13 July 2026

We are delighted to introduce Saving Family Stories to Corio Library, expanding the successful service thanks to the ongoing support from Kings Funerals.

Saving Family Stories provides the local community with free access to equipment and technical support for digitising older formats including negatives, slides, photographs, video, and film footage. The service helps preserve and share family memories, keeping personal and local social histories alive.

Since launching in 2022, sponsorship from Kings Funerals has enabled us to add this valued service to libraries at Belmont, Leopold, Newcomb and now Corio. 

The continued positive feedback and use of Saving Family Stories are evident, with more than 4,374 hours of equipment use, 2,411 sessions, and 171 introductory workshops recorded to date.

Acting Chief Executive Officer of Geelong Regional Libraries, David Semmens, said:

Libraries remove barriers by providing free access to technology, learning opportunities, and trusted spaces where anyone can participate, regardless of their background or experience. Our knowledgeable staff help build confidence with our community members as they learn to use the Saving Family Stories resources to record memories that might otherwise be lost. We’re delighted to extend this service to the Corio community.

We're also incredibly grateful for the continued support of Kings Funerals to reach more people. This partnership shows how organisations can, together, create lasting social impact. Our shared commitment and values mean we can support community wellbeing and enable our libraries to offer free services like Saving Family Stories.

Beth King, General Manager of Kings Funerals, said,

At Kings Funerals we have a long-standing role supporting families through life's significant moments and we understand how important memories are to families and generations. We're proud to support Geelong Regional Libraries in their efforts to digitise, share and preserve family memories to even more people.

The new equipment will complement the family history resources available within our network, including genealogy PCs and specialist family history support and programs delivered by the Kim barne thaliyu/Geelong Heritage Centre team.

Visit our Saving Family Stories webpage to find out more about the service or speak with a team member at your local library for more information.