The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Library:
The Watertown Free Public Library’s Local History Collection includes photographs and artifacts dating back to the city’s founding, but there is a problem — there exists very little record of what happened in Watertown during your lifetime.
That’s why the Watertown Free Public Library (WFPL) is embarking on a mission to collect stories and images from Watertown’s recent history, from 1950 to the present day, to preserve them in the Local History Collection.
“When people in the future try to figure out what happened in Watertown in the 1980s, 90s, or recently, what will they find?” asks Local History Librarian Caroline Littlewood. “That’s up to us. We are experts on our own experiences, and our own personal histories. Whether you have decades of memories here or are just settling in, you are a part of Watertown, and so you have something to contribute to this project.”
All Watertown community members (residents and non-residents alike) are invited to contribute up to three photographs to the Library’s collection. There are two ways to contribute:
1. Attend a ‘Digitization Day’ at the Library on Sunday, April 3 (for physical photos)
Bring your three photos to the Library! WFPL staff and volunteers will scan and return them to you on the same day. Stay tuned for more digitization days across Watertown in 2022 and 2023.
2. Upload Online (for digital photos)
Don’t forget, the Library is also documenting recent history: digital snapshots, Instagram pics, and flip phone photos can help tell the story of your experience in Watertown. Upload them online at watertownlib.org/memory
Do you know a group of people that have a lot of local history to share? You can co-host a digitization day! The Library will bring scanners and volunteers to your organization, business, church, or club meeting to collect photos and stories from members. Contact Outreach Librarian Marissa Monteiro if you are interested: mmonteiro@watertown-ma.gov.
The Watertown Collective Memory Project by the Watertown Free Public Library is brought to you with federal funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.
Digitization Day with the Watertown Collective Memory Project
- When: Sunday, April 3 | 2 – 4:30 PM
- Where: Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main Street
- What: Bring up to three photos. We’ll scan and return them to you.
About WFPL
The Watertown Free Public Library provides access to a wide variety of popular materials, resources, services, and programs that fulfill the informational, cultural, and recreational needs of Watertown and surrounding communities. Our Library works to create an environment that attracts and welcomes users of all ages and abilities. For more, visit watertownlib.org.