The Queens College Library Memory Lab is a do-it-yourself (DIY) space for CUNY students, faculty, and staff to learn about archiving and digitize personal, administrative, and scholarly materials, including VHS tapes, audio cassettes, photographic prints, slides, and negatives. The lab's media rack and scanners are available to use free of cost, on an appointment basis. The lab also sponsors scanning days and educational workshops open to the wider community.
The Memory Lab is an initiative of the Benjamin Rosenthal Library's Special Collections and Archives in partnership with the Graduate School of Library and Information Studies Certificate in Archives and Preservation of Cultural Materials, the Archival Technologies Lab, and the Queens Memory Project.
For more information, contact Queens College Special Collections and Archives at qc.archives@qc.cuny.edu or 718-997-3650.
The Memory Lab is part of the newly renovated Charles J. Tanenbaum Special Collections and Archives Wing on the third floor of the Benjamin S. Rosenthal Library. The Memory Lab has been supported by the Pine Tree Foundation of New York and the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation. The original equipment was secured via two Queens College Technology Fee proposals submitted by Professor Johnathan Thayer of the Graduate School of Library and Information Studies during 2016-2018 totaling $15,500.
Many thanks to Tom Gubernat and Jeanie Pai, Memory Lab Fellows over the 2019/2020 academic year, for their contributions to this guide and to the development of the lab.
The Memory Lab is a work in progress, especially as implementation was interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Memory Lab will not be available until the library is open regularly, until it is safe to provide access, and until staff have time/access to finish testing and setting up equipment. If you have interest in future use of the lab, we'd love to hear from you at qc.archives@qc.cuny.edu.
