To illustrate the beauty of old family films and the importance they have in people’s lives, Katelyn Attanasio showed clips of her own family's history, including grandparents and parents from 50 years ago. She noted that there is something about a home movie that is particularly poignant, pointing out that in her movies she could see a favorite family member, who during her lifetime had always been in a wheelchair, walking. Photo by Eden Brown.
Adding to an extensive set of activities and experiences available through Arlington libraries, “The Shop,” a free makerspace that comes equipped with woodworking tools, 3D printers, sewing machines, things one has never heard of like “Makey Makey,” the “Wacom Tablet and Pen,” and “Silhouette Cameo 3,” opened on April 23.
At its inaugural maker discussion on April 25 the Shop’s Team Leader, Katelyn Attanasio, talked about how to restore home movies, whether they are the kind in metal tins found in a grandfather’s basement or the kind a mother took on VHS tape. All of them are vulnerable, she said. Old 8 millimeter film can get moldy, twisted, warped, or rot. VHS tapes can lose their quality. Although digitizing them helps keep them in a form that is easier to preserve, at least for the time being, “you should always hold onto the originals” she said.
Attanasio is prepared to help residents decide whether their old movies are salvageable, and she has the equipment to help do it if they want to digitize 8 and super 8. Attanasio has worked in a film lab and at the Library of Congress. She was the person the University of Maryland called when they realized they had old films in their basement that no one had seen, catalogued, or preserved.
Attanasio stressed during her hour-long presentation: Don’t put your film through the projector if it looks warped or twisted, store all your media upright, not on its side, always keep originals, and seek advice. She pointed out that putting them on disks isn’t always the answer, and even the trusty USB drive may not always be the best choice given that some manufacturers are not installing USB drives on their new computers. Attanasio is happy to talk about what’s good to send out to commercial digitizing firms as well.
The “Shop” is one of the results of the recent renovation, and part of a trend to keep libraries relevant. The motto of the shop, managed by Patricia West and led by Attanasio, is “where people and ideas connect.” The Shop is open to beginning and advanced makers. It has classes, one on one tutoring and open lab time. The hours for the time being are Monday through Thursday, 2-6 p.m., Friday closed, and Saturday 1-5 p.m.
For a list of the equipment at the “Shop,” see:https://library.arlingtonva.us/explore/for-makers-and-crafters/the-shop/the-shop-technology-and-equipment/.
Details
Upcoming Shop Classes at Central Library
May 8 - Shop Class: Make It Wednesday
May 13 - Shop Class: Make/Fix Anything
May 15 - Shop Class: Make It Wednesday
May 20 - Shop Class: Introduction to Sewing
May 22 - Shop Class: Make It Wednesday