On April 21, 2009, the Library of Congress (LC) joined UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and others to launch the World Digital Library. Online users can find endless information about a variety of historical events, people, places and more.
These digital documents can be used for research, of course, but may not relay the human aspect with photos and stories from people who lived and experienced the event or whose ancestors have told those stories, shared photos and heirlooms.
AGE Media has had the opportunity to meet with numerous people and organizations with stories that serve as a testament to their legacy—the foundation of their mission and who and what they are today. Whether a family or business, listening to those stories and collecting details and photos, we can compile a feature that can be physically distributed and passed down—a concrete item that outlines a legacy.
In August 2018, our team was commissioned to partner with a local church to produce a publication summarizing their interesting and inspirational history in honor of their 150th Anniversary. I grew up in the church, so it was wonderful to work with them on this project.
After several meetings with the church committee—some members who had been on the board and members of the church for decades, we had so much information and photographs that the church had preserved over the years. They even gave us a historical document that was written in Norwegian.
As we carefully paged through weathered books and sorted through old photos, we were unsure where to start. Each document and publication highlighted different Scripture and topics. We had jotted down memories members shared at our meetings. We documented phrases and Scripture unique to each historical book. When the theme of the book became clear, we produced a book the congregation felt presented their story very well. Click here to see the digital version.
We also partnered with the South Dakota Farm Bureau on their Centennial Commemorative publication. That was another fun project! They shared photos, and we included stories from several members who had been and still are involved in different areas with the organization. We featured a timeline of the growth and expansion of the organization along with outlining goals for the future.
The commonality among these commemorative projects is that they provide a special item that celebrates the past, present and future. Having a concrete piece that holds the story of your organization’s or business’ history ensures your legacy is captured in its entirety. Make sure those stories are documented or your story will simply be smoke in the wind.
If you'd like more information about preserving your story with a commemorative publication, we'd love to visit! Contact us anytime.
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