We’re thrilled to see the Recollection Wisconsin Digitization Initiative featured in this week’s UW-Madison Information School news. The story introduces three of our summer 2026 graduate students interns-Katy Kulie, Sophia Auron, and Hazel Johnson- all current graduate students in the iSchool, and shares their experiences digitizing archival collections at Northcentral Technical College, the Wisconsin Library… Read More…
Recollection Wisconsin Digitization Initiative
Exploring Librarianship in Wisconsin Through the Wisconsin Library Association’s Archives
By Sophia Auron, UW-Madison iSchool, Summer 2026 This summer, I was part of the Recollection Wisconsin Digitization Initiative, working with the Wisconsin Library Association (WLA) to digitize their archives . I’m an MLIS student at the UW-Madison iSchool and I’m interested in archives and digital collections. My project was a true collaboration. Middleton Public Library… Read More…
The “Cow tools” Problem: How Do We Strengthen Metadata as Non-Subject Experts?
By: Kathryn Kulie, UW-Madison iSchool If you’ve been on the internet for a long time, or if you’re a diehard fan of “The Far Side” comics, you’ve probably heard of Gary Larson’s 1982 single-panel cartoon, simply captioned “Cow tools.” Stay with me, here. A cow stands on the left side of the panel, looking at… Read More…
Digitizing the Gateway Technical College Archives
By Hazel Johnson, UW-Madison iSchool, Summer 2026 During summer 2026, I was able to visit Kenosha, Wisconsin for three separate weeks to work at Gateway Technical College (GTC) library and begin the process of digitizing their archived materials. This experience was made possible through the Recollection Wisconsin Digitization Initiative, which matched me with GTC as… Read More…
Digitization Initiative – Fall 2026 Cohort
The Recollection Wisconsin Digitization Initiative (RWDI) connects libraries, archives, and cultural organizations across the state with graduate student interns to digitize local history collections. Through these partnerships, RWDI helps ensure that photographs, yearbooks, published histories, and archival materials documenting Wisconsin communities are preserved and shared online for anyone to explore. This fall, we have four host sites… Read More…
WiLSWorld Shorts: Building Successful Internships with Recollection Wisconsin Digitization Initiative
On June 12, 2026, we had the opportunity to share our program as a WiLSWorld Shorts presentation. This one-hour panel explored what makes our internship program work, from both the student and host organization perspectives. Participants heard directly from graduate student interns and site supervisors who participated in the Recollection Wisconsin Digitization Initiative (RWDI). Funded… Read More…
Summer 2026 Digitization Initiative Cohort
The Recollection Wisconsin Digitization Initiative (RWDI) connects libraries, archives, and cultural organizations across the state with graduate student interns to digitize local history collections. Through these partnerships, RWDI helps ensure that photographs, yearbooks, published histories, and archival materials documenting Wisconsin communities are preserved and shared online for anyone to explore. We’re thrilled to welcome our summer 2026… Read More…
Stranger in a Familiar Land
by Magnolia Sandell In the Spring of 2026 I had the opportunity to intern at the Whitewater Public Library (WPL) through the Recollection Wisconsin Digitization Initiative, a wonderful way to round out my 1st year as a Library and Information Science graduate student at UW-Madison. Although I have a professional focus on academic libraries I’ve… Read More…
Still the Same, After All These Years: Digitizing the Oconto Yearbooks
By Bri Quintero Bungert, UW-Madison iSchool (2026) This past semester, I had the wonderful opportunity of working with the Farnsworth Public Library in Oconto, Wisconsin, as a part of the Recollection Wisconsin Digitization Initiative. My project focused on digitizing the library’s yearbook collection, the years ranging from 1910 to 1949. The collection, which has been… Read More…
Summer 2026 Digitization Initiative Cohort
The Recollection Wisconsin Digitization Initiative (RWDI) connects libraries, archives, and cultural organizations across the state with graduate student interns to digitize local history collections. Through these partnerships, RWDI helps ensure that photographs, yearbooks, published histories, and archival materials documenting Wisconsin communities are preserved and shared online for anyone to explore. We’re thrilled to welcome our summer 2026… Read More…
