Library’s urban historian to highlight photography technology that preserves past at TEDXCincy

Surrounded each day by one of the top-ranked genealogy collections in the country, Patricia Van Skaik has a deep appreciation for the significance of the past in shaping our future, as well as the role the future plays in preserving that past. In her 26 years as manager of Cincinnati Public Library's Genealogy and Local History Department, Van Skaik has devoted herself to the preservation of Cincinnati's history and has embraced the advanced technologies that have enabled her passionate efforts. It was a combination of advanced technologies and passions spanning two centuries that Van Skaik credits with the eventual rescue and full revelation of "the Public Library's most valuable treasure," a priceless image from the 19th century considered to be the oldest surviving photograph of an American city. The photo, an 1848 panorama of the Cincinnati Riverfront, "is considered to be one of the finest examples of daguerrean photography," says Van Skaik, who gives primary credit for the quality of the image to the passion, skill and advanced technology employed by its19th Century photographers.Those Victorian-era cameramen would no doubt return the compliment, as it was the dedication of Van Skaik coupled with the sophisticated technologies of the present which ultimately saved the daguerreotype from potential demise. Six years ago, in an effort to safeguard the image, the urban history specialist began researching the most advanced methods of photographic preservation and in 2006, the Library made arrangements for the priceless panorama to be transported to the George Eastman House in Rochester, New York to begin stabilization and conservation work. It was there, explains Van Skaik, "that state-of-the-art microscopy equipment exposed previously undetected damage to the image" - information critical for the preservation specialists. The digital microscope also revealed an exciting surprise for the Cincinnati librarian. Due to the impressive quality of the 19th century daguerreotype, the digital microscope was able to provide an undistorted 30x magnification of the photo- an enlargement revealing unprecedented historic detail of Cincinnati's past.It was this exciting outcome, and Van Skaik's recognition that "both technology and passion have been interwoven every step of the way" that the urban historian will present as one of the notable speakers at the TEDxCincy event being held Oct. 7 at the Aronoff Center for the Arts. The local program is an offshoot of the west coast-based TED conference, an annual event devoted to "Ideas Worth Spreading" in the technology, entertainment and design sectors. Just as the Eastman microscope provided a close-up view of yesteryear along the Queen City riverfront, Van Skaik's devotion to enabling and improving access to historic information through the use of technology continues to open many doors to Cincinnati's past. TEDxCincy is a full day event, beginning at 9:30 am (check-in begins at 8:30 am) on October 7th, at the Procter & Gamble Hall in the Aronoff Center for the Arts. General admission is $55 and student admission (with ID) is $35. Registration for the event is online.Source: Patricia Van Skaik- manager of Cincinnati Public Library's Genealogy and Local History DepartmentWriter: Alyce Vilines