Oppland County in Norway is changing. At the end of 2010 over 10,000 immigrants were living in this county. They have come from more than 140 countries. The Archive seeks to tell everyone’s story. To do this, we have gathered in these new residents’ own stories. We have interviewed individuals and families and collected photographs, letters, diaries, objects and archival materials from their own businesses and organizations.

The initiative for this archival project documenting Oppland’s newer immigrants began with the network of archives in Oppland that wished to capture the voices of immigrants and refugees who had come to the county in the last 30 years. Since few of them had started their own organizations, and personal archives can be insufficient, a documentation project was called for.

One reason to begin the collection process was the wish to develop materials suitable for research exploring how immigrants experience moving into an inland county. The goal, however, also has been to gather material that can be used in various research capacities.

Archival institutions in Norway have much experience with Norwegian–Americans coming in search of their roots. We, therefore, saw the need to gather source materials that could help descendents of today’s immigrants find their roots, their own identities. They could possibly come to archival institutions to hear the voices of their great grandmothers or grandfathers tell about their first times in Norway, why they came here and what they faced.

The work started with an eight-month pilot project that began in the fall of 2008. The main project continued for three years, from September 2008 to May 2011.

This project has received economic support from:

• Norwegian Center for Archives, Libraries and Museums Authority (ABM-utvikling) providing primary support throughout the three years.
• Arts Council Norway (Norsk kulturråd) providing support for the pilot-project and the main project throughout the three years.
• Oppland County Administration (Oppland fylkeskommune) providing support for the pilot-project and main project throughout the three years.
• Maihaugen Museum supporting the project throughout the entire period.
• Municipalities and Regional Councils (Kommuner og regionråd) in Oppland have contributed various supports.