By Juliano Oliveira
Old memories recorded in cassettes, film negatives and videos can now be easily turned into digital format in a permanent media conversion station at Carindale Library.
In a joint effort between Brisbane City Council and the State Government, the new Media Conversion Station will cater to residents currently sitting in a stockpile of priceless memories.
“Many of us are sitting on a gold mine of precious photos, videos and recordings in retro formats like VHS tapes, film and cassettes with no easy means to bring them back to life,” Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner.
“Converting tapes and films into digital files can come at a cost, and that’s why we’re proud to offer this new service for free to all residents, including non-library members.
“Whether you’ve got prints, projector, slides, film negatives, audio cassettes, VHS tapes, historical documents or floppy disks, our friendly library staff will be there to help you convert your files, all you need to bring is a USB, external hard drive or DVD.”
The whole process is simple and not longer, depending on the length of each recording.
“As a general guide, scanning and saving files such as photos and documents take approximately one minute per item. Audio cassettes and VHS tapes will need to play all the way through in real-time to be recorded,” Cr Schrinner said.
“Library staff complete a brief orientation with each new user or alternatively, you can join a group information session at the library before starting your project, which provides you with an overview of the equipment and opportunities for hands-on practice.”
Residents can book upcoming group information sessions via Council’s website at www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/libraries.