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Case
Study
Preserving the Past, Powering the Future: Hamilton Cemeteries’ Digital Transformation
The City of Hamilton’s Cemeteries Department was the guardian of an incredible collection of history, with records dating back as far as the 1800s. These documents—maps, lot cards, ledgers, and contracts—told the story of every cemetery and plot in the city. But while they were invaluable, they were also vulnerable. Fragile paper made them difficult to handle, and finding a single record often meant hours of digging through filing cabinets. The records were taking up precious space and slowing down everyday work. To preserve this irreplaceable history and give staff a faster, more modern way to access information, the City partnered with Slater Hill Digital to bring their archives into the digital age.
objectives
The goal was clear: protect Hamilton’s centuries-old cemetery records while making them easier to use. By digitizing fragile documents, the City aimed to preserve its history, improve day-to-day access for staff, and replace paper-heavy processes with faster, more reliable digital workflows. Another key objective was to free up office space by moving from rows of filing cabinets to a secure, cloud-based system.
Challenges & Solutions
The Cemeteries Department was working with fragile records dating back to the 1800s, many so delicate they risked damage with every touch. On top of that, the sheer variety of documents—maps, ledgers, contracts—made organization difficult, while bulky filing cabinets slowed access and consumed valuable space.
Slater Hill Digital solved this by carefully scanning every file with high-resolution equipment, then applying OCR to make the records instantly searchable. Everything was organized in SharePoint Online, giving staff a simple way to find what they need while freeing the office from rows of storage cabinets.
Key Benefits
With everything safely digitized, staff can now pull up records in seconds instead of digging through cabinets. Historical documents that were once at risk are preserved for generations to come, while daily work has become faster and less paper-heavy. On top of that, clearing out the old filing systems freed up valuable office space, making the department’s environment more practical and efficient.
Client Testimonial
"Working with Slater Hill Digital has been a game-changer for our department. The team handled our fragile historical records with incredible care, and the digitization process was seamless. Now, our staff can access any document instantly, and our archives are preserved for future generations. This project has truly modernized the way we work."
— Cemeteries Department Manager, City of Hamilton