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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Nat De Bruin will present “Time Capsules to Our Past: Identifying and Preserving our Photographic Images” in the Archives and History Library at the Culture Center, State Capitol Complex in Charleston on Thursday, April 19, 2018. The program will begin at 6 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

With the click of a shutter, a camera has the unique ability to freeze a moment in time, capturing a split-second time capsule view into our history. The visual evidence photographs provide of our past — whether it be mapping the development of a cityscape or supplementing a family history — make them an invaluable tool for research. From Daguerreotypes to Polaroids, De Bruin, head of Archives and Special Collections at Marshall University, will explain the diverse types of images made prior to the advent of digital photography, discuss the challenges involved with preserving different photographic formats and provide solutions to help preserve and protect your own photographic images. 

De Bruin earned his B.A. in history in 1976 at Texas A&M University and was commissioned in the United States Army. His military career spanned 19 years in a variety of assignments, both in the United States and overseas, including the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in 1989 and Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. After retiring from the Army as a major in 1995, De Bruin earned his master’s degree in library science from the University of Maryland-College Park in 1996.

For additional information, contact the Archives and History Library at (304) 558-0230.

Patrons may park behind the Culture Center after 5 p.m. on April 19 and enter the building at the rear loading dock area. The bus turnaround is open, and handicapped spots are available there. Visitors parking there should enter at the front of the building.

The West Virginia Division of Culture and History is an agency within the Office of Secretary of Education and the Arts. The division, led by Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith, brings together the past, present and future through programs and services focusing on archives and history, arts, historic preservation and museums. For more information about the division’s programs, events and sites, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

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