<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Preserving Our Stories]]></title><description><![CDATA[Explores preserving family and cultural histories through community collaboration, research, and a practical guide to starting family archives.]]></description><link>https://kaoleevang.wixsite.com/preservingourstories/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Sun, 26 Apr 2026 14:43:20 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://kaoleevang.wixsite.com/preservingourstories/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[100% Cotton Fabric and Clean Hands]]></title><description><![CDATA[100% Cotton fabric is great for protecting your physical archive. Ideally unbleached, or white, or if you want a more sustainable way - old 100% cotton sheets/fabric from bedding or curtains including ones that has had dyes faded away.  ​ This fabric is a great way to help keep the dust and dirt away, filter light, help our items breathe, and can be folded/rolled/shaped to help maintain the integrity of items where you want to create supports or maintain the shape (clothing/textiles). ​...]]></description><link>https://kaoleevang.wixsite.com/preservingourstories/post/100-cotton-fabric-and-clean-hands</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69eccdc2b502c05c43b6be18</guid><category><![CDATA[physical storage]]></category><category><![CDATA[process]]></category><pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:23:46 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02eaa3_4dc1e4a5d70c4eefb25d82829c9837ff~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>KaoLee Vang</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Organizing Your Archive, Start With the Photographs and Documents]]></title><description><![CDATA[The way you organize your items is a personal choice. If you are just starting out, take time to find a system that works best for you. ​ For photographs, I found it helpful to organize by eras — specifically, based on the different homes my family lived in. In the Vang Family Archive, documents were organized the same way: before the refugee camp, during the refugee camp and the period of preparing to move to the US, early life and resettlement in the US, official certificates, and any...]]></description><link>https://kaoleevang.wixsite.com/preservingourstories/post/organizing-your-archive-start-with-the-photographs-and-documents</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69ecca5442384749035ee270</guid><category><![CDATA[photographs]]></category><category><![CDATA[preservation]]></category><category><![CDATA[tips]]></category><category><![CDATA[processes]]></category><pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:20:11 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02eaa3_d32bd305ff6549f9bf1633098cdcfb5d~mv2.avif/v1/fit/w_578,h_568,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>KaoLee Vang</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Preservation Should Be Accessible]]></title><description><![CDATA[Preserving your family archive does not have to be expensive. There are many basic steps you can take at home, along with free or low-cost resources available in your community. ​ Start by looking for free local resources. This may take some searching, and you may not find everything in one place, but many helpful options do exist. ​ Libraries, cultural centers, and creative arts spaces often offer access to scanners and equipment for digitizing materials. Local historical societies,...]]></description><link>https://kaoleevang.wixsite.com/preservingourstories/post/preservation-should-be-accessible</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69eac9b4b17cf497ceb53bef</guid><category><![CDATA[preservation]]></category><category><![CDATA[basics]]></category><category><![CDATA[processes]]></category><category><![CDATA[tips]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 24 Apr 2026 01:39:20 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02eaa3_f570cbfec56a444a867eace4b51c545b~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>KaoLee Vang</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Physical Storage and Conservation]]></title><description><![CDATA[Proper storage of physical materials is critical to long-term preservation. I connected with the Midwest Art Conservation Center (MACC) and their Preventative Conservation team, where I learned a lot about what they do. MACC works with museums, non-profits, organizations, and private clients on art conservation and restoration. I also got to learn about the basic preventative care measures they practice and teach through workshops and consultations. Best practices include:  ● Storage...]]></description><link>https://kaoleevang.wixsite.com/preservingourstories/post/physical-storage-and-conservation</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69d157792a4608ae00221248</guid><category><![CDATA[preservation]]></category><category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category><category><![CDATA[storage basics]]></category><category><![CDATA[storage]]></category><category><![CDATA[physical storage]]></category><pubDate>Sat, 04 Apr 2026 18:29:20 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02eaa3_ef9157c782a24c7d8a0e91e1dfc5fa88~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>KaoLee Vang</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Digital Storage, Cloud Storage, Metadata]]></title><description><![CDATA[We've talked a little bit about physical storage, and we've talked about digitizing everything, now...how do we store all of this stuff that we've digitized? When organizing a family archive, it is important to choose a storage system that suits the needs of the family and aligns with its long-term goals. Save files where it makes sense, and save them in multiple places — this ensures you can access your files later, and if any files get corrupted, they can be recovered. Here are some options...]]></description><link>https://kaoleevang.wixsite.com/preservingourstories/post/digital-storage-cloud-storage-metadata</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69c8cad84b5dfe0bfdb18a02</guid><category><![CDATA[online help]]></category><category><![CDATA[meta data]]></category><category><![CDATA[tagging]]></category><category><![CDATA[Sorting]]></category><category><![CDATA[digitizing]]></category><category><![CDATA[saving]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 06:26:38 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02eaa3_fd83b48e308b410d820278aa32f97129~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>KaoLee Vang</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Sources for Preservation ]]></title><description><![CDATA[All of my training was from doing it myself, asking for specialized help as well as the landscape of preservation from professionals (Rebecca Newberry of Science Museum of Minnesota, Mollie Spillman of Ramsey County Historical Society, and Midwest Art Conservation Center), and a lot of internet research. Some online sources I found most helpful are listed below with some links. Saving Stuff by Don Williams (Book)  https://www.npr.org/2005/11/26/5028270/book-reveals-the-secrets-of-saving-stuff...]]></description><link>https://kaoleevang.wixsite.com/preservingourstories/post/credible-online-public-resources-i-used</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69cf55342a4608ae001e891f</guid><category><![CDATA[preservation]]></category><category><![CDATA[online help]]></category><category><![CDATA[book]]></category><category><![CDATA[research]]></category><category><![CDATA[resources]]></category><category><![CDATA[professionals]]></category><category><![CDATA[professional]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 06:04:39 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02eaa3_227a69275c664157b5c5cc7915baa673~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>KaoLee Vang</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Digitizing Images, Media, and Documents]]></title><description><![CDATA[Scan every image you can. For anything that can't be scanned, a photograph works just as well (make sure you have plenty of light for better quality). If you have film negatives, look for local organizations or companies that offer digitization services — though keep in mind this can be costly. For a more budget-friendly option, check if you already have a flatbed scanner at home, or look into borrowing access through a church, genealogy or family history center, library, community center, or...]]></description><link>https://kaoleevang.wixsite.com/preservingourstories/post/digitizing-images-media-and-documents</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69c8b272af19906fa1792cf9</guid><category><![CDATA[preservation]]></category><category><![CDATA[digitizing]]></category><category><![CDATA[media]]></category><category><![CDATA[photographs]]></category><category><![CDATA[documents]]></category><pubDate>Sun, 29 Mar 2026 06:29:14 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02eaa3_eade33c5aec34eaab16ac396bee06c6d~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>KaoLee Vang</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Purchasing Archival Materials]]></title><description><![CDATA[One of the best advice I received from professional archivists and conservators is to live with the items in your archive. While not everything you have may be too fragile to "live" with you may be interested in storing your items to help save them. There are some great resources that go into depth of proper storage but here is a list to help you get started. Living with your archive Key things to remember when you decide to display and decorate with items from your archive. Somethings were...]]></description><link>https://kaoleevang.wixsite.com/preservingourstories/post/purchasing-archival-materials</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69c2b1b18f0e652aaa2efa29</guid><category><![CDATA[saving]]></category><category><![CDATA[storage]]></category><category><![CDATA[preservation]]></category><category><![CDATA[physical storage]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 17:24:57 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02eaa3_aa49c96372864eddb001966c6bee80b8~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>KaoLee Vang</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>