Archiving and Digitizing Your High School’s History

At the end of a sports season or school year, a common scene unfolds throughout the country. Overworked school administrators, specifically individuals responsible for preserving historical data, find themselves adding to the clutter and overstuffed shelves. Often overwhelmed by the small storage spaces that are bulging with photos, scoresheets, newspaper clippings, yearbooks and a myriad of donated books, a typical reaction is to use a shoulder to push the door closed, make sure it clicks and then run.

“I’ll get to it another time,” is usually muttered.

That time is now, especially with summer months ahead that promise a more relaxed pace and an opportunity to begin chipping away at a long project list.

Organizing, archiving and digitizing your school’s historical data doesn’t need to be an arduous task. With the right planning, preparation and mindset, it can be a rewarding endeavor that pulls you back in time on a journey that relives a school’s rich history and creates a deep appreciation for the paths that were previously traveled.

Understandably, the collection of information can be vast. Member schools and state associations are common recipients of historical data collections when a loved one passes away. Oftentimes, however, treasured pieces of information are discovered in those collections.

“Really, the beauty is, if you have the information and the time, you can keep so much stuff now and expand what is available to the public on your website,” said James Alverson, former communications director of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.

Three years ago, Alverson, recognizing that storage spaces were unorganized and suffocating with clutter, decided it was time to tackle an archiving project for the NCHSAA that took about six months to complete.

Having a plan and taking bite-size work pieces are key to a successful project. And so are three words:

• Keep

• Donate

• Toss

Eliminating the clutter and knowing what to keep, donate or toss will help navigate your journey through reams of paper and scores of bound materials.

During a presentation at an NFHS Summer Meeting gathering of sports information directors from the 51 state high school associations, Alverson stressed that while keeping hard copies of material is important, limiting what needs to be stored is equally key. He said the NCHSAA kept three hard copies of every yearbook and state tournament program. The rest were either donated to a historical society or recycled.

The same was true of photos, handbooks, scorebooks, championship information, Board of Directors minutes and Hall of Fame nominations.

Can’t remember if you’ve saved something? Keep tally by creating an Excel spreadsheet. When you’ve saved the requisite three hard copies, or whatever quantity you determine, indicate that on your archiving scorecard.

According to the National Archives, slow down and take care while handling newspapers and clippings. Brittle paper can break. Do not attempt to repair any breaks with tape or glue. It is recommended that hands are clean and no lotions are present that could transfer oils or grease from skin to paper. The National Archives also urges curators to avoid storing photographs and printed documents together because newsprint and inks can leave stains.

When storing records, find one central location that is cool and dry. Storage in multiple locations can lead to separation of important documents and gaps in your record-keeping. Archived information may be stored in flat folders or folders that are upright.

Once you have waded through the oceans of materials, it is time to consider digitizing the hard-copy content you saved.

“As with any data project like this, the biggest thing is to make sure you organize your file structure before you start, otherwise you will create a bigger mess than you already have,” said Alverson, who currently serves as the Public Information Officer for the Lee County (North Carolina) Schools.

Digitizing allows a member school or a state association to store records in a shared, easily accessible drive or iCloud location. Hard drives are also an option as a backup.

When the scanning of documents was complete, Alverson landed on a file naming structure that would be easily recognizable by history afficionados decades from now. A consistent naming system is key. For example:

Historical Documents
Board of Directors, Year

• Minutes, Date

• New Releases and Board Synopsis, Date

Hall of Fame, Induction Year

• Nominees, Date Received

• Selection process

• Inductees

Athletics and Activities

• Sport, Year and Gender

• Championship information

• Brackets

• Tournament Results

• Tournament Recognition

Handbook

• Year

• Policy changes

Preserving your school or organization’s history doesn’t have to be a mountainous task. Carving out dedicated time when a schedule permits will help to alleviate the angst. Enlisting the help of others can also help distribute the workload.

The end result creates a portal to your school’s or organization’s treasured past. It will be a powerful resource to enjoy and savor for decades to come.