Use a contact sheet to identify a collection

Create a readable sheet

Arrange digital copies with their identifiers and enough space to see faces. Keep strips in their original frame order. Include a note that names and dates remain provisional where appropriate. Try printing one page before producing a whole batch; a sheet that makes every face tiny defeats the purpose.

Record answers beside identifiers

Ask relatives to refer to the identifier when suggesting a name. Keep notes on a separate sheet or digital record, not the originals. Add the source of each answer to the catalogue. Preserve the initial scans so markings on a research sheet do not become part of the only surviving digital image.

Evidence: Preservation guidance