Saline Stories

Back in 2014, the American West Center began collecting oral histories related to the Great Salt Lake from a diverse cast of characters—biologists, activists, brine shrimp fishermen, art historians, and others. The collection was originally intended for a public presentation, but we’ve maintained our interest in the Lake as it continues to face challenges from suburban sprawl, upstream water diversions, and climate change. What we’re working on now is taking clips from these oral histories, joining them with other materials in the Marriott Digital Library, and making a digital exhibit focused on the Lake and its natural and human history. With assistance from the Marriott Library and the Digital Matters Lab, we hope to create a digital resource for people to learn about and engage with this unique ecosystem, the resources it provides, and the challenges it faces. You can access the project at https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/salinestories/page/map