"I don't want it to become a very labor-intensive, resource-draining project," Buckley said. Costs aren't the only prohibitive factors; copyright issues are also quite laborious, Buckley said, having just finished a small book with 17 pictures.

"I remember how hard it was to get permission for all of those," Buckley said. "I can imagine what 200 would be."

Buckley and his BYU student assistant, Nathanael Paynter, are scanning the photos they already have to create a searchable database of online pictures for Orem residents.

Hopefully, in less than a year he'll be able to know for sure if there are enough photos to continue this project.

But whether or not an actual book can be created, the information will still be used, perhaps for an article for the Utah Historic Quarterly, Buckley said.

"I'll do some kind of a different project to utilize that effort, help people who have made photos available," Buckley said. "They're not going to be lost. The effort won't be in vain."

Got old photos?

Individuals with old photos of Orem can contact Jay Buckley at 801-422-5327 or by e-mail at jay_buckley@byu.edu.

Photos will be carefully scanned and returned, with credit given to the provider.

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E-mail: sisraelsen@desnews.com