Meet Kristen Whitson!

Hi all! I’m Kristen Whitson, joining WiLS and Recollection Wisconsin as the Digital Readiness Program Assistant. I’m so excited to get started on October 1. This position is a one-year, National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC)-funded initiative, Building a Wisconsin Digital Readiness Community of Practice. This collaborative, community-driven program will foster the skills and infrastructure… Read More…

Finding Relevance in the Past

by Laura Jones, UW-Milwaukee SOIS My name is Laura Jones, and as a budding Library and Information Science graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, I was itching to get my hands on some materials in order to practice the skills and theories I’ve learned throughout my coursework. After the cancellation of several summer internships… Read More…

We’ve Got the Power!

Did you know that two major energy sources – hydro and solar power – have deep roots in Wisconsin history?  It’s true. You might even say a current of energy-related ingenuity surged through our great state throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Read on if we’ve ignited your curiosity. Don’t go chasing waterfalls… Hydroelectric energy,… Read More…

The Toolkit: Digitizing Yearbooks

The Toolkit brings together resources for creating, managing, and sharing digital collections to address common concerns we often hear, like this one: I’d like to digitize my community’s high school yearbooks, but I’m concerned about copyright, harmful content and privacy issues, especially if we add these to our online public collection. Who doesn’t love old… Read More…

The Toolkit: Recording Oral Histories

The Toolkit brings together resources for creating, managing, and sharing digital collections to address common concerns we often hear, like this one: How do I record audio for my oral history project? Capturing the audio stories of community members’ lives is an excellent way to document and preserve history through the eyes of ordinary people…. Read More…

We’re Hiring a Digital Readiness Program Assistant!

Join our team! We’re looking for a program assistant to work with Recollection Wisconsin program staff at WiLS to support a one-year, National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC)-funded initiative, Building a Wisconsin Digital Readiness Community of Practice. This collaborative, community-driven program will foster the skills and infrastructure necessary for digital readiness in small and… Read More…

Bon Appétit, Wisconsin Foodies! Part One: Savory Dishes

Bon Appetit Part 1 Exhibit Image

Some of our favorite Wisconsin food traditions owe their origin to our state’s Indigenous and immigrant communities. Relying on oral tradition, beloved recipe books, local ingredients and a little ingenuity, generations of cooks created, transformed, and passed down these beloved dishes, often shared at ceremonial or holiday gatherings, community meals or local eateries. Over time,… Read More…

The Toolkit: Buying a Scanner

The Toolkit brings together resources for creating, managing, and sharing digital collections to address common concerns we often hear, like this one: What scanner should I buy? Unfortunately, there is no quick or easy answer. It really depends on individual project goals (and budget constraints!). The options available can be overwhelming – flatbed scanners, overhead… Read More…

NHPRC Funds “Building a Statewide Digital Readiness Community of Practice”

We are thrilled to announce our implementation grant proposal – Building a Statewide Digital Readiness Community of Practice – was fully funded. This one-year project slated to begin later in 2020, builds on work completed through a 2019 National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC)  planning grant and will support “digital readiness” in small and… Read More…

Wisconsin Local History Projects and COVID-19

We are heartened to see so many libraries, archives and local history organizations collecting materials and stories that document this unique and historic moment, the impact of COVID-19 on lives and communities across Wisconsin. Each project has its own focus; some emphasize a specific geographic location or population while others concentrate on a format such… Read More…

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