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…
Latest News
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…
New Recollection Wisconsin Content Partners
We are excited to welcome these new content partners and their new collections! Portage County Public Library, in collaboration with Portage County Historical Society, UW-Stevens Point Archives, and South Central Library System, is making available Tattler yearbooks from 1916 to 1976 which cover four local high schools. Manitowoc Public Library, in partnership with the Manitowoc… 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…
Add Some Wisconsin Flair to Your Next Online Meeting
Recollection Wisconsin is a treasure trove of images for any occasion, but next time you have to be on camera for an online call, select a virtual background to showcase your Wisconsin spirit! Transport yourself to the lovely Mitchell Park Domes (from Milwaukee Public Library) or to this stunning view of Grandad Bluff (from La… 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…
The Toolkit: Rights Statements
The Toolkit brings together resources for creating, managing, and sharing digital collections to address common concerns we often hear, like this one: My digital collection is a mix of public domain and in-copyright materials. How will my users know what they can and can’t use? Generally speaking, until recently there haven’t been widely used standards… Read More…
Bon Appétit, Wisconsin Foodies! Part One: Savory Dishes
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…


