library's transfer equipment to convert vinyl, VHS, 8 mm, audiocassettes, miniDV and more to digital files. Our staff is ready to help you get started, and some equipment is even available for you to check out and use at home.
• Hollis Sienkiewicz is the Marketing & Communications director at the Schaumburg Township District Library. You can contact her at hsienkiewicz@stdl.org.