Your personal history isn’t doesn’t begin or end with a single document, book, or the research that was put into developing a family tree. Your history has been recorded in countless formats over the years, from letters, photos, and video, to old family recipes, journals, and newspaper clippings. Not only is it impractical to organize and access your physical original materials, handling them too often leads to damage and eventually, loss. Photos can tear, fade, or discolor. Videos and film can become brittle and crack or break, it is easy to scratch, and plastic cassettes are not as durable as you might think. Paper is fragile, making it vulnerable, and at risk of being lost to the ravages of time. 

The originals should be stored properly for safekeeping and handled as little as possible. Fortunately, preserving the original materials does not mean you can’t have access to them. On the contrary, you have the option of making them more accessible than ever before. By digitizing your past, and creating a "My History Archive", you will be able to explore, view, and share your collection from anywhere in the world, at any time, using an Apple iPad, iPhone, Android phone or tablet, computer, Mac, Chromebook, or even a smart TV.

Additionally, you can leverage the hundreds of free Community History Archives created by libraries, genealogical societies, heritage centers, and other institutions across the country. We have made it simple to clip articles or other sections of documents and add them to your "My History Archive" with just a few clicks. You can also explore, clip, and share information you find on any "My History Archive" that an owner has made available to use as a free resource for others.