An inventory can record where photos are, which versions you selected, and how the folders and files are described.
Locate and select
List where your digital photos are kept, including cameras, computers, removable media and the web. Decide which images are most important to preserve. If an important photo has several versions, the Library of Congress advises keeping the highest-quality one.
Record enough to recognize them
Give individual photos descriptive filenames and tag them with people’s names and subjects. Arrange selected images in folders, then write a brief description of the folder structure and the photos. These notes make up a practical inventory of what you have organized.
Keep the inventory with the copies
The Library recommends placing a copy of the inventory with important papers in a secure location. Its guidance also says to keep at least two photo copies on different media in separate physical locations, and to check yearly that files remain readable.
Sources & scope
An AI-assisted explainer checked against the linked primary sources. Source review dates are not necessarily announcement dates.