Minnesota Historical Society Preserves and Digitizes Video Collection from 1973-1990

ST. PAUL, Minn (April 19, 2023) – Hundreds of recordings created in the 1970s and 1980s are now available digitally to the public, made possible by the Recordings at Risk grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources. The Minnesota Historical Society used the $12,495 grant for a year-long project to digitize materials from the Intermedia Arts Video Collection.

The digitized content, which highlights early guerilla television in Minnesota, is accessible through an online finding aid. It covers a wide variety of topics, including the Vietnam War, social justice issues, Minneapolis neighborhood issues, musical and dance performances, sports, poetry, and more. The collection is made up of 268 titles, including documentaries, short films, and performance art.

“This content was revolutionary,” said Jennifer Huebscher, curator of photography and moving images at the Minnesota Historical Society. “At that time, most people only got their news from the big three networks. The emergence of guerrilla television provided the opportunity for everyday people to shoot video and share it broadly.”

With limited access to equipment that is compatible with the original format, researchers, scholars, and members of the general public will benefit from having access to this content online. The digitization process also prevents any further deterioration of the content due to the susceptibility of its original format on magnetic material.

About the Minnesota Historical Society

The Minnesota Historical Society is a non-profit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. MNHS collects, preserves and tells the story of Minnesota’s past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs, and book publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, MNHS preserves our past, shares our state’s stories, and connects people with history.