Press Release
April 1, 2024
Contact: Nicole Harvey
Director of Strategic Initiatives, Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-5202
nicole.harvey@history.ok.gov
www.okhistory.org/grants
El Reno Carnegie Library Awarded Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) is proud to announce that the El Reno Carnegie Library has been awarded a grant through the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program.
El Reno Carnegie Library received $15,155 for a project that will help fund the digitization of items focusing on urban development, local government, and local events during territorial and early statehood. Items will be digitized and placed on The Gateway to Oklahoma History, an online repository of Oklahoma history.
“Preserving these items is an important way for us to ensure future generations get an accurate look at what occurred on significant dates,” said Rep. Rhonda Baker, Yukon. “I’m grateful to the Oklahoma Historical Society for making these grants available, and I’m pleased the El Reno Carnegie Library will be the keeper of these key archives.”
“We are so excited to have been selected as a recipient of this year’s grant,” said Bridget Scheffler, library director. “The digitization of our collection would be impossible without this funding. When this project is complete, our community will have access to city government records, as well as photographs of local events and people dating back to the late 1800s. Items in our archive that are at risk of deteriorating will be preserved for future generations of Oklahomans.”
The OHS will distribute over $520,000 in grant funds, with projects ranging from collections care and strategic planning to exhibit development and educational programming.
“Through the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program, we’re not just funding projects; we’re investing in the preservation of Oklahoma’s rich and dynamic history,” said Nicole Harvey, director of strategic initiatives for the Oklahoma Historical Society. “These grants empower communities across the state to uphold their heritage for future generations, ensuring that the stories of Oklahoma continue to inspire and educate for years to come.”
The Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program is a grants-in-aid program offered by the Oklahoma Historical Society to encourage the collection, preservation, and sharing of Oklahoma history at the grassroots level in all parts of the state. Open to tribal and municipal governments and not-for-profit historical organizations located in Oklahoma and registered with the Oklahoma secretary of state, this grants program offers funding ranging from $1,000 to $20,000 for projects focused on collections, exhibits, and programming. Applications for this annual program open in the fall, and award announcements are made in January. For more information visit okhistory.org/grants.
The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit okhistory.org.
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