Spring Break
Newspaper gets digital archives
CLAIRE SCULLY
Issue date: 11/16/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Ever wonder about the fire on campus in 1893? Or what happened at the University on your birthday in 1934?
Thanks to the Digital Library of Georgia, students are able to access digitally archived copies of The Red & Black dating back to the first paper in 1893.
The digital archive, found on the University library Web site, contains issues of The Red & Black through 1979 and upon completion, the archive will contain newspapers through present. The project has been in the works since last spring and is scheduled for completion in the next few months.
"We did a soft roll-out (of the archive) to make sure everything went smoothly. We are up to 1979 now and are working on getting the '80s scanned and up to date," said William Potter, University librarian and associate provost.
Most hard copies of the older issues won't survive, and using microfilm can be a challenge, Potter said. Anyone can access the archive over the Internet using the DjVu plug-in, which can be downloaded at the library's Web site. The digital archive makes it easy to search specifics by simply typing a name or phrase into the search engine.
Since The Red & Black switched from a weekly newspaper to a daily in 1972 and changed publishers from the University to an independent publisher in 1980, scanning microfilm papers and converting to digital format has become time consuming.
The Red & Black's publisher, Harry Montevideo, said he is pleased with the digital archive.
"It is an asset not only to us but to the University and to alumni, faculty and staff," said Montevideo. "A countless number of historical events have been published in The Red & Black and are now able to be accessed from anywhere by anyone."
Once The Red & Black archives are completed online, Potter said the Digital Library of Georgia has plans to expand.
Thanks to the Digital Library of Georgia, students are able to access digitally archived copies of The Red & Black dating back to the first paper in 1893.
The digital archive, found on the University library Web site, contains issues of The Red & Black through 1979 and upon completion, the archive will contain newspapers through present. The project has been in the works since last spring and is scheduled for completion in the next few months.
"We did a soft roll-out (of the archive) to make sure everything went smoothly. We are up to 1979 now and are working on getting the '80s scanned and up to date," said William Potter, University librarian and associate provost.
Most hard copies of the older issues won't survive, and using microfilm can be a challenge, Potter said. Anyone can access the archive over the Internet using the DjVu plug-in, which can be downloaded at the library's Web site. The digital archive makes it easy to search specifics by simply typing a name or phrase into the search engine.
Since The Red & Black switched from a weekly newspaper to a daily in 1972 and changed publishers from the University to an independent publisher in 1980, scanning microfilm papers and converting to digital format has become time consuming.
The Red & Black's publisher, Harry Montevideo, said he is pleased with the digital archive.
"It is an asset not only to us but to the University and to alumni, faculty and staff," said Montevideo. "A countless number of historical events have been published in The Red & Black and are now able to be accessed from anywhere by anyone."
Once The Red & Black archives are completed online, Potter said the Digital Library of Georgia has plans to expand.
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