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Can an organization known for displaying dusty artifacts make the leap into the digital era? Two grants awarded to the Norwalk Historical Society (NHS) will provide the dollars needed to modernize the way it keeps track of its extensive collection of textiles, furniture, photographs, farming tools and ephemera.
Up to now, the Society's records have consisted of dusty paper index-card catalogues, all painstakingly updated by hand. Now NHS wants to turn those paper records into a formidable research tool. That means creating a state-of-the-art database. Once the collection is entered, students and scholars will be able to search it and view up-to-date and important information about each artifact. The grants total $7,000, with $3,000 from the Friends of the Norwalk Museums and $4,000 from the Connecticut Humanities Council. The grants also support a new hire--Laura Macaluso, a cultural heritage consultant--to run the project. NHS will rely on volunteers to help transfer and update the collection information.
"Across Connecticut, collections such as ours are slowly being placed in databases to allow for researchers to have better access," said David Westmoreland, President of NHS. "This grant is critical in helping us preserve the Society’s collections for future generations as well as making it more accessible to researchers and the public."
The Norwalk Historical Society was incorporated in 1899 with the purpose of promoting and encouraging historical research in Norwalk. The upcoming database shows that that vision still lives today. For more information about the Norwalk Historical Society check out the NHS website at www.norwalkhistoricalsociety.org.
