Erie County Historical Society

EOS: LIGHTING THE PATH FORWARD [THE NEXT PHASE OF EOS ("EXPERIENCING OUR STORY") WILL BRING UNTOLD STORIES TO LIGHT THROUGH THREE DISTINCT COMPONENTS: BI-WEEKLY PODCAST, HYBRID HISTORY PROGRAMMING, AND EVENING WITH AN EXPERT VIRTUAL SPEAKER SERIES. LEARNING FROM THE PANDEMIC, WE AIM TO REACH A DIVERSE AUDIENCE WHERE THEY ARE AND SHARE THEIR STORIES TO BUILD A MORE PERFECT UNION.] [PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS GRANT IS TO EXPAND PUBLIC PROGRAMMING THAT SHARES THE COLLECTIVE HISTORY AND INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE PEOPLE FROM BUFFALO AND ERIE COUNTY, NEW YORK ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THE BUFFALO HISTORY MUSEUM WILL IMPLEMENT THE NEXT THREE COMPONENTS OF THE EXPERIENCING OUR STORY PROJECT. THE MUSEUM WILL PRODUCE 20-30- MINUTE PODCAST EPISODES TO SHARE STORIES OF WESTERN NEW YORK HISTORY, INCLUDING CURATED, COLLECTIONS-INSPIRED NARRATIVES AND INTERVIEWS WITH HISTORIANS. THE MUSEUM WILL ALSO OFFER AN EVENING WITH AN EXPERT DIGITAL SPEAKER SERIES AND BI-WEEKLY-TO-MONTHLY HYBRID PROGRAMS THAT FOCUS ON LOCAL HISTORY OF UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING PEOPLE OF COLOR, INDIGENOUS, AND LGBTQ+ PEOPLE. THE HYBRID HISTORY PROGRAMS WILL BE RECORDED AN ADDED TO THE HISTORY MUSEUM?S DIGITAL ARCHIVE. EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THE PROJECT WILL MAKE THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF WESTERN NEW YORK AVAILABLE TO LOCAL AND NATIONAL MUSEUM PATRONS. LASTLY, THE DIGITAL AND HYBRID PROGRAMMING COMPONENTS OF THE PROJECT WILL ALLOW THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY TO CONTINUE TO NURTURE ENGAGEMENT WITH AUDIENCES BEYOND THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY WILL RETAIN SEVEN STAFF MEMBERS TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: LOCAL RESIDENTS, NATIONAL AUDIENCES, AND UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES WILL BENEFIT FROM THE HISTORIES THE EXPERIENCING OUR STORY PROJECT WILL HIGHLIGHT. MUSEUM STAFF, GUEST AUTHORS, SPEAKERS, AND INTERNS WILL BENEFIT FROM THE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES THE PROJECT YIELDS. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THE RECIPIENT PLANS TO SUB AWARD FUNDS FOR CONTRACTUAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROJECT.]

EOS: EXPLORING OUR STORIES

REIMAGINING ACCESS TO COLLECTIONS AT THE BUFFALO HISTORY MUSEUM [THE BUFFALO HISTORY MUSEUM IS SEEKING A FOUNDATIONAL INVESTMENT IN OUR FUTURE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN TO RE-IMAGINE ACCESS TO OUR COLLECTIONS. WITH THE PLANNING FUNDS, WE WILL CREATE SCHEMATIC DRAWINGS TO MAP THE TRANSFORMATION OF OUR COLLECTIONS CARE FACILITY TO CONSOLIDATE OUR LIBRARY AND ARCHIVAL STORAGE WITH OUR EXISTING OFF-SITE STORAGE FACILITY, CREATING A NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART EXPERIENCE FOR GUESTS TO ENGAGE WITH OUR COLLECTIONS. MODERNIZING OUR COLLECTION AND ARCHIVAL STORAGE, UPDATING AND DEVISING SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS CRITICAL TO COLLECTION CARE, DESIGNING STATE-OF-THE-ART AMENITIES, AND SUPPORTING UNIVERSAL ACCESS- EACH ARE MAPPED IN THIS PLANNING PROJECT. TO BEST MEET THESE OBJECTIVES, WE NEED TO ENGAGE A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM TO SUPPLEMENT OUR STAFF, INCLUDING A COLLECTIONS PRESERVATION CONSULTANT, ARCHITECTS, STORAGE DESIGNERS, AND ENGINEERS. OUR PROJECT TAPS INTO THE UNREALIZED POTENTIAL OF THE COLLECTION, FROM COMMUNITY IDENTITY TO THE SOCIABILITY IT INSPIRES.]

HAGEN HISTORY CENTER (HHC) IN ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, WILL UPGRADE ITS TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE TO RESPOND TO THE COMMUNITY'S NEED FOR IMPROVED INTERNET ACCESS, WHICH WAS EXACERBATED DURING THE PANDEMIC. HHC WILL STRENGTHEN AND EXPAND THE REACH OF WIRELESS ACCESS FOR GUESTS AT TWO OF ITS LOCATIONS: THE CAMPUS NEAR DOWNTOWN ERIE WHICH INCLUDES TWO RESTORED HISTORIC HOUSES, A CARRIAGE HOUSE, AND A MODERN ARCHIVES AND EXHIBIT BUILDING, AND AT THE GIRARD CAMPUS, WHICH INCLUDES TWO HISTORIC HOUSES AND FARMLAND. HHC WILL INSTALL ALL-WEATHER OUTDOOR TABLES ON BOTH CAMPUSES TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL WORKSPACE FOR PATRONS' USE WHILE THEY ACCESS THE WI-FI. THE PROJECT WILL RESPOND TO COMMUNITY REQUESTS FOR MORE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES ON THESE TWO PROPERTIES AND WILL MAKE DIGITAL INROADS FOR POPULATIONS THAT CANNOT ALWAYS AFFORD HOME INTERNET ACCESS.