News

QR Codes on headstones? It's not a brand new phenomenon, I remember hearing about it over a year ago. My jaw dropped with a mixture of horror and - "waitaminute, this is so interesting". But then, I'm one of those people who read the obituary every morning. As the old joke goes - "to see if I'm there. If I'm not, I can get on with my day." A December, 2012 article in The Grenfell Sun announces "now QR codes can be engraved on the headstone which can be scanned to view a tribute page about the deceased.". When I learned about QR (Quick Response) codes, those patchwork squares found in print media) I imagined the potential for directing someone to instant detail. Your smartphone 'reads' or 'scans' the patchwork square and immediately takes you to a website, a video message, a contest entry form, a photo collection. I've experienced trying to shoehorn the latest news into brochures and newsletters. I know the horror of seeing a typo in print! I was smitten with this combination of instant news, as seen on a poster, and a link to instant detail, as provided by a QR code. The possibilities were endless! It didn't take long for funeral homes to see the applications in cemeteries. A QR code could redirect visitors to discover more about the life of a loved one. The concept came to the U.S. early in 2011and is gaining momentum in Canada. For a fee the funeral home will create a unique code etched in granite or metal and mounted onto the grave marker. They will set up a website that can be maintained with anyone with the password. Immortality? This comes pretty close. It has that appeal for those who find peace in a cemetery. For those who travel and those who are perpetual researchers. It is a tremendous way to acknowledge those extraordinary ordinary folks who came before. I certainly hope that this technology is used by more people, whether it's to honour the recently deceased or their long-gone family or community members. Genealogists, archivists, museums - if you're looking for innovative projects for grant applications - consider QR Codes on headstones. Talk about outreach.