This document discusses using podcasts and oral histories to promote local history and cultural heritage. It provides information on grants from the Kansas Humanities Council to support such projects. It outlines a podcast project done by a library to record local family stories and histories. It encourages others to pursue similar projects to preserve community stories and revive interest in local history organizations and museums.

1. Making Connections Podcasting and Local History Janet Reynolds Library District #2 of Linn County La Cygne, KS

2. Kansas Humanities Council connection Heritage Grants are intended to encourage the preservation and study of local and regional cultural resources and to assist cultural organizations in developing best practices in maintaining and managing local heritage resources. Heritage grants are awards of up to $3,500 and support oral history projects, care of collections and photographs, basic research, cataloging and indexing, language preservation, and best practices. http://kansashumanities.org/site/grants/heritage-grants.html podcast specifics: http://kansashumanities.org/site/images/stories/2011_podcast.pdf

3. What does this have to do with making connections? Allen family story Our past plays a role in our present Cross generational interactions Using technology available to create stories that take the museum outside of the walls of the museum. Dream Durda story

4. What next? More Young Historians performances 15 young historians are spending 15 hours this week researching artifacts and people in the museum. Will perform Friday More podcasts made based on their research Museum is now being opened by volunteers Looking to set up displays Computer to catalog artifacts

5. If we can do it, so can you… Check out the Kansas Humanities Grants that are available Talk to your community members (preserve those stories) Partner with local genealogy or historical societies People come to the library expecting “us” to have the answers and this is just one more way to meet their needs and make valuable connections.

6. Local History Connection Historical society that needs revived Lots of stories, lots of artifacts, Closed museum Best kept secret in town Looking for a way to encourage interest in museum Group of supporters—cheerleaders

7. What is a podcast?? A podcast is audio content on a website that can be transferred onto an audio player, such as an iPod or other MP3 player. I can do it, but how Technology consultant was Craig Gerdes who has taught some classes for Baker University and had taught a class that a co-worker at school had taken. Kevin Honeycutt from my Plurk network and Dean Mantz helped me with some of the basics.

8. Tools for free or next to free Audacity Windows Movie Maker Zamzarhttp://www.zamzar.com/ Story about converter file Podomatic.com

9. Young Historians Group http://lacygnelibrary.org/images/final%20october%20newsletter.pdf Research helped with podcast information Encouraged renewed interest in museum