One of the outdoor displays at the Grand Encampment Museum in Encampment, Wyoming. Photo credit: Susan Mark.
Funding from the CARES Act and from a Wyoming Community Foundation grant have enabled the Wyoming State Library to offer two opportunities for the state’s museums to share their collections with a wider audience.
Questions about either project may go to Susan Mark, WSL Outreach Librarian, at susan.mark@wyo.gov or (307) 777-5915.
CARES Act Museums Project
Through CARES Act funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Wyoming State Library is offering online training and support for equipment and services to help Wyoming museums can create audio and video programs. Eligible museums where staff attend at least one of the following webinars (either live or recorded) may apply for up to $250 worth of support.
- Tuesday, Aug 11 (10-11 am): Bringing Your Museum or Library to Virtual Audiences (Part 1)
View slides. - Friday, August 14 (10-11 am): Bringing Your Museum or Library to Virtual Audiences (Part 2)
View slides. - Tuesday, August 18 (10-11 am): Intro to Podcasting (Podcasting 101, Part 1)
View slides. - Friday, August 21 (10-11 am): Workshopping Your Podcast Ideas (Podcasting 101, Part 2)
Register at the links; seats are limited. All webinars will be posted on the Wyoming State Library YouTube channel afterward for on-demand viewing for those who can’t attend live.
The request for support form will open at 9 a.m. on September 1, 2020. Requests will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Bookmark the application so that you will have it available when it opens.
Deadline to apply is September 30, 2020, or until all available funds are fully expended, whichever comes first.
Preview the form for more information and for eligibility requirements. Please submit only electronically through the form — do not print and mail the preview PDF.
Digital Public Library of America Project
If your museum uses PastPerfect software, but hasn’t yet gone online with your collections, the Wyoming State Library can help. The WSL received a grant from the Wyoming Community Foundation through the Carol McMurry Library Endowment to purchase PastPerfect online upgrades and hosting fees for a limited number of Wyoming museums. The goal is to add those collections to the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA).
Deadline to apply is December 15, 2020.
Museums that join the DPLA will be part of an online searchable collection of more than 40 million items. This brings Wyoming’s unique historical resources to a national — and international — audience.
Grant funds are available for up to 11 museums to participate. Four have already committed to the project, and we are seeking to add more. Contact Susan Mark, WSL Outreach Librarian, at susan.mark@wyo.gov or (307) 777-5915 for details on how to participate.