According to Associate Librarian and Digital Preservation Unit Lead Stacey Jones, "Library and archival professionals can do a lot of good in the community by empowering people with basic digital preservation skills and techniques."

Jones is the principal project investigator for the Wildcats Memory Lab, a free do-it-yourself digitization and preservation resource. Located in the Main Library, the Memory Lab is available for University of Arizona students and employees and community members to reserve and use for digitizing old VHS videos, boxes of photographs, and more.

In May, the Memory Lab was awarded a 2026 Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant for $80,872 from Arizona State Library, Archives, and Public Records, a division of Arizona Secretary of State, with federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The lab officially opened in 2025, funded by an initial LSTA grant.  

This year's grant will be used to expand the lab and develop a mobile digitization kit. "We can use the mobile kit to bring digitization services directly to Tucson communities," said Amy Ellsworth, the Memory Lab's community outreach assistant. 

The grant also involves partnerships with Pima County Public Library and Faculty Organizing for Community Archives Support in collaboration with Jamie A. Lee, associate dean of faculty affairs and professor of digital culture, and Berlin Loa, associate professor of practice and Knowledge River program manager in the College of Information Science.

University Libraries Special Collections is also partnering with the Memory Lab to reach people throughout the community.

The lab by the numbers

Since its launch last March:

• 6,500 hours of time reserved
• ​500+ users
• 100 people engaged through outreach programs
• 50 participants in workshop trainings

Connecting users to the past and much more

People have found the digitizing process both empowering and fulfilling. While the Memory Lab was expected to primarily serve home video and photograph digitization, its use has expanded far beyond that.

One user brought in a cassette tape recording of their grandmother playing some of her favorite songs. They said it was amazing to hear her voice after so many years. 

"My grandmother passed away about 15 years ago, so the recording is incredibly meaningful to us."

"Being able to see or hear family members for the first time or after a long period of time can be emotional," said Jones. "We're glad to be able to facilitate that connection."

Other lab users have brought in materials and projects that involve archiving local zines, revisiting history lectures recorded on tape, scanning paintings on canvas for art festivals, documenting the university’s marching band history, and converting DVDs for film studies.

In addition to making the digitization process free and accessible, the Memory Lab puts it into the individual’s hands. Instructional resources, workshops, and onsite support are available to everyone.

Not sure where to start? Visit our how-to page and watch our short instructional video. 

Related stories:

Wildcats Memory Lab awarded $80,000 grant to bring free digitization services to more communities, KGUN 9 Tucson News, July 28, 2026

Wildcats Memory Lab, Arizona Illustrated, Arizona Public Media, February 2, 2026

Wildcats Memory Lab awarded additional $71K grant funding, August 11, 2025

Wildcats Memory Lab preserves photos, documents, videos and more, Arizona Public Media, April 2, 2025

Digitize your old home movies, photos at the Wildcats Memory Lab, March 19, 2025

University Libraries digitization lab project gets $43K grant to preserve memories, archival materials, July 1, 2024