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WiLS Ideas to Action Fund 2020: Reflections from Recipients

WiLS staff

In September 2020, the WiLS Board was thrilled to provide planning and financial support to seven WiLS members throughout the state to pursue innovative and collaborative projects.  A key component of WiLS’ Ideas to Action fund is that recipients share their experiences and outcomes with our community in order to inspire ideas, improve services, and generally help move the field forward.

To that end, we are pleased to share the reflections from a number of WiLS 2020 Ideas to Action Fund awardees! Each focuses on three questions:

  1. Did your project encourage partnerships and collaborations with any community partners or other WiLS members? Who did you connect with during this process and how might you sustain those connections?
  2. Thinking about your project, what was the most innovative part? What can you, or your community, do now that it couldn’t before?
  3. How do you think other WiLS members could use what you learned and accomplished at their own organization?

Appleton Public Library – The Piano Project: Community Engagement through Music and Art
Appleton Public Library partnered with local artists and community members to install interactive displays throughout the city using music to engage the public in a community read while also raising awareness of the Hmong American experience through stories such as “The Latehomecomer” by Kao Kalia Yang.

The side of the Kenosha Bookmobile truckKenosha Public Library – Mind and Body Challenge
Kenosha Public Library helped keep patrons physically active and entertained while waiting outside the Bookmobile and Book Truck for their turn to board.

Madison Trust for Historic Preservation – Madison Trust Archive Digitization Project
The Madison Trust for Historic Preservation is digitizing its archives and making them accessible to the public through Recollection Wisconsin.

Tomahawk School District – Making Connections One Game at a Time
The Tomahawk School District connected community schools, teachers, and students in a virtual gaming world, in collaboration with Northcentral Technical College, establishing a high school eSports team.