Digitizing Rossland's Documentary Heritage
By Rossland Museum and Discovery Centre
In 2022, the Rossland Museum & Discovery Centre (RMDC) completed a multi-year Digitization Strategy for a collection
that spans decades and includes rare and unique footage of skiing and personal home videos that contribute to the
history and culture of Rossland. The audio collection includes interviews with residents and community leaders,
providing valuable insights into the history and development of the area.
With a major grant of $45,250 from the Department of Canadian Heritage’s Digital Access to History grant program and
a supporting grant of $2,104.60 from the Columbia Basin Trust’s Resident Directed Grants, the RMDC will be able to
digitize a large portion of its vast collection of film and audio materials, ensuring that future generations have access to
these valuable cultural artifacts.
The RMDC plans to make the digitized material available to the public through its website and other online platforms.
This will enable researchers, educators, and the general public to access these materials from anywhere in the world.
Moreover, digitizing the collection will help preserve the original materials, which are at risk of deterioration due to
their age and outdated formats. By digitizing the materials, they will be saved for future generations to enjoy and learn
from.
“We’re thrilled to receive these grants and grateful to Canadian Heritage, the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary,
and the City of Rossland for recognizing the importance of preserving and sharing these materials,” said Sara Wright,
RMDC Collections Manager. “These materials represent an invaluable part of the cultural heritage of our region, and
digitizing them will ensure that they can be experienced by generations to come.”
The RMDC plans to use the grants to digitize the collection over the coming year, working closely with preservation
experts to ensure that the materials are properly handled and archived. Staff continue to apply to additional funding
opportunities to support the external digitization costs above and beyond current funding and to prepare for future
phases in digitization needs and new documentary heritage donations.
For more information about RMDC and its collection or if you would like to volunteer on this amazing project, visit
www.rosslandmuseum.ca or contact Sara Wright at 250-362-7722 or artifacts@rosslandmuseum.ca.
About the Rossland Museum & Discovery Centre
The RMDC aims to preserve and dynamically present the history and culture of Rossland and area. We are the visitor
gateway to the Kootenays and the Columbia Basin, and we inspire and engage the public through virtual and real-life
displays that bring our history and culture to life.
The Rossland Museum & Discovery Centre acknowledges that we live and work on unceded Sinixt tmxʷúlaʔxʷ
(homeland).
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