More than 125,000 items from the UWM Libraries are available to a worldwide audience now that the collection is part of the Digital Public Library of America.
DPLA brings together the contents of America’s libraries, archives and museums and makes them freely available to the world. Since its launch just over three years ago, DPLA has assembled over 13 million digital resources from more than 1,900 institutions across the United States.
Wisconsin joined the effort last week, when more than 375,000 items from more than 200 collections around the state became available.
UWM’s contribution includes images, films, oral histories, manuscripts and newspapers that document the people, neighborhoods and history of Milwaukee. It also includes the photograph collections of the American Geographical Society Library and items from the UWM Library’s special collections, including nearly 100 Chinese scrolls and fan paintings and 76 Yiddish Theater posters from the early 20th century.
“Partnering with DPLA will not only provide significant exposure for our digital collections, but will enable transformative uses of our cultural heritage materials,” said Ann Hanlon, head of Digital Collections and Initiatives at UWM and chair of the Recollection Wisconsin governing board.
Recollection Wisconsin is a collaborative that includes UWM, Wisconsin Library Services, the Wisconsin Historical Society, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, UW-Madison, Milwaukee Public Library and Marquette University.
“It’s exciting that the unique treasures of this state, many of which may have only been known locally, are joining those from across the nation as part of DPLA,” said Erika Janik, historian, author and producer of Wisconsin Public Radio’s “Wisconsin Life.” “It’s a chance to share what’s special about Wisconsin and to give Wisconsin a voice and a place in the national story.”
