Regional newspapers recorded on microfilm to preserve their history

10/3/03 Culture and the Arts Minister Sheila McHale has announced the completion of a project to ensure the history contained in regional newspapers is preserved for future generations.

10/3/03
Culture and the Arts Minister Sheila McHale has announced the completion of a project to ensure the history contained in regional newspapers is preserved for future generations.
The project is known as 'Access to early WA regional newspapers: Pre-Federation to 1905'.
The Friends of Battye Library (Inc.) received a grant of nearly $170,000 from the Lotteries Commission to microfilm major WA regional newspapers from pre-Federation to 1905. The project has been completed in a partnership with the State Library.
The newspapers came from the Battye Library's unique and well-used collection of more than 1,000 Western Australian newspaper titles, from the hand-written newspapers of the 1830s to the current day.
"Preserving these newspapers is important," Ms McHale said.
"Their survival is at risk due to the poor quality of newsprint and its extremely high acid content which accelerates deterioration."
Once microfilmed, our history as reflected in the papers will be permanently told for centuries.
"Newspapers are a wonderful means of finding out about local history and are sometimes the only source of much information," the Minister said.
"They document the cultural, social and sporting life of the community and are significant research sources for historians, genealogists, writers, students and anyone interested in the past."
The project has enabled 272 reels of microfilm to be produced.
Some of the newspapers were short-lived and depended on the fortunes of the district, such as in mining towns. Some have become well-established regional newspapers, with more than 100 years of continuous publication, such as the Kalgoorlie Miner and the Albany Advertiser. Other regional newspapers filmed were published in Bunbury, Coolgardie, Geraldton, Pilbara, York and Perth.
Communities in regional areas will have access to significant local newspapers through the microfilm sets being distributed to regional libraries.
Minister's office: 9213 6900


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