Preservationists come in many forms: curators and archivists; family photographers and videographers; genealogists, the discoverers of past generations' memories; and even scrapbookers, who turn preservation into an outlet for creative expression.

When I think about preserving family memories, though, my mental images of the camcorder-wielding Uncle Harveys and camera-happy cousin Lulus of the world ("Hey, Grandma, can you blow out those 97 candles again? The glare over here ruined my angle!") pan to visions of Bob Hope.