Memory Lab Network

May 20, 2019: B is for Beta Testing

Written by Mary Girard, Boyle County Public Library

After many trials and tribulations (that’s short hand for months of waiting, tears, and triumph) we are finally Beta testing our equipment for the Memory Lab. I have spent a couple of days sitting in a back cubical with headphones on, making sure a variety of materials transfer from analog to digital without problem. Caleb, my co-Memory Lab Ambassador, and I are also tweaking our work flow instructions to make them as clear as possible for the next round of Beta testers, the patron. We have four people who have volunteered to be guinea pigs for our training classes and workflows. I have had to add instructions on “how to tighten a cassette tape with a pencil” and a step to “Push deck closed. If it doesn’t close, don’t force it, check that the tape is inserted properly” for patrons who might not have experience with cassette technology. The step before this had explained how the tape is properly inserted, with an image, but we all have our off moments.

The Memory Lab Network came through when there was an issue with video transfer. I could not pin down what was causing a distortion in transfer. I posted the issue to our working group and before long, there were suggestions on what settings to check. My cohorts tried to reproduce the distortions on their systems. When they were unable to, we pinpointed the problem to a piece of hardware and quickly resolved the issue with the supplier.

Selfishly, the first audio cassette tape I tested was from a 1983 trip to the beach with my family. I listened to 10 year old me and my brother be ridiculous as my now deceased grandfather and a young version of my father had a conversation in the background (you can listen to a clip of this audio below). I laughed through the whole tape and I hope our patrons have the same type of experiences with their family memories.

Being at this stage of development is a huge triumph. As a small public library in the middle of Kentucky, our Memory Lab will be one of the few places offering equipment for do-it-yourself analog to digital conversion in the state. Happily, the number of Memory Labs available will be on the rise. After Caleb and I gave a talk at the Kentucky Library Association Conference, two libraries reached out to us for detailed information on our set up because they plan on opening their own labs this year. We look forward to our first Open House in June.