Documenting Zion’s Genealogy

Advances in digital technology, coupled with a desire to understand personal heritage, has piqued international interest in historical records research. This process of discovery is made possible through searching digitized documents that give clues and understanding about events in the past. Zion has developed excellent processes for archiving its historical treasures including digitizing paper photographs, maps, and superintendent reports. However, in an increasingly digital and paperless era, Zion, Cedar Breaks, and Pipe Spring have important institutional memory that is being lost over time as documents and digital files are misplaced and paper records deteriorate. With no process in place to archive more recent park management records, the parks are in danger of losing decision-making documents.

This project creates an institutional plan for park-wide digital information storage. A Records Management expert will determine where park records are located, establish a procedure for transferring them to the museum archives, and create a process for making the collection accessible. It also delivers archives training to all park staff on the best methods for preserving digital records. At this critical juncture in the history of Zion, Cedar Breaks, and Pipe Spring, this project assures today’s records will be available for the next 100 years and beyond.