Creating A Folder, File, and Media Archive Structure

An Essential System for Ancestry Family Archives

For those who are serious about safeguarding their irreplaceable family photographs and enthusiastically pursuing the threads of genealogy, creating a clear and consistent digital folder, file, and media structure isn't just a clever idea, it's fundamental. This process transforms a collection of digital files into a powerful, time-defying database, a meticulously catalogued library for every album, every envelope, and every individual photograph you possess. Imagine it as designing the perfect organizational system for a physical library— without clear categories and labels, finding a specific book becomes an arduous task. Similarly, a well-thought-out digital structure, complete with a logical naming convention and folder hierarchy, provides instant access to your visual history, saving you countless hours of searching and ensuring that vital genealogical clues are never lost in a sea of unlabeled files. This isn't just about storage; it's about creating a dynamic and easily searchable record of your family's journey through time. The process is not that difficult; I am about to show you how to achieve such an outcome in the following paragraphs.Avoid Naming Archive Image Files Based on Image Content

A fundamental practice for your family archive is to avoid naming image files based on what they depict. Instead, consider your filenames to be location markers that point back to your physical media. All the rich details about the image—descriptions, keywords, and any other relevant notes—should be meticulously recorded in the IPTC metadata of each digital file. This embedded metadata stays with the image and will be managed using your chosen image management and editing application, ensuring this crucial information is always available. For the filename itself, the final part should consist solely of a numerical identifier (plus the file extension, like .jpg). This number should represent either the frame number from the original film roll or the sequential order of each print within its envelope or container. This consistent and location-based naming system represents a vital component of the comprehensive archive database structure we are currently establishing.

Create the Archive Prefix Based on Family Name

As our first step in building a structured digital photographic archive, we'll create a unique prefix based on your family name. For example, my surname is Klein, so we'll name this example primary prefix as 'KFA', short for Klein Family Archive. This concise prefix, where 'K' represents your surname's initial and 'FA' signifies 'Family Archive', will represent the foundation for our entire organizational system. Next, we will assign a specific designation to each image, like 'KFA-AG01-ALB1-IMG01'. This example illustrates how the prefix is combined with identifiers for archive groups ('AG01'), albums ('ALB1'), the actual album, and individual images ('IMG01'), ensuring precise and easily navigable categorization; see the list of my suggested archive media groups and types below. Given the above example, the computer master folder for this family name would be KFA-Klein Family Archive.

Initial List of Archive Media Types (Archive Groups)

• AG01 = Albums

• AG02 = Other curated/organized prints

• AG03 = Container of prints (no negatives)

• AG04 = Container of prints (with negatives)

• AG05 = Mounted slides

• AG06 = Unmounted slides

• AG07 = Loose film

Scaling Up Your Archive

Should you need to manage a larger archive, add zeros to the Archive Group block. For instance:

• AG001 = 999 groups

• AG0001 = 9999 groups

Expand Archive Groups to Include More Film Types

Should you wish to add extra classifications for different sizes of film, you can expand the above film archive media types to include them. For example:

• AG07 = Loose film 35mm

• AG08 = Loose film 120

• AG09 = Loose film 126

• AG10 = Loose film 6x7

• AG11 = Loose film 4x5

• AG12 = Artworks, newspaper articles, etc.

The new list would then look like this:

• AG01 = Albums

• AG02 = Other curated/organized prints

• AG03 = Container of prints (no negatives)

• AG04 = Container of prints (with negatives)

• AG05 = Mounted slides

• AG06 = Unmounted slides

• AG07 = Loose film 35mm

• AG08 = Loose film 120

• AG09 = Loose film 126

• AG10 = Loose film 6x7

• AG11 = Loose film sheets 4x5

• AG12 = Artworks, newspaper articles

 Example of Archive Group – Computer Folder Structure

• KFA-Klein Family Archive

  • KFA-AG01-Albums

    • KFA-AG01-ALBUM1

      • KFA-AG01-ALBUM1-IMG01.TIFF

      • KFA-AG01-ALBUM1-IMG02.TIFF

      • etc.

Rename Each Image Using the Archive Group Row

To establish a robust link between your digital files and their original vintage counterparts, it's essential to adopt a consistent and informative naming convention based on the Archive Group Row. For instance, a file originating from Archive Group ‘KFA’ within 'AG01,’ from Album 'ALB1,’ and being the first image captured might be named 'KFA-AG01-ALB01-IMG01.RW2.’ It's crucial to adhere to a restricted character set for filenames, ideally using only letters, numbers, dashes (-), or underscores (_), and to maintain this consistency rigorously across your entire archive. This structured approach to folder organization and filename creation allows for swift identification of a digital file and provides a direct cross-reference back to the physical vintage image via its container label.

Resolve Conflicting Archive Prefix Names

Each archive requires a unique initial prefix (as illustrated below). While this requirement isn't a concern when working solely on your own family archive, it becomes crucial when managing multiple family archives. If you work with families whose surnames share the same initial as yours, the standard prefix will create a conflict. To resolve this, I recommend modifying the prefix by incorporating the first three or four letters of the family's postal code, followed by their street number. This step ensures distinct identification for each archive. For readers in other countries, you will need to modify this postal code portion accordingly.

Existing archive: KFA—Klein Family Archive

Modified archive for other family: Kier = KFA-RG6122-Kier Family Archive.

You may find an alternative solution to the problem but just ensure that every archive prefix is unique!

Create Media Label Before Capture

Behold, the creation of a media container label! This seemingly modest act, whether executed through the precise strokes of a printer or the nimble touch of a banner application on your mobile device, is in truth a foundational pillar of your digital archive. Before the lens gazes upon a single cherished image or page, capture this label—a photographic testament or a crisp digital record. This visual herald, bearing the standard of your chosen archive prefix, serves as the very cornerstone of your organizational edifice. Without this initial act of identification, your burgeoning digital collection risks descending into a chaotic sea of disconnected images.

This systematic labeling, therefore, transcends mere convenience; it is the vital thread that weaves coherence through your archive, enabling the swift and precise batch renaming of your captured memories and ensuring the streamlined management of your precious digital legacy for generations to come. Consider this label not just a tag, but the key to unlocking the full potential of your meticulously crafted digital realm!

Create your media label to identify the original album, film sleeve, or print wallet. For example, KFA-AG01-ALB01. Photograph this label before taking the first shot, and then, place this label on the albums’ inside back cover or the container for other media types.

Label examples for different media types:

• KFA-AG01-ALBUM01

• KFA-AG07-ROLL01

• KFA-AG03-WALLET01

Your entire digital archive consists of the instructions above, the folder structure on your computer's hard drive (see example below), and the keywords and descriptions entered into the IPTC metadata of your captured images. I use the TIFF file extension here simply because I always convert my RAW images to TIFF for the archive folders.

The following is an example folder structure for 35 mm negatives:

• KFA-Klein Family Archive

  • KFA-AG07-35 Negatives

• • • KFA-AG07-ROLL01

      • KFA-AG07-ROLL1-Label.TIFF

      • KFA-AG07-ROLL01-IMG01.TIFF

      • KFA-AG07-ROLL01-IMG2.TIFF

The second row above, KFA-AG07-ROLL01, is identical to the label I've physically attached to the corresponding print and negative wallet in the second image at the end of this page. This one-to-one match is the key to a well-organized digital archive. It allows you to instantly find the digital files associated with a specific physical item and vice versa.

KFA-Klein Family Archive— The archive’s main prefix is KFA. The Klein Family Archive part is only used to describe the main folder name on the computer, for clarity when viewing the folder.

KFA-AG07-35 Negatives— This describes the archive media group in the computer folder only, for clarity.

KF-AG07-Roll01 - This describes the actual media title for the computer folder and the media container; the key! 

Here's Another Important Tip: 

if your negatives are stored separately in a film sleeve inside the main print wallet, don't hesitate to put the matching label directly on that film sleeve or a new acid-free sleeve. This is particularly useful when the prints in the outer envelope don't accurately represent all the negatives within a specific film sleeve; this ensures that even individual negative strips have a digital counterpart. Look at the image below showing an example print wallet with the label. You'll see that the label on the media wallet exactly matches the last block of the folder structure roll name as shown on the computer file location strip below; KFA-AG07-Roll-1.

Next: How To Digitize & Archive Classic & Vintage Film