Miami‑Dade Public Library System

Miami-Dade Public Library System will facilitate a Community Memory Lab to collect and digitize print, audio and video records of local Miami-Dade history through the eyes of the local community. The project will enable free access to digitization equipment and expertise, enabling Miami-Dade residents to preserve print, audiovisual, and object-based personal and familial memories. This work will be supported by the library’s established digital infrastructure, experienced Digital Collections staff, the Digital Collections content management system, and the Library’s Digital Preservation Program. The project will demonstrate how free public access to a Memory Lab reduces financial, technological, and knowledge-based barriers for documenting local history, how community-led digitization reduces gaps within institutional digital archives, and which workflows and support structures most effectively enable users with varying levels of technical ability to successfully digitize personal materials.