Hudson Herald Archives to Go Digital Thanks to State Historical Grant

 By Danielle McCulley 

The Hudson Public Library announced that it has received a grant to digitize past issues of the Hudson Herald, making them available online to all patrons, residents and former residents. 

The State Historical Society of Iowa and the Hudson Public Library Foundation awarded the library a Fiscal Year 2026 Historical Resource Development Program (HRDP) grant for its Hudson Herald Newspaper Archive Project. 

This year, 20 HRDP grants totaling about $500,000 were awarded across 16 Iowa  counties to support projects in three key categories: documentary collections (7 grants), historic preservation (8) and museums (5). These competitive grants help preserve, conserve, interpret and share Iowa’s historical resources — from archives to artifacts to historic buildings. In addition, one $5,000 Country School Grant was awarded. In total,  62 eligible HRDP applications were received, requesting more than $1 million in  funding. 

The Hudson Herald Newspaper Archive Project will digitize 33 existing reels of microfilm and film and digitize 12 reels of the Hudson Herald from 1911 to 2023. HRDP funds awarded for the project will go toward filming and digitization costs, with matching  funds provided by the Hudson Public Library Foundation. Completion of the project will give history enthusiasts searchable, digital access to decades of community stories and major historical events. 

The archive will be available at the Hudson Public Library for patrons without internet access and for former residents logging in remotely, making it a vital addition to local, county and state historical collections. 

Although the digital archive is still being rolled out, users can already access preliminary files at hudsonia.historyarchives.online. 

Instructional sessions are scheduled for: 

• Wednesday, Oct. 15, at 10 a.m. 

• Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 6:30 p.m. 

To register or for more information, call the Hudson Public Library at 319-988-4217.