Columbus Metropolitan Library program lets you decide what's historic

The Columbus Metropolitan Library maintains a vast digital collection of 1.75 million old photos, postcards and newspapers — and now invites the public to add their own.

Why it matters: The library system's My Upload program offers residents the chance to preserve memories and community landmarks for generations to come.

How it works: Residents can upload digital files of local photos, concert programs, ticket stubs and anything else of interest.

• They can be old images or those taken as recently as today.
• Librarians review all submissions to make sure they're relevant to the area.
• Anyone can submit — you don't need to have a library card. ( But we do suggest one , for many reasons.)

Flashback: My Upload launched in early 2020 with a $27,500 grant from Lyrasis, a preservation nonprofit.

• Initial submissions dealt with the local pandemic response and racial justice protests from that year, with photos of a taped-off McDonald's dining hall and a Black Lives Matter gathering at the Statehouse.

Zoom in: Other entries from the My Upload collection showcase a hodgepodge of snapshots past and present: a 1970s sale advertisement for a restaurant on Olentangy River Road, colorful photos of the Marysville Balloon Festival and a Columbus Chill hockey schedule from 1991.

• There are also dozens of ordinary shots around downtown, which make for great "then and now" comparisons.

By the numbers: As of Thursday, 690 user submissions have been added to the archive.

What they're saying: Angela O'Neal, CML's manager of local history and genealogy, tells us her favorite thing about this "community collecting initiative" is residents get to share what is most important to them.

• O'Neal also noted librarians "can't be at all events, [so] it is a great way for the community to make sure history is saved."

The bottom line: The contemporary world may not feel historic just yet, but it will some day.

• This is an opportunity to add to a digital time capsule.

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