This kit is designed for a family reunion archive table, oral-history station, genealogy committee, or follow-up preservation project. It helps relatives capture context and consent while originals, storytellers, and knowledgeable elders are available.
What the kit includes
- Archive project plan
- Item intake and identification form
- Sharing and recording permission worksheet
- Elder and family-story interview sheet
- Photograph identification worksheet
- Source and research log
- File-naming and backup plan
- Archive handoff and annual review
Built for responsible family preservation
The forms distinguish documented facts, probable conclusions, family recollections, and unresolved questions. They also prompt the archive team to protect living addresses, sensitive records, minors, interviews, burial information, and materials that a contributor has not approved for public use.
Choose your format
Download the print-ready PDF for an archive table or interview station.
Download the editable Word version to customize the worksheets or open them in Google Docs.
Use the kit during the reunion
Tell households what materials to bring, schedule interview appointments, and identify the archive team before the event. Use GatherKin's itinerary, optional family questions, documents, and announcements to keep those instructions connected to the current reunion plan.
After the reunion, return originals and copies promptly, invite contributors to correct names and dates, and preserve unresolved questions instead of guessing. A useful family archive remains open to better evidence while retaining who supplied each account.
Frequently asked questions
Can a library or genealogy organization share this kit?
Yes. Organizations may link to this landing page so families receive the current files and supporting preservation guidance.
Does this replace professional archival advice?
No. Fragile, damaged, culturally sensitive, legally restricted, or irreplaceable materials may require guidance from a qualified archivist, conservator, attorney, or institution.