Recollection Wisconsin Digitization Initiative: Host Site Information

Calling all Wisconsin local history organizations!

Want to digitize a collection but need support scanning and creating metadata? We’re here to help! Recollection Wisconsin seeks new content partners (host sites) to digitize local history collections starting in Fall 2024. Trained graduate students will complete the work and will receive a stipend from us. Your collection will be added to Recollection Wisconsin. It’s a win-win-win!

Content partners / host sites will:

  • identify and organize a photo or paper-based collection, 
  • complete a digitization project planning worksheet,
  • identify a staff person to serve as liaison and attend a virtual project launch meeting and digital projects training, 
  • have a scanner, computer and adequate workspace,
  • provide student staff with an orientation to their organization and collections, and general support during a student’s work shift, 
  • receive scanning and metadata workflows to support future work, and
  • receive a new external hard drive for your organization’s ongoing digital preservation work.

We’re interested in new collections that document lesser-known stories about Wisconsin history and the people who have inhabited our home state including Native, immigrant, and LGBTQ communities; women’s stories; and, in general, materials that document aspects of Wisconsin business, industry, tourism, cities and architecture, natural landscape and resources or military veterans. 

Interested? Let’s chat. This experience will be available again in spring 2026.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Our summer 2025 cohort has been chosen, and the program is taking a planned hiatus in fall 2025. We plan to open applications again for the spring 2026 semester. In the meantime, please consider filling out the application as an expression of interest in being a host site in a future semester. The more we know about demand for this program, the more we can share with potential funders to show the need to expand our reach.

Fill out this brief application. We’ll be in touch to schedule an informal (virtual) interview in fall 2025.

For additional program information, contact vicki@wils.org. JOIN US!