by Molly Huber
Quick Summary
The Minnesota Digital Library is accepting applications to participate in its new project year, with focus on two special anniversaries.
The Minnesota Digital Library (MDL) is commemorating two important anniversaries in its new project year. First, we continue to celebrate our own 20th birthday. Our website launched in 2005, and we are connecting with founding contributors and organizing special projects to mark 20 years of MDL through the end of 2025. Also, if your organization is located in one of the fifteen counties we have not yet connected with directly, we would love to work with you. Please see the Call for Projects to learn more!
Second, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence takes place on July 4, 2026. Throughout this project year, we are seeking materials that are related to the five historical themes from the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH). We are also looking for materials that are connected to past celebrations of America's birthday in Minnesota communities at the centennial (1876), sesquicentennial (1926), or bicentennial (1976).
In addition to these two anniversaries, MDL is also accepting applications for general content about Minnesota and its history. We accept many kinds of materials, including images, text, maps, AV, and born-digital. If you are interested in putting together a project, please reach out to me at mollyh@umn.edu or 612-301-1329 to talk about what you have and what the next steps might be. We encourage potential contributors to think broadly about what is considered "historic" and also about partnering with other organizations in their community to support and surface untold stories in our shared history.
More information and the application form are available in our Call for Projects. Applications will be accepted until May 22, 2026, or until all the funds for this project year have been allocated.
