We thank our guest columnist this week, Carey Jones of the Port of Bellingham, for her contribution of time and talent in writing up this important, but oft-neglected, aspect of our port operations.

Carey Jones came to the Port of Bellingham in 2019 serving as an Executive Administrator.  Prior to joining the Port, Jones was an Administrator for US Bancorp.  Jones is a graduate of Whatcom Community College with an Associate Degree in Education.  

Photographs are a visual collection of history, and capture something unique about an event. Many people may focus on the artistic and personal aspect of photography, but don’t consider the value to historical documentation.

Our ports have hundreds of thousands of photos.  It’s important have processes and policies based on best practices that ensure the long-term accessibility and preservation of these photos. The first, and most important step to determining policy around photo perseveration, especially ones that have historical value, is to make sure you understand the state’s Record Retention laws and applicable schedules. You can familiarize yourself with this information, and learn how to transfer archival records, including historic photographs, to the State Archives housed within the Secretary of State’s Office, on their port district records website. If you still have questions after reviewing this information, you can contact the Secretary of State’s Office—their contact information is on the webpage as well.

Once you’ve reviewed and understand the applicable laws and regulations, it’s time to develop a policy in tandem with port leadership on best practices around historical photo perseveration. Here’s a sample of how this could work: identify and inventory your photos; decide which photos are transitory and which need to be retained; organize the remaining photos; make a backup file for your photos. 

Identifying begins with taking an inventory of where you have pictures. Are they still on a camera(s), computer(s), paper, or cell phone(s)?  Identifying where your photos are located is the first step to getting a handle on preserving them. 

Next, decide which photos are the most important (while keeping in mind Public Records Act considerations). Digital photography makes it easier than ever to keep every picture you take, but that’s not always a good thing, especially if you’ve got similar pictures with only slight variations.  A smaller collection of essential photographs is easier to maintain and locate, so don’t be afraid to consolidate. 

If you do get rid of copies, make sure to keep the ones(s) with the highest resolution. To check the photo’s resolution, right-click on the image and then select "Properties." A window will appear with the image's details. Go to the "Details" tab to see the image's resolution.

Paper photos not yet in digital form will need to be individually scanned in.  Once paper photos have been scanned in, you need to ensure the paper copy is protected. Store large quantities of your port’s paper photos by layering them between acid-free paper in metal file cabinets or acid- free cardboard boxes in a heated storage area.

You will need to keep your photos organized by developing a catalog system for locating individual photos.  This can be time consuming but assures the photos can be accessed in the future. Give each photo a descriptive file name: Date, Subject, & Tags Keyword(s). Another best practice to consider is storing digital copies of photos in a shared digital location where any port employee can easily find a specific photo.

Finally, it’s important to ensure your photos have a reliable back up. At the Port of Bellingham, we use Laserfiche 10.4.  An employee(s) should oversee managing historical and recent photos—this person may be the same as your Public Records manager, working in tandem with other departments or people within your port. Make sure any resulting policy outlines the backup system you use, and which employees within the port have responsibility for managing these public records.

 Do you have an idea you’d like to see featured as a guest column on the blog? You can send your story idea to Director of Development & Communications Jessica Wilson for possible future publication.