July 2008 Scanfest is Coming!

Yep, it's almost Scanfest time! We're in that part of summer where it just starts going faster and faster, and before I know it, I'm preparing myself and my children for the next school year. I've got this big Rubbermaid tote full of photos and ephemera loaned to us by my father-in-law that is my summer scanning project, and I've barely touched it. Well, to be honest, I did some of the scanning over the winter and spring, but I was supposed to be finished by now. So my plan is to do a bunch of prep on what needs to be finished and see how much I can complete this Sunday.

Won't you join me? We'll be scanning and chatting using Windows Live Messenger this Sunday, July 27th from 11 AM to 2 PM, PDT. Scanning can be tedious, but not when you're chatting with genealogy friends. It seems like there's always a new "face" in our chat conversations these days, so we're expanding our social network AND getting some much-needed preservation finished! Here's how to join us:

You'll need a Hotmail or Gmail account, and Windows Live Messenger downloaded to your computer (Mac users go here to download Microsoft Messenger for Mac). Although Windows Live Messenger states that it is compatible with Yahoo! e-mail accounts, we have had difficulty adding Yahoo! users to our chat conversation.

If you don't already have a Hotmail or Gmail account, it's very easy (and free) to set one up. Just go to the links in the previous paragraph. Once you have gotten set up, send me an e-mail (my address is found on this page) and I'll add you to our chat list. You'll receive an invitation message from me at the e-mail address that you've set up for Messenger, and then you will need to verify that I can add you as a contact for Windows Live Messenger.

The second thing you need to do to prepare for scanning is go to Sally's website here and sign up for her free e-mail newsletter. This will then allow you to download her helpful information called 8 Blunders People Make When They Scan Photographs...and How You Can Avoid Them All. Then you will know how to set your scanner correctly to enable you to scan your items without damaging the originals or compromising the digital images you create.

Sunday, just sign in to Windows Live Messenger and look for me. I'll add you to our conversation!