Intentionally or not, we all create and accumulate materials that document our own day-to-day lives and the families, communities, and organizations we are part of. We may choose to keep, share, and pass on some of these materials as a way of documenting our histories. However, this work can be daunting and it may be hard to know where to start. The Beinecke Library provides services to help individuals and organizations in the New Haven area preserve and share their histories.

Programs and Events

View the presentation from the “Preserving Your History” workshop

We offer free public workshops on preserving your personal, family, or organizational records. Keep an eye on this page or the Beinecke calendar for upcoming workshops.

If your New Haven area organization would like to host an in-person or online workshop, please contact Community Engagement Archivist Jennifer Coggins (jennifer.coggins@yale.edu). We will be glad to tailor the workshop to your specific needs.

Consultations and Support

If you are a resident of the Greater New Haven area and have questions about managing and preserving records and documenting your history, we are here to help! We are available to offer advice on specific questions (like “How should I store this?”), help you come up with a plan to get started with your archives project, refer you to helpful resources, and connect you with supplies and equipment you might need for your work. We are happy to consult with individuals or with organizations about their records.

Contact Community Engagement Archivist Jennifer Coggins: jennifer.coggins@yale.edu, (203) 436-9501

Additional Resources

Check out our series “Advice from the Archives,” featuring helpful tips from Beinecke archivists.

We’ve also gathered a number of helpful online resources on topics including preservation, managing digital records, digitization, and conducting oral histories on our Resources page.