Wisconsin News Highlights: Insights from the Cheese State
Funding Boost for Wisconsin's Historical and Archival Projects
A series of grants have been awarded to various institutions in Wisconsin, supporting a wide range of historical and archival projects. These grants, totalling over half a million dollars, aim to preserve, digitise, and facilitate access to valuable historical records and materials.
The State Historical Society of Wisconsin (SHSW) has been a significant recipient, receiving grants for various projects including the partial support of its administrative expenses, the planning for the collection of post-WWII Wisconsin manuscripts, and the development of a comprehensive, coordinated website and manuscripts collecting program.
Other notable recipients include the Library Council of Metropolitan Milwaukee, which received funding to develop a coordinated archival collecting and accessioning program for repositories in the Milwaukee area. The Midwest Archives Conference received funds to plan, implement, and evaluate a series of hands-on workshops, covering topics such as archival automation, conservation, and microfilm techniques.
The University of Wisconsin has also benefited from these grants, with projects including the continuation of the Archives Leadership Institute for mid-career archivists, the processing of the manuscripts and audio and video recordings of art agent and documentary filmmaker Emile de Antonio, and the research, collection, and digitisation of records regarding the passage of Wisconsin's 1982 Gay Rights Bill.
In addition, the Wisconsin Historical Records Advisory Board (WHRAB) has received funding for several projects, including the production of a strategic plan for managing and preserving Wisconsin's historical records, the analysis of the current condition of historical records in the state, and the support of travel and meeting expenses for the board.
The grants also extend to smaller institutions, such as the Manitowoc Submarine Memorial Association, which received funds to make accessible 85 acetate-base films depicting various shipping, boat-building, and recreational boating activities.
It is worth noting that, while detailed data on Wisconsin-specific NHPRC-funded projects from 2014 to 2024 is not readily available, the NHPRC is a federal agency under the National Archives that provides grants to support the preservation of historical records and the publication of historical documents and scholarly editions. The Wisconsin Historical Society, which frequently partners with the NHPRC, would likely have records of major funded projects related to historical documents and publications in that timeframe.
These grants not only provide financial support but also serve to promote the preservation and accessibility of Wisconsin's rich historical and archival resources.
- The State Historical Society of Wisconsin's administrative expenses, alongside projects like the planning for post-WWII Wisconsin manuscripts and the development of a comprehensive, coordinated website and manuscripts collecting program, are part of the financial support received from this funding boost for Wisconsin's historical and archival projects.
- The Midwest Archives Conference's planned, implemented, and evaluated series of hands-on workshops, covering topics such as archival automation, conservation, and microfilm techniques, are all facilitated by the financial aid from these grants aimed at preserving and facilitating access to valuable historical records and materials in Wisconsin.
