To Support group Discussion about Historic Photographs

Audiovisual presentations such as PowerPoint have become very common to local history societies. The topic of this paper is to give guidelines for connecting your computer to a projector. Setting up a video projector is exactly the same process as setting up a second monitor.

Objective: to provide guidelines for projecting one picture to an audience while simultaneously scanning and saving the next

Carol Bodnar and the Jefferson Historical Society sponsored a talk on the blizzard of 1958. She asked Charlie Buck to moderate, and, between the two of them, invited veterans of that snowfall in to bring both pictures and recollections.

One of the immediate challenges was to protect the photographs from 50 years ago. The solution Carol developed was to scan and save the first picture, then project it onto a screen for the audience while the veteran of the blizzard discussed the picture and the recollections it evoked. During this initial discussion, the next picture could be scanned and saved in anticipation of the subsequent discussion.

The topic of this paper is to give guidelines for this multitasking process: (1) projecting one picture for the audience while (2) simultaneously scanning and saving the next.

Equipment needed:
You’ll need a computer that can host two monitors — most computers and laptops would fulfill this need. You’ll also need a compatible flat-bed scanner and a projector, and an extension cord with outlets for each piece of equipment.

For setting up this equipment, please see Projector and Scanner.

Developing skills for multitasking of scanning and projection:
To come

• scanning
• projecting
• metadata
• record keeping

Gerry Stoner

This article is one of several to help you document local history. Other articles will help you convert your interviews, documents, pictures, and artifacts into documentation of your local history that can be shared with your community.