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NEWSPLAN – The Way ahead

Ed King, Head of Newspaper Collections, British Library

NEWSPLAN LIEM Regional Council 2 October 2008

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Summary of NEWSPLAN Programme

UK wide Two guiding principles:

Access to newspapers Preservation of newspapers

Access: Surveys of each region’s holdings: Reports, 1986-1996 Databases developed and maintained by each region of its

newspaper holdings Preservation:

Local authority library book budgets set aside for microfilming, normally 1%

BL enlarged its microfilming programme 1970-present

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NEWSPLAN2000

1990s: More funds needed to quicken the pace of filming Bid to Heritage Lottery Fund prepared Bid successful in early 1999 £5 million allocated by HLF Matched funding needed from Libraries and newspaper

publishers Project began fully in 2001 Project ended 2005 HLF not (at this time) funding continuation

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NEWSPLAN2000

Achievements: 1,325 newspapers preserved by microfilming 12.9 million pages preserved 30, 476 reels of microfilm Distribution to regions of:

Positive Film 156 reader printers 309 microfilm readers

Details available on web at : http://news.vispweb3.userarea.co.uk/

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NEWSPLAN – The Way Ahead

1. Review of role and purpose of regional committees.

2. A project to plan and resource the updating the NEWSPLAN databases; a common standard for the separate regional databases; feasibility of creating a national database

3. Listing of titles uniquely held by regions to be compiled

1. Location and preservation status

2. Details of hard copy holdings

3. Details of issues microfilmed

4. Standard of microfilm

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NEWSPLAN – The Way Ahead

1. Digitisation

1. Strong interest in regions

2. More information required on standards & best practice

3. Need for regions to “buy in” to the need & take lead on project proposals

4. BL is to go further with digitisation of 19th century newspapers in next few years

2. Plan a one day conference on preservation and digitisation of newspapers in 2009

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NEWSPLAN – The Way Ahead

1. 3425 titles listed as In Peril in 1999

2. 1325 titles filmed by NEWSPLAN2000

3. Likely that possible < 2000 titles still in peril

4. Libraries/ regions to decide what titles are unique

5. Make project proposals to

1. Update regional databases

2. Digitise unique newspapers

3. Recognition that digital is still in early phase for image creation and processing, making available texts online, and preservation of data

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BL recent digitisation developments

1. JISC funded projects:

1. British Newspapers 1800-1900: 48 titles, 2 m. pages

2. British Newspapers:1620-1900: 31 titles, 1 m. pages

2. Burney Collection of 18th century newspapers, 1 m. pages

3. BL to carry on with further digitisation of 19th century newspapers as part of its Newspaper Strategy (no definite numbers yet)

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Benefits of a new NEWSPLAN Project

1. Increased use of local libraries

2. Keeping up to date with new technology

3. Link between microfilm and digitisaiton

4. Raise awareness locally of newspapers at risk

5. Links with newspaper publishers

6. Links between older runs and current newspapers

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Regional Benefits of a new NEWSPLAN Project

1. Knowledge of titles at risk

2. How to ensure users get what they need

3. Gain further practical experience of doing a digital project

4. Images only to be presented; or,

5. Images plus full text searchability

6. Preservation of data files

7. Links to other digital projects in the local area

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NEWSPLAN – The Way Ahead

Thanks for your attention Questions?

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