Personal archiving is a branch of Family History

Family history

Family history is the systematic narrative and research of past events relating to a specific family, or specific families.- Introduction :...

, genealogy

Genealogy

Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...

, and archival science

Archival science

Archival science is the theory and study of storing, cataloguing, and retrieving documents and items. Archival science evolved from mankind's need to classify the world around them...

. Family historians are engaged in capturing their own living history to leave as a legacy for future generations. This branch of family history is allied to the growth in activities such as photograph and record scanning which seek to preserve materials beyond their original life.

Form and Motivation

Individuals involved in personal archiving consider all media to be relevant sources as long as this relates to the life, memories and experiences of a person, but a majority of the material is written, photographic, audio or video in nature. Those experiences can relate to their lives, those of living relatives or ancestors.
Those engaged in this practice also see their life experiences as a potential source of historical and cultural record, as well as being able to re-live those moments personally. Many see the digital age as bringing an opportunity to leave a richer legacy for future generations.

Conducting Personal archiving

• Choose an online or offline repository to store memories, experiences and living history, where it will be secured for future generations
• Gather existing material, files, documents, scans, photographs, into one a place and decide what you think is worth preserving and naming.
• Choose a categorization or organization method.
• Use preservation safe measures to secure your materials so that they last for posterity.
• Invite other family members to join and add to the archive making a family repository. From materials that you have uploaded you can make interesting representations like timelines, timecapsules photo galleries for yourself and ancestors.
• Begin capturing ongoing material, writing your memories, events and experiences, allowing you to leave a written legacy.