Does your library, museum or archives have amazing historical records collections that you would love to share with the public? Do they need some repair, or digitization before you could mount them on your website?
The Wyoming State Historic Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) funds requests for up to $2500 for these types of projects through a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.These re-grants aim to make the paper, visual, and digital records in your care accessible to a much wider public than simply those people who visit your library or museum or archives.
Many grant recipients use the funds to pay for digitization, others mount already scanned images on their websites, and still others create outreach programs, traveling exhibits or blog posts to encourage the public to use their archival materials. So, what kinds of projects has the SHRAB board approved in the past?
- The Friends of Wyoming Veterans Museum have created a website to promote and make accessible the large Wyoming Veterans Museum Oral History Collection. These interviews will be a wonderful resource for school papers, History Day projects, and for anyone wanting to know more about the contributions of members of Wyoming’s military forces.
- This past year Wyoming’s SHRAB funded the digitization of photographs by early Wyoming photographer, Lora Webb Nichols, by the Grand Encampment Museum. They have begun with an early photo scrapbook, and we hope you will be able to see more, soon.
- The Cheyenne Historic Preservation Board is scanning old, fragile historical Cheyenne building plans and maps, which will be available on the City of Cheyenne website. Maybe your house will be there!
- The Sheridan County Historical Society and Museum will scan, rehouse, and catalog approximately 1,000 photographs taken between 1960 and 1990 by Bill Grunkemeyer of Vacationland Studios in Sheridan, Wyoming.
- And the Sweetwater County Historical Museum will digitize portions of its film and audio collections, using some of the funds to house this audio-visual material in safer containers.
Apply now for funds for this coming year, the deadline is coming up soon – June 1! Remember that SHRAB grants do not cover artifacts or objects (costumes, vehicles, etc.) They are just for historical records projects. Collaborations between more than one group are also encouraged.
Per the guidelines, “The SHRAB will assign priority to those applications that show commitment to developing and/or implementing projects that will lead to enhanced online access to historical records. Examples of enhanced online access include creating online finding aids, digitizing records and placing the digital content online, or placing information about the records on a blog, wiki page or Facebook.”
Feel free to call Pat Newbern about deadlines or materials for submission (307-777-8907 or pat.newbern@wyo.gov). If you want to ask about whether your project fits our guidelines, you can call State Archivist, Michael Strom at 307-777-7020 or michael.strom@wyo.gov.