This post is contributed by Tamara Ramski, Digitization Specialist, South Central Library System (SCLS).
The South Central Library System (SCLS) provides services to public libraries in seven counties in south-central Wisconsin. In 2017, SCLS began offering member libraries assistance with local history digitization projects through a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant funded by IMLS and administered by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
I assist library staff by providing them with project plans, metadata templates and guidance as they work on their projects. Staff or volunteers at the libraries do all of the digitizing and create metadata for the materials. I coordinate collections set-up in Recollection Wisconsin and upload the digitized materials and metadata to the CONTENTdm content management system, hosted by the Milwaukee Public Library. The materials are then harvested to Recollection Wisconsin and the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA).
SCLS has kits with digitization equipment and software available for member libraries to borrow. Craig Ellefson, SCLS Computer Technician, created the kits based on the types of materials being digitized. There are scanning kits, a VHS conversion kit, and a cassette tape conversion kit. SCLS also has an Indus BookScanner that is available for use at SCLS headquarters in Madison. The South Central Library System Foundation has provided financial support to help offset the cost of equipment and Recollection Wisconsin set-up fees.
Albertson Memorial Library (in Albany), the Dane County Library Service, Kilbourn Public Library (in Wisconsin Dells), and McMillan Memorial Library (in Wisconsin Rapids) currently have collections available in Recollection Wisconsin and DPLA. McMillan Memorial Library’s collection was begun many years prior to SCLS offering assistance with digitization projects. Those collections will continue to grow as more materials are digitized. Many more member libraries have digitization projects underway, including Lester Public Library of Arpin, Black Earth Public Library, La Valle Public Library, Marshall Community Library, Ruth Culver Community Library (in Prairie du Sac), Reedsburg Public Library, Rio Community Library, Rock Springs Public Library, George Culver Community Library (Sauk City), and Stoughton Public Library.
Staff members at the libraries have shown dedication and excitement for digitizing their local history materials. Digitization projects take time and effort, but the benefits of doing them are significant to library staff, their patrons, and their communities. Materials of varying types (including books, documents, photographs, postcards, pamphlets, and oral histories) and covering a wide variety of topics are housed by the libraries. These digitization projects are preserving historical resources and making local history materials from Wisconsin communities easier to discover and share.
