Melinda’s Corner — our new Digital Preservation Center, a free public service made possible through funding from the estate of Melinda Fultz — is now open and available for researchers. Volunteers can help individuals transfer, digitize, and preserve personal data and family memories from a wide range of older media formats — before these formats become unreadable forever. The center is still a work in progress as we acquire additional preservation capabilities.

Melinda’s Corner is open during our normal business hours, Tuesdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. No appointment is necessary, though visitors are asked to call ahead at 316-264-3611. Bring a USB drive to take your files home (512 GB or less for some video/audio digitizing). All services are free of charge. User’s will be asked to sign a liability waiver form before using our preservation center.

Services currently available

• Data Transfer:
  • 3.5″ Floppy disks (DOS/Windows format)
  • Compact Disks (CDs)
  • DVDs
  • iOmega Zip disks (100 MB format)
  • Multiple Memory Card Formats:
    • Compact Flash (CF)
    • XD Picture Card (XD)
    • SD/SDHC/SDXC
    • MicroSD
    • Memory Stick

• Video Formats (for Digitization):
  • VHS Cassettes
  • DVDs
  • 8mm film
  • Super 8 film

• Audio Formats (for Digitization):
  • Vinyl Records (various types) — 33 ⅓ , 45, 78 rpm

Scanning: Slides, negatives, prints, and oversize items such as scrapbooks and ledgers (via camera stand).

Genealogy file format conversion:  We have a number of genealogical programs which should be able to read — and possibly convert — various genealogical file formats. Note some very old files may not be able to be converted. This is an area we are currently work to expand upon.