[OPLINLIST] Microfilm Digitization

Thu Jun 20 09:52:04 EDT 2024

Our library subscribes to NewspaperArchive for digitized newspapers, as
well as their parent company, World Archives, as the microfilm vendor for
our local newspaper. I don't know the history of our relationship with
them, as it goes back many years before I became manager of Special
Collections. Many of our local historical/out-of-copyright newspapers were
digitized by them and are hosted on their website, and our subscription
also gives us access to their entire digitized collection. This
subscription costs us several thousand dollars a year, which is not
unreasonable compared with other subscription databases. The cost of their
microfilm is exorbitant, however, especially since they're not actually the
ones who manufacture it. We still have microfilm copies of those local
historical newspapers they digitized, though I don't know where the master
reels are. Given what I have learned about the history of microfilm
companies and digitization, we are never getting rid of our microfilm as
long as I work here, even if we digitize them.

As far as I know, and as far as my dealings with them, we have never had
any PROBLEMS with NewspaperArchive, and they have always been prompt and
courteous, however in my communications with them they have also seemed
evasive and superficial in their responses. They have never quite answered
many of my questions in a way that satisfied me, especially in terms of
whether they actually have the master reels of the complete run of our
local current newspaper, which they claim. However, they also currently
have the rights to produce the microfilm of our current local newspaper, so
there isn't much I could do even if I wanted to. I am hesitant to poke the
bear.

There are some interesting/scandalous details in the history of the company
as well, most notably a charity scam and a subsequent escape to the Cayman
Islands and Mexico.
https://www.thegazette.com/news/cedar-rapids-company-under-state-review-after-complaints/
https://www.nasconet.org/2015/12/judge-halts-deceptive-fundraising-and-orders-business-reforms-for-newspaper-archive-company/
https://www.thegazette.com/news/cedar-rapids-company-must-halt-deceptive-practices-and-refund-customers/

And the rabbit hole goes deeper if you care to look hard enough. It would
be entertaining if the survival of our cultural memory wasn't inextricably
linked to it.

Another company we have looked at, and with whom I have spoken, is
Advantage Archives: https://www.advantagearchives.com/
They seem much more above-board and more legitimate, and coincidentally
many of their executives used to work for Heritage
Microfilm/NewspaperArchive. Advantage is still on the table for us as an
option if/when we move forward with more newspaper digitization.
This is their digital newspaper platform:
https://directory.advantage-preservation.com/
Though functional, it admittedly leaves a lot to be desired.

David Kite

On Wed, Jun 19, 2024 at 5:33 PM Elizabeth Wilson <
ewilson at granvillelibrary.org> wrote:

> Hello David, Morgan & all,
>
> I just wanted to share my experience with a digitization vendor so that
> you can avoid it.
>
> Our library used Newspaper Archive (then Heritage Archive) to digitize our
> newspaper collection in 2012. We paid for this and used their platform to
> share the contents with our patrons through their portal. A couple years
> ago, they told us that this service was no longer free, and put our content
> behind a paywall. We now have to pay a $800/yr subscription fee for access
> to our collection. In addition, it was a nightmare trying to get our master
> copies back from them.
>
> I have recently found out that this is not an uncommon tactic for the big
> newspaper archive companies to use; it provides them content that they can
> sell to individuals/companies regardless of if you continue to subscribe or
> not. Just something to keep in mind as you compare companies and pricing.
>
> Sincerely,
> Elizabeth
>
>
> Elizabeth S. Wilson
>
> *Assistant Director and Community Relations Librarian*
>
> Granville Public Library
>
> 217 East Broadway
>
> Granville, Ohio 43023
>
> Phone: 740-587-0196 x115
>
> Email: ewilson <ewilson at granvillelibrary.org>@granvillelibrary.org
> <ewilson at granvillelibrary.org>
>
> *www.granvillelibrary.org <https://www.granvillelibrary.org/>*
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* OPLINLIST <oplinlist-bounces at lists.oplin.org> on behalf of Carrie
> Wimer via OPLINLIST <oplinlist at lists.oplin.org>
> *Sent:* Thursday, June 13, 2024 11:12 AM
> *To:* David Kite <mdavidkite at gmail.com>
> *Cc:* oplinlist at lists.oplin.org <oplinlist at lists.oplin.org>
> *Subject:* Re: [OPLINLIST] Microfilm Digitization
>
> Hi David,
>
> While there are exceptions for use in Libraries and Archives, copyright
> can get tricky so we are siding on the err of caution and obtaining
> permissions from the editors of the respective newspapers. Crowley requires
> permissions as part of their contract.
>
> On Thu, Jun 13, 2024 at 10:39 AM David Kite via OPLINLIST <
> oplinlist at lists.oplin.org> wrote:
>
> I am not in an Ohio library, but my Indiana library has a similar dilemma.
> We were going to ship ours off for digitization until we learned we may
> have the only existing copies of a large number of our rolls. Most freight
> ships without incident, but there are still lots of things that get lost or
> destroyed and we didn't want to take that chance either.
>
> We are also in the process of replacing our older (decaying) acetate
> microfilm with polyester film, but we run into the same dilemma with having
> the only existing copies of many rolls. After speaking with our state
> archives and state library, we agreed that shipping them was too risky.
> We've been using the Indiana State Library to replace the films we both
> have copies of, but for the films they don't have, they recommended that
> someone from our library personally transport the unique films to the State
> Library. We are only an hour and a half away from them, so for us that is
> perfectly feasible, and drastically minimizes the shipping risk.
>
> On the topic of digitization: a lot of our newspaper films are still under
> copyright. I'm not well versed enough in copyright law to know for sure,
> but for other libraries that have digitized microfilm, is digitization for
> library use allowed, or did you just not digitize copyrighted microfilm?
>
> David Kite
>
> On Wed, Jun 12, 2024 at 3:25 PM Morgan Paul via OPLINLIST <
> oplinlist at lists.oplin.org> wrote:
>
> Hello,
>
>
>
> Our friends group would like our microfilm digitized.
>
>
>
> I would like it to be done with the Ohio Memory Project.
>
>
>
> If you didn’t choose Ohio Memory, why didn’t you choose this option?
>
>
>
> One concern is that some of our microfilm is the only copy and we don’t
> want to ship it out of the building.
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
>
>
> Morgan
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _____________________________________________________________
>
>
>
> Morgan Paul, Director
>
>
>
> St Marys Community Public Library
>
> 140 S Chestnut St
>
> St Marys, Ohio  45885
>
>
>
> smcpl.org <http://stmarys.lib.oh.us/>
>
>
>
>
>
> 419-394-7471
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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