“Engaging Community through Documentary” Grant Awarded
ODY Library’s Digital Scholarship team has been awarded a $12,000 grant from the Northern New York Library Network (NNLYN) to support a new documentary initiative focused on storytelling, collaboration, and community engagement across the North Country.
The grant will help expand opportunities for students and faculty to create technically sound and impactful digital media projects that help document North Country stories while strengthening the university’s connection with regional organizations and local communities.
A key part of the project is the creation of portable “Community Engagement Interview Kits.” These kits will combine existing equipment with new purchases including wireless microphones, lenses, light stands, and other production accessories. The result will be flexible, field-ready kits that support oral history interviews, documentary filmmaking, and other community storytelling projects.
The initiative also focuses on new workshops offering hands-on instruction in core areas of documentary production. These immersive workshops, along with the publication of supporting web guides, are intended to help students improve their production skills and to work more effectively with community members to meet their shared project goals.
The DS team is excited to collaborate with students, faculty, and community members on this initiative. For more information, or to find out how you can get involved, contact us at digital@stlawu.edu.
