Every school has a story to tell. It lives in photographs, yearbooks, handwritten letters and speeches, student projects, and programs from milestone events. These materials capture not just names and dates, but the spirit of a school and the traditions, values, and experiences that shape generations of students. Yet, for many institutions, these records remain locked away in boxes and basements, vulnerable to deterioration and nearly impossible to access.
The longer schools delay the move to digital preservation of their archives, the more they risk losing irreplaceable parts of their history. And with that loss comes missed opportunities to inspire students, engage alumni, and strengthen school communities.
From Storage to Storytelling
At HistoryIT, we have worked with K–12 schools nationwide to transform decades of materials into searchable, interactive digital repositories. Beyond serving as a solution to storage problems, these archives also function as tools for connection, education, and growth.
The professional digital archive teams at HistoryIT begins with a comprehensive assessment of each school’s historical materials, then transforms them into future-proof digital archives and museums. These offer interactive features, such as timelines, biographical profiles, and curated exhibits, act as a living resource for the community. From alumni and fundraising leaders to marketing and administration, everyone can easily access and integrate relevant historical content into initiatives that grow and evolve alongside the school.
Bringing History to Life
For educators, the benefits are immediate. Digital archives allow teachers to bring history to life in the classroom, using authentic primary sources to spark curiosity and deepen understanding. Lessons about social change, innovation, or school traditions become more meaningful when students can see original letters, photographs, or newspaper clippings from the very halls they walk every day. By interacting with authentic historical documents, images, and oral histories, students practice assessing primary source material for credibility, context, and perspective – skills that transfer to all areas of learning.
For school leaders, digital preservation delivers a powerful resource for telling their institution’s story, whether to prospective families, donors, or the broader community. When a school can share its history in dynamic, visually compelling ways, it demonstrates not just where it has been, but where it is going.
The Cost of Waiting
Delaying digital preservation is risky. Paper fades, photographs crack, and film becomes brittle. Most printed photos begin to deteriorate after about 75 years, and newspapers last even less — closer to 50 years. Even collections kept in ideal conditions face the threat of being misplaced during a move, damaged in renovations, or lost to disorganization over time. Storing materials on USBs, CDs, or DVDs isn’t a viable solution either, as these formats degrade within a period of anywhere from five to 50 years. Beyond physical degradation, there’s the lost opportunity to use history as a living, breathing part of a school’s culture and strategy.
But acting quickly doesn’t mean cutting corners. Many schools assume that scanning yearbooks or creating PDFs of old documents is enough, but this approach only produces low-resolution static files that are difficult to search, share, or integrate into daily use. True digital preservation requires producing high resolution files that meet an international standard for preservation - this is not easily achieved with most consumer scanners. Moreover, it demands a strategic approach to organizing digital collections, applying thoughtful metadata, and creating a digital archive that is both searchable and interactive. HistoryIT builds structured, intuitive archives with features like timelines, profiles, and curated exhibits and ensures that every artifact is made meaningful, discoverable, and connected to the larger story of the school.
Additionally, alumni relations, admissions, and fundraising efforts thrive when history is not only preserved but also accessible. A strategic digital archive fuels development campaigns, enriches milestone celebrations, and connects generations of students, parents, and educators through a shared sense of identity and belonging.
A Future-Proof Approach
At HistoryIT, we help schools transition from simple preservation to create dynamic archives that are intuitive, interactive platforms that evolve in tandem with the institution. These archives safeguard a school’s unique character while providing powerful tools for engagement, from enhancing classroom learning to strengthening alumni bonds and inspiring future generations.
For educators, this means access to primary sources that bring lessons to life. For school leaders, it offers a storytelling asset that builds reputation and deepens community connections. And for everyone involved, it ensures that a school’s culture remains strong by honoring its past to help shape its future.
Kristen Gwinn-Becker is a professional historian, digital strategist and established thought leader in the field of digital preservation. As the Founder and CEO of HistoryIT, she holds a PhD in U.S. History from George Washington University and has worked for over 15 years in software development. Kristen is a published author, accomplished scholar and experienced public speaker, including her TEDx talk on the Future of History.