We recently collaborated with the Gem Theater on cataloguing, photographing and packing artifacts onsite in Pioche, Nevada. Pioche’s Gem Theater is a 1930s movie theater, included on the National Register of Historic Places, that is currently undergoing restoration. Phase one of the collections project focused on the documentation, digitization and preservation of the Gem’s wonderful lantern slide collection.
After much research, the process we largely followed was developed by Penn State University Libraries for their Mira Dock Forestry Lantern Slide Collection and kindly posted as a free reference for everyone to access. Each lantern slide was cataloged in Excel, cleaned with acid-free film cleaner, scanned in two different modes using our Epson V850 Pro scanner, cleaned again, rehoused in archival sleeves and packed inside archival boxes.
As a photographer, I was happy we had the opportunity to work with this interesting collection – and it did not disappoint. Do you have undocumented photographic or film collections that needs some care? We would love to help!