Contrary to popular belief, not everything can be found on the internet. Much of the past — especially the local past — can only be found in local newspapers on microfilm at the Shawano County Library.
Searching through those reels of microfilm can be challenging, which is why Staci Rubenzer, library director, wants to digitize those files.
“While many people would like to be able to access these historical newspaper articles in pursuit of lifelong learning and specific research searches, having them available only on microfilm creates significant barriers to people’s ability to access the information,” she wrote as part of a grant application to help pay for the project. “Digitizing our microfilm collection would allow patrons to access the information remotely and on demand and may make the newspapers available to larger state collections or the Library of Congress’ Chronicling America Historic American Newspapers collection.”
The Shawano County Library Board on June 8 approved of her filing a 2026 Library Improvement and Innovation Grant Application with the Nicolet Library System.
Rubenzer’s grant request is for $7,000, but the total cost of the project will be much more.
“We have around 643 rolls of microfilm on hand in our collection,” Rubenzer said. “As I go through the collection more closely and work with our local newspaper company, not all rolls may need to be digitized, but digitizing this many rolls of microfilm will carry a large cost.”
The final cost is expected to run into the tens of thousands of dollars.
“It’s a starting point,” Rubenzer said of the Nicolet grant. “I’ll look for other grant opportunities and continue pecking away at it. I think it’s incredibly important to digitize these files and have them accessible and searchable.”
The deadline to apply for the grant is June 29, and library system officials will consider it at that time.
kpasson@newmedia-wi.com
