What if you could bring your family’s past into the digital age: photos, VHS tapes, even old cassette recordings and do it all for free?
Tucked away in downtown Las Vegas at 509 S. 9th Street, the Las Vegas FamilySearch Center offers a remarkable gift to the community: professional-quality scanners that let you digitize your family’s irreplaceable memories – free of charge. From old slides and negatives to 8mm reels and audio tapes, you can preserve your history with help from friendly, knowledgeable volunteers.
I know this firsthand. As a volunteer at the Center for three years, I’ve witnessed people tearing up as they saw a childhood photo come back to life or heard the voice of a loved one long gone. These are not just digital files – they are fragments of identity, joy, and connection.
The Center is opened for the Jewish Genealogy Society of Southern Nevada (JGSSN), held on most third Sundays. These gatherings feature interesting guest lectures, and the scanning equipment is available to attendees after the presentation.
On those Sundays, the Center is open exclusively for JGSSN guests. For meeting topics and times, visit jgssn.org/meetings.
Everyone is welcome, regardless of religion, background, or experience. Whether you’re just curious about your roots or deep into DNA and archival research, JGSSN offers insight, support, and connection.
What can you scan or convert? Just about everything:
1. Photos, documents, books, and negatives
2. Slides and reel-to-reel film
3. VHS and Sony Handycam 8mm or Hi8 tapes
4. Audio cassettes and mini cassettes
5. Super 8mm film using Wolverine conversion
Reservations are recommended; especially for video or reel equipment. Visit LasVegasFSC.org to reserve equipment. Be sure to bring a flash drive to save your digital memories.
Why does this matter? Because media fades. Formats become obsolete. And memories if left in dusty boxes may never be passed on. Scanning is more than a task; it’s an act of love. It’s something you do for your children, grandchildren, and generations yet to come.
Join us at a JGSSN meeting. You’ll learn something new and leave with your history preserved.
