The Vermont Digital Newspaper Project and the National Digital Newspaper Program Cooperative Efforts in Long-Term Digital Newspaper Access and Preservation

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7-2013 The eV rmont Digital Newspaper Project and the National Digital Newspaper Program: Cooperative Efforts in Long-Term Digital Newspaper Access and Preservation Tom McMurdo Vermont Department of Libraries, [email protected]

Birdie MacLennan University of Vermont, [email protected]

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Recommended Citation Tom McMurdo and Birdie MacLennan, "The eV rmont Digital Newspaper Project and the National Digital Newspaper Program," Library Resources & Technical Services 53, no.3 (July 2013): 148-163.

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Notes on Operations The Vermont Digital Newspaper Project and the National Digital Newspaper Program Cooperative Efforts in Long-Term Digital Newspaper Access and Preservation

Thomas McMurdo and Birdie MacLennan

The Vermont Digital Newspaper Project (VTDNP) is a state partner in the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP). Developed by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Library of Congress (LC), the Thomas McMurdo (thomas.mcmurdo NDNP is a long-term, national effort to build a freely accessible, searchable @state.vt.us) is Collections and Digi- Internet database of historical US newspapers. NEH provides funding to state tal Initiatives Librarian, Vermont Depart- projects to select and digitize historic newspapers published between 1836 and ment of Libraries, and Birdie MacLennan ([email protected]) is Director and 1922. LC provides the technical support and framework for preservation digitiza- Principal Investigator, Vermont Digi- tion. Digitized newspapers are archived by LC and made freely available through tal Newspaper Project, and Director, the website Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Vermont Resource Description and Analysis Ser- vices, Bailey/Howe Library, University of joined the NDNP in July 2010, when the University of Vermont Libraries were Vermont. awarded NEH funding to embark collaboratively with state partners—including Submitted October 24, 2012; tentative- the Vermont Department of Libraries, the Ilsley Public Library of Middlebury, ly accepted November 21, 2012, pend- and the Vermont Historical Society—on the Vermont Digital Newspaper Project. ing modest revision; revision submitted December 10, 2012, and accepted for Institutional partnerships and the engagement of committed individuals serve as publication. a foundation to the VTDNP and provide an avenue to expand statewide infra- The Vermont Digital Newspaper Project structures to accommodate large-scale microfilm-to-digital conversion and pres- (VTDNP) is made possible with funding ervation efforts. Through collaboration and outreach, project partners select and from the National Endowment for the Humanities and with technical support digitize historical newspapers from microfilm and promote Chronicling America, from the Library of Congress. The authors a tool for discovery of these primary historical resources. wish to thank VTDNP state institutional partners at the University of Vermont, the Vermont Department of Libraries, the Ilsley Public Library, the Vermont His- he National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP) was launched in spring torical Society, and the Vermont State 2004 as a partnership between the National Endowment for the Humanities Archives and Records Administration T for their support, encouragement and (NEH) and the Library of Congress (LC) with the goal of developing a unique advice. We are especially grateful to digital resource to provide enhanced access to United States newspapers as pri- Project Management Group members mary resource materials for the study of American history and culture.1 Under and administrative consultants, past and present, including Sally Blanchard, Pru- the terms of the partnership, NEH awards funding to state projects to select and dence Doherty, Paul Donovan, Chris Kir- digitize historically significant newspapers published from 1836 to 1922, primar- by, Lorraine Lanius, Martha Reid, and ily by converting them from microfilm. The digitized titles are aggregated and Mara Saule. permanently maintained by LC where they are freely and universally accessible We are also grateful to our state Advi- sory Committee (http://library.uvm.edu/ on the Internet in a searchable database, Chronicling America: Historic American vtnp/advisors.html) for their advice and Newspapers (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov). The period from 1836 to 1922 enthusiasm, notably in guiding our title was chosen to complement other digital newspaper resources that cover earlier selections. We also thank LRTS reviewers and editors for their insightful comments periods of US history. Many newspapers published after 1923 are not in the pub- and advice on this paper. lic domain and therefore are not under consideration as candidates for inclusion LRTS 57(3) Notes on Operations: The Vermont Digital Newspaper Project 149

in the NDNP.2 The NEH aims, over this article serve to inform colleagues challenges in working with fragile or a twenty-year period, to have every at institutions that are considering disintegrating collections. He also dis- state and US territory represented in ways to build collaborative, large-scale cusses the adaptation of cataloging Chronicling America.3 projects—notably around microfilm- standards for newspaper bibliographic Vermont joined a growing roster to-digital conversion—as a means of and holdings records in the CON- of states participating in the NDNP giving new life and access to histori- SER/OCLC serials database.11 In a in July 2010 when NEH awarded cal documents in the humanities, and subsequent article, Harriman reviews the University of Vermont Libraries preserving these documents in digital the structure of cooperative relation- a two-year grant to embark collabora- form for generations to come. ships that formed the basis of the tively with partnering institutions4— USNP and provided a framework for including the Vermont Department of the expansion of the CONSER/USNP Libraries, the Ilsley Public Library in Literature review database to encompass newspapers Middlebury, and the Vermont Histori- using a “master record convention” cal Society—in the Vermont Digital The National Digital Newspaper Pro- permitting catalogers to create a single Newspaper Project (VTDNP). The gram (NDNP) builds on the work of bibliographic record for the newspa- project’s plan, consistent with NDNP the United States Newspaper Pro- per as published (i.e., newsprint) and guidelines,5 includes selecting, digi- gram (USNP),7 a cooperative national to attach local data records reflecting tizing, and making available to LC effort funded by NEH with technical institutional holdings for each format approximately 100,000 pages of Ver- assistance from LC. Over nearly three (i.e., print or microfilm) for which mont newspapers, published between decades, from 1982 to 2010, NEH and associated issues are held.12 The article 1836 and 1922, from the microfilm LC worked with projects in all fifty also discusses efforts to inventory and collections of the Vermont Depart- states and US territories to locate, cata- evaluate existing microfilm for com- ment of Libraries and the University of log, and selectively preserve on micro- pleteness and quality while recogniz- Vermont. The project builds on work film American newspapers from 1690 ing the limitations of the USNP. For of the NEH-funded Vermont News- to the present.8 The USNP revealed example, the structure and format of paper Project which (http://library. the extent and variety of newspaper the local data (or holdings) record uvm.edu/vtnp/vtnp.html), from 1997 holdings in the United States and “prohibited the entry of any meaning- to 2001, under the auspices of the resulted in the creation of a national ful descriptive information . . . pub- United States Newspaper Program database of newspaper titles and hold- lication details about the microfilm (USNP), identified, cataloged, and ings on OCLC.9 These records are producer and descriptive information selectively microfilmed approximately central to identifying the selection of necessary to determine film charac- 1,000 historical Vermont newspaper titles to be digitized under the NDNP. teristics are not recorded.”13 Input of titles from 108 state repositories— The widespread engagement and coded information to denote whether including libraries, historical societies, diverse collaborative partnerships of film is positive or negative, service museums, and court houses—to con- the USNP over nearly three decades copy or master, etc. has been optional, tribute nearly 3,000 unique local hold- has resulted in a substantial body of rather than required. Thus, “we are ings records to the Cooperative Online literature. lacking information about the exis- Serials Program (CONSER) database Connell’s USNP Bibliography of tence of preservation master negative in the Online Computer Library Cen- Newspaper and Periodical (1983 to film produced prior to [the USNP].”14 ter (OCLC). 1998) includes more than 200 citations Nonetheless, Harriman realized This paper offers an overview of that chronicle the diverse perspectives that “the [USNP] is being asked to the USNP and the NDNP through the and experiences of USNP engagement serve both as a model for cooperative literature, and considers the issues, at both the state and national levels.10 preservation programs and as a labora- challenges, and benefits associated Robert Harriman, LC’s technical advi- tory to test methods and procedures with developing support and infra- sor to the USNP, provides background crucial to the success of such programs structure for a statewide preservation and context for the start-up of the . . . the expected result . . . should be a digital newspaper program. Methods USNP, including the focus on gaining solid foundation of bibliographic infor- for microfilm-to-digital conversion bibliographic control of existing news- mation about newspapers on which to are explored and charted, specifically papers collections, the unique experi- build.”15 in relation to the technical require- ences of USNP participants working in Indeed, some twenty years later, ments and production framework of the field to locate, catalog and inven- in describing the start-up phase of the NDNP two-year grant cycle.6 The tory previously uncollected newspa- the NDNP, Mark Sweeney acknowl- processes and procedures outlined in per collections, and the preservation edges the distributed cataloging and 150 McMurdo and MacLennan LRTS 57(3)

preservation microfilm work of the digital newspaper collection, univer- development, (2) preservation plan- USNP and summarizes its accomplish- sally accessible through the Internet. ning, (3) technical specifications, and ments: “About $55 million in grants Arlitsch, Yapp, and Edge provide back- (4) repository development.25 Newspa- to institutions representing all fifty ground and a detailed overview of per digitization outlooks from NDNP states, the District of Columbia, Puer- early newspaper digitization efforts start-up participants in Utah, Califor- to Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands and the start-up history of the UDN nia and Kentucky are also included in resulted in the bibliographic descrip- Program.19 A subsequent article by the conference proceedings.26 tion of over 140,000 newspaper titles Arlitsch and Herbert discusses equip- As of 2012, there are thirty-two and close to one million local hold- ment and procedural considerations for state projects participating in the ings records. In addition, over sixty- newspaper digitization from microfilm NDNP, along with a cumulative body five million newspaper pages were and paper—including an overview of of literature that includes diverse per- preserved on microfilm.”16 Sweeney Optical Character Recognition (OCR) spectives on newspaper digitization, goes on to describe the NDNP initia- technologies and assessment mod- and user experiences that document tive, modeled on a cooperative, phased els in producing searchable full-text the significance of universally acces- development approach (as was the from digital images.20 Between 2002 sible digitally archived newspapers USNP), in the creation of Chronicling and 2005, Utah’s pioneering efforts in on research and education. LC has America, “a freely available national newspaper digitization resulted in the made available a website of “Pre- digital resource,” which provides two availability of approximately 400,000 sentations and Publications,” includ- different data sets to support use of pages of searchable newspaper content ing works by NDNP developers and newspapers: (1) a newspaper direc- served on the web to a global audience. implementers at NEH and LC.27 tory with descriptive records about In two successive articles published The NDNP “Extras” site showcases American newspapers (from 1690 to in 2008, Herbert and Estlund further content in Chronicling America and the present) and where holdings are discuss UDN progress and subsequent provides examples of educational tuto- located, and (2) a growing collection of funding, including engagement with rials, search techniques, and teaching keyword searchable, digitally convert- the NDNP, as well as ongoing consid- resources produced by state projects, ed public domain newspaper pages erations for scanning, article-level zon- as well as how some states are reus- selected and contributed by participating, and OCR software.21 ing digitized historic newspapers and ing state projects.17 In 2005, one year after the NEH associated metadata records in unique By the time funded activity under announcement of the formation of ways.28 the USNP was completed in 2010, the NDNP, the Marriott Library at Several state projects have pub- newspaper digitization initiatives in the the University of Utah was awarded lished articles about newspaper digi- US were a decade in the making. NEH funding, along with five other tization experiences. Terry’s 2009 The Utah Digital Newspapers (UDN) state institutions in California, Florida, article, “The Digitization of Historic Program emerged in 2001 when the Kentucky, New York, and Virginia, to Newspapers on Microfilm: The Ken- University of Utah’s Marriott Library launch the start-up of the NDNP.22 tucky Experience,”29 is an instructive, was awarded a Library Services and In May 2006, Utah hosted the step-by-step description of the film- Technology (LSTA) grant “to research annual conference of the Newspapers to-digital process at the University of and demonstrate a newspaper digitiza- Section of the International Federa- Kentucky, home to Kentucky’s NDNP tion project.”18 By the end of 2002, tion of Library Associations (IFLA), Project. Newspapers published the Marriott Library had digitized along with the annual meeting of the between 1836 and 1922, the NDNP 30,000 pages from thirty years of three NDNP by LC and NEH.23 The pro- timeframe, are notoriously irregular, weekly Utah newspapers and launched ceedings of the conference, under often changing names, publication the Utah Digital Newspapers web- the editorship of Hartmut Walravens, days, and ownership without warn- site (http://digitalnewspapers.org). The provide an international scope into ing. Combine the ravages of time and success of this first grant led to sub- newspaper digitization initiatives.24 idiosyncrasies of “prestandard” filming sequent funding from both the LSTA NDNP perspectives figure promi- practices on vulnerable acetate nega- and the Institute for Museum and nently. Helen Aguëra of NEH, along tives with publishing irregularities, and Library Services (IMLS), and the for- with Mark Sweeney, Ray Murray, and the problems associated with digitiza- mulation of partnerships with other George Schlukbier of LC, presented tion are compounded. Terry’s article state sites, including Brigham Young “The U.S. National Digital Newspaper offers some practical ways to address University and Utah State University, Program—Thinking Ahead, Design- these inconsistencies, emphasizing a for the cooperative development of ing Now,” a four-part segment that clear and through process for col- a distributed, aggregated, statewide documents respectively: (1) program lating the reels. Collation requires a LRTS 57(3) Notes on Operations: The Vermont Digital Newspaper Project 151

frame-by-frame inspection of every and output. Robinson makes it plain Public Records was absorbed by the reel, recording issue dates, titles, that the experiences gleaned from Vermont State Records and Archives and page order. Terry walks readers the pilot enhanced the expertise and (VSARA).36 The Vermont Department through this process. understanding of newspaper digitiza- of Libraries, as the central state news- The University of Kentucky has tion processes at the Washington State paper repository, in partnership with been a leader in providing instruction Library and positioned them for an the VSARA, now holds a collection for prospective and existing NDNP NEH award in 2008 to launch their of several million pages of newspa- state projects. Their Meta | Morphosis participation in the NDNP. pers on master negative microfilm. Film-to-Digital Institute, offered from The planning overview and prepa- Approximately 850,000 of these pages 2006 to 2009, included two days of ration for developing an NDNP initia- fit within the NDNP publication time- intensive instruction for film-to-digital tive in Illinois is described in Scott’s line of 1836–1922. conversion, giving new and potential 2008 article, “The Illinois Digital Vermont was the fiftieth and NDNP participants the opportunity to Newspaper Project.”33 Scott places the final state to join the United States see a full scale state program in action, history of Illinois and the Illinois press Newspaper Program (USNP), doing and to discuss issues with experienced in the context of the 1860–1922 time- so in 1997 as the Vermont Newspa- staff. As of this writing, Kentucky is re- frame of the 2009 NDNP grant cycle, per Project (VTNP), a collaborative tooling the Meta | Morphosis Institute and outlines a “plan of action.” The endeavor between the University of for the online environment, develop- article is useful as a checklist for pro- Vermont and the Vermont Depart- ing a series of interactive tutorials and spective projects, and provides readers ment of Libraries. VTNP staff con- podcasts.30 The University of Kentucky with historical context for the signifi- ducted a statewide survey to identify has also produced an online video, cance of newspapers in documenting existing state newspapers, and subse- featuring their in-house operations for local experience of regional, national quently traveled throughout Vermont’s newspaper digitization.31 and international events. fourteen counties to inventory, catalog Robinson’s 2010 article, “The NDNP guidelines and resourc- and consolidate holdings for collec- Evolution of Newspaper Digitization es for digitization are available from tions of newspapers, both in print and at the Washington State Library”32 LC.34 Technical Guidelines for Appli- on microfilm. VTNP staff cataloged, recounts the Library’s two-year pilot cants provide a full overview of all according to CONSER standards, project, from 2005 to 2007, to com- requirements and deliverables for approximately 1,000 unique titles with plete newspaper digitization in-house NDNP participants.35 It is “must read- nearly 3,000 holdings (or “ldr”—local for approximately 11,000 pages of his- ing” for those involved in, or consider- data records) in 108 Vermont reposi- torical newspapers. Robinson’s article ing embarking on, an NDNP project. tories. Catalog records and associated provides insight into the issues and Everything from selection guidelines, holdings data for each repository were challenges facing institutions attempt- scanning and OCR specifications, and added to the CONSER database on ing to complete large-scale digitiza- requirements for metadata, file struc- OCLC and also maintained in a local tion projects in-house. Relatively few ture and naming conventions is includ- database. The VTNP initially pro- NDNP state projects choose to do in- ed, along with a comprehensive listing duced a printed Union List of Ver- house digitization. This is due to high of associated resources. mont Newspapers that was distributed start-up costs for equipment, the need to all participating repository institu- for extra staff, and scanning expertise. tions.37 The database (http://vtnp.uvm. Digitization vendors can often do the Methodologies: edu) was developed into an ExLibris work faster than homegrown projects, the Vermont Experience Voyager interface, and made freely and with virtually no upfront expense. available on the Internet. Conversely, the advantages to doing Preservation reformatting of newspa- The VTNP database, or “cata- digitization work in-house are the abil- pers on microfilm has been an active log,” as it is also designated, provides ity to maintain control of digitization concern in Vermont for over fifty years. the framework for identifying titles each step of the way, building expertise The Vermont Public Records Division for digitization. By generating reports within one’s organization, and, signifi- (Public Records) filmed newspapers from the catalog’s bibliographic and cantly, retaining purchased scanning in conjunction with the Vermont Civil holdings data, it was possible to learn equipment. War Centennial Committee in the what newspapers were published from In 2007, the Washington State early 1960s. Public Records under- 1836 to 1922, the period under con- Library staff opted to outsource the took a massive newspaper microfilm- sideration by the NDNP. The holdings scanning, metadata and OCR producing enterprise in the late 1970s that records reveal what issues survived tion as a means to increase efficiency extended into the early 2000s. In 2008, and in what format(s) they were 152 McMurdo and MacLennan LRTS 57(3)

preserved (i.e., print and/or micro- to successful outcomes for Vermont the state in a shared set of goals film). The bibliographic data helps engagement with the NDNP. to further hone digitization skills in- contextualize newspapers by indicat- state, while addressing public demand ing title changes, frequency, geograph- for universal access to a searchable, ic locations, period of publication, and Project Genesis and full-text Vermont newspaper archive other newspapers that were compet- Organization for citizens, historians and research- ing within the given timeframe. Since ers. The USNP–VTNP experience NDNP state projects are limited to From the moment that Vermont had provided a framework for coop- digitizing 100,000 pages per two-year newspaper titles were made available erative working relationships between grant cycle, this information is essen- online through OCLC’s WorldCat and state institutions and formed the basis tial to developing title lists and page through the VTNP online catalog, for renewed partnerships in develop- counts and to making informed selec- Vermont newspaper enthusiasts from ing the Vermont NDNP initiative. As tion decisions. around the country began to inquire discussions advanced in the fall of With NEH support, the USNP if the full-text to these titles could also 2009, a cohesive planning group was provided funds for microfilming news- be found online. Before the advent of formed with representatives from the papers. Some important collections the NDNP, these users were referred University of Vermont, the Vermont and runs of issues were discovered to their local repository for retrieval of Department of Libraries, the Ilsley during USNP canvassing that sub- microfilm. The primary impetus for Public Library in Middlebury, and the stantially contributed to the available Vermont engagement with the NDNP Vermont Historical Society, to further microfilmed record of newspapers. began with Chris Kirby, Adult Services define staffing and budget needs for The USNP–Vermont Newspa- and Technology Librarian at the Ilsley completing the grant proposal. The per Project produced approximately Public Library in Middlebury. In the University of Vermont emerged as 170,000 pages of film. While the VTNP summer of 2009, Kirby researched the lead/application institution and uncovered a variety of newly identi- NDNP requirements for film-to-dig- host site. The Vermont Department fied titles, with runs of varying length ital conversion and prepared a draft of Libraries, as the central newspaper that had not previously been filmed grant proposal giving a procedural repository for the state, engaged staff during the decades of preservation compass to the project. The initial support for research and development, microfilming that preceded the advent draft proposal provided a framework as well as a collaborative commit- of the USNP in Vermont, much of the for representatives from diverse state ment to enable access to preservation filming effort focused on short runs or institutions to come together in the microfilm for the project. The Ilsley individual issues of titles that fill gaps in fall of 2009 to begin discussions to lay Public Library engaged staff support existing microfilm holdings. The VTNP the groundwork for building statewide for ongoing research, development, also filmed several titles that were support and infrastructure to launch and outreach in the public library sec- published after 1922 and are therefore an NDNP initiative. Included in the tor. The Vermont Historical Society outside the scope of the NDNP. As the discussions was an assessment of Ver- offered support in an advisory and Vermont Digital Newspaper Project mont cultural organizations with digi- outreach capacity. When the project (VTDNP) planning efforts began in tization experiences that might lend was awarded funding in July 2010, the 2009, we identified approximately 500 support to a statewide newspaper digi- planning group evolved into an imple- titles in the VTNP database on micro- tization effort, including the University mentation group, and ultimately, into film that were published between 1836 of Vermont’s Center for Digital Initia- a cooperative, inter-institutional, six- and 1922. While these titles formed tives (CDI; http://cdi.uvm.edu), the member project management group. the genesis of content from which to digital collections of Middlebury Col- The first six months of opera- build a digital project, it would turn lege (http://middarchive.middlebury. tion focused on organization of infra- out that a relatively small proportion edu), and the Online Digital Archive structure. The University of Vermont of titles to be selected for digitization of the Vermont Folklife Center (www. established communication protocols under the VTDNP would come from vermontfolklifecenter.org/archive). using Basecamp (http://basecamp. USNP-produced microfilm. The estab- Formed in the context of these com) browser-based project manage- lishment of partnerships and coop- ongoing digitization efforts, the pro- ment software for online collaboration. erative working agreements to build a posed Vermont Digital Newspaper Basecamp has proved to be an effec- statewide infrastructure in support of Project would be the largest digital tive platform that includes messag- newspaper digitization would prove project to emerge in Vermont and, as ing, file-sharing, “to-do” lists, calendar to be a critical element in develop- such, was envisioned to foster collabo- functions, and other useful features ing the grant proposal, and essential ration with colleagues from around for diverse partners collaborating in LRTS 57(3) Notes on Operations: The Vermont Digital Newspaper Project 153

disparate geographical locations. selection criteria.39 Titles for digitiza- bibliographic records in the VTNP cat- Other start-up activities included: tion would be selected based on com- alog, with their corresponding preced- the formation of a search committee piled ranking results. ing and succeeding titles (as identified to hire a project librarian to oversee A provisional Advisory Commit- in MARC record fields 780 and 785), production and manage the day-to-day tee was formed in the planning stag- the project librarian grouped logical activities of the project; the establish- es of the grant proposal. Once the title families together and, with further ment of work space, including the pro- VTDNP was funded, Advisory Com- research, developed a unique list of curement of equipment for microfilm mittee members40 confirmed their fifty-seven title families, representing inspection (densitometer, microscope, commitment to the project and their newspapers from Vermont’s fourteen light table) and for digital workflows engagement in the title selection pro- counties. (two Dell optiplex workstations, Scan- cess. Lorraine Lanius, on behalf of the The VTDNP endeavored to create Pro2000 microfilm reader/printer, ten Project Planning Group, led efforts a system whereby the advisors could 1 TB hard drives and shipping cases). to compile an Advisory Committee rank titles in a manner consistent with The project director also initiated a Briefing Book to provide general back- the selection criteria outlined by the Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit ground information about the NDNP NDNP.43 With an estimate of approxi- bids for NDNP-compliant digitization and the VTDNP to guide Advisory mately 850,000 pages of newspapers services, including OCR creation, and Committee members in the selection on master microfilm negatives identi- provision of related metadata. of newspapers to be digitized and to fied within the scope of the grant, and With the organizational structure suggest other areas of engagement for a high level of public interest in project in place in January 2011, Tom McMur- committee members.41 Reference to outcomes, it was important to have a do was hired as project librarian. His a timeline of historical events in Ver- clear, transparent process in place for prior experience with the NDNP’s mont was also provided.42 An Advisory selection of the 100,000 pages to be California Digital Newspaper Collec- Committee “project” space was estab- digitized. A clearly defined, quantifi- tion (http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cdnc) and the lished on Basecamp in the fall of 2010 able selection process was essential USNP’s California Newspaper Project where the Project Management Group to anticipating public concerns. To (http://cnp.ucr.edu) translated well to (previously the Planning Group) and accomplish this, the VTDNP devel- the startup of digitization activities for Advisory Committee members could oped a title ranking form modeled on the VTDNP. exchange correspondence and post a form produced by the Pennsylvania documents. NDNP project in their selection pro- Newspaper Selection Factors During the planning phase of the cess and distributed the form to the VTDNP, an alphabetical list of more advisory committee with their briefing The VTDNP title selection process than 500 titles published between handbook.44 consisted of three main factors. The 1836 and 1922 available in micro- The ranking form provides infor- first was the formation of an Advi- film format was generated from the mation in two sections: the “Title” area sory Committee of scholars, historians, VTNP database. The title list was sub- provides title and place of publication journalists, teachers, librarians, and sequently sorted geographically by information, dates of publication and archivists. NDNP grant application each of Vermont’s fourteen counties dates of available master negatives, guidelines stipulate the articulation and further culled to identify signifi- and an estimated page count for those of a plan to involve an advisory board cant titles with long runs in each of negatives. The “Ranking Criteria” sec- in the selection process.38 The second the counties. However, newspapers tion enables advisers to rank each was to refine the long and unwieldy are serials and in the nineteenth and title based on a scale of 1 through 5 alphabetical lists of approximately early twentieth century they often (5 being the highest), as applied to 500 titles published between 1836 changed name, absorbed competing three NDNP criteria: Research Value, and 1922 that the project planning titles, and were themselves absorbed, Geographic Coverage, and Temporal group had identified and to confirm or split into daily and weekly editions, Coverage. This ranking system yields the availability of corresponding mas- often without warning or apparent a score between 3 and 15. Advisers ter microfilm negatives. Finally, once reason. It soon became apparent that can augment this ranking by adding a the titles on master negatives were the alphabetical lists would be better point if the title is a complete run, an ascertained and compiled into coher- classified as title families—composed orphan title, or expands the diversity ent title families arranged by county, of directly successive titles making of selections. “Complete run,” means the Advisory Committee would be up a newspaper “family.” By consult- that the negatives available are a full engaged to review the list of titles ing geographical title lists developed collection of the title and do not have and to rank them based on NDNP by the Project Planning Group and significant gaps. “Orphan title” means 154 McMurdo and MacLennan LRTS 57(3)

Table 1. VTDNP title ranking form segment for Addison County titles

Vermont Digital Newspaper Project Phase 1, 2010–2012 Ranking Form Digitization Candidates Ranking Criteria Total Score

Addison County Overall title run Complete Research Geographic Temporal Diversity Title Title Master Value Coverage Coverage Orphan Place of begin end negative Estimated 5 = highest 5 = highest 5 = highest Title or Title Family Publication date date date range page count priority priority priority Bridport Sun Bridport 1900 19uu 1901–1915 3,000 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 +1 +1 +1 Bristol Herald Bristol 1879 1959 1880–1922 6,500 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 +1 +1 +1 People’s Press/Galaxy/ Register Middlebury 1836 1937 1837–1922 18,000 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 +1 +1 +1 City News/Vermonter/ Citizen/Enterprise Vergennes 1837 1982 1838–1922 25,000 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 +1 +1 +1 Orwell Citizen Vergennes 1900 19uu 1901–1922 5,400 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 +1 +1 +1 Middlebury Record Vergennes 1901 19uu 1901–1922 4,000 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 +1 +1 +1 that the title has no direct descendent diverse newspaper experiences and the three titles, Advisory Committee still in publication. “Diversity” means perspectives with strong regional and members selected and ranked addi- titles that may be of particular value statewide knowledge of Vermont his- tional titles over the course of the next to researchers because they are from tory. Meeting attendees came away month. Advisers with stronger regional either a significant minority commu- with valuable insights into the newspa- knowledge tended to rank newspapers nity, or contain diverse or distinc- per publishing history in Vermont and with which they were most familiar. tive social or political perspectives. In appreciation for titles under consider- Those with broad knowledge of his- Vermont, this includes abolitionist or ation for digitization. torical Vermont newspapers tempered antislavery newspapers, ethnic news- Due to the strict production time- this regionalism by ranking titles that papers in Italian and French, and table for deliverables defined by the encompass a variety of geographical Democratic Party papers, in contrast grant cycle, the Project Management areas and times within the grant peri- to the dominant Whig and Republican Group proposed three titles to the od. Overall, the Advisory Commit- titles in the mid- to late nineteeth Advisory Committee to launch digiti- tee provided a well-balanced selection century. zation: the Vermont Farmer, Rutland of newspapers. The project librarian In April 2011, the University of Herald, and Burlington Free Press. subsequently compiled rankings. In Vermont hosted a day-long meeting The Vermont Farmer was chosen as June 2011, the Advisory Committee where project planners and advisers a start-up sample reel for its size and agreed on a list of twelve title families met in person. Skype’s online confer- format on a compact reel and as a title comprising thirty-seven unique bib- encing capability was used to establish that offers perspectives into agricultur- liographic titles from ten of Vermont’s interactive connections with Advisory al practices and methods in northeast fourteen counties (see appendix). Committee members who could not Vermont during the 1870s.45 The pub- be physically present. During this lisher was well known as an innovative meeting, advisers familiarized them- plant breeder and orchardist. The title Digitization: selves with project background and is not solely an agricultural journal, as Planning and Execution goals, as well as the selection process it also contains local news, obituaries, and ranking terminology, and came to and advertisements, and is rightfully Planning a procedural understanding for rank- called a “newspaper.” The Burlington ing titles using the same rubric. The Free Press and Rutland Herald are The NDNP requires that state proj- meeting also offered the occasion for well-known as the two longest-running ects work with existing master nega- lively group discussion of individual and historically significant titles in the tive microfilm collections as source titles. The strength of the VTDNP state. These titles were universally material because they yield the high- Advisory Committee is that its mem- approved by the Advisory Committee. est quality digital images of newspa- bers bring to the table a blend of With production underway for pers. It is important to start with the LRTS 57(3) Notes on Operations: The Vermont Digital Newspaper Project 155

best available microfilm negative to search, the results are derived from While most libraries do an admi- achieve NDNP standards, which are the OCR files. OCR text is located, rable job of maintaining their micro- intended as “best practices” for digi- word by word, to areas on the image, film collections for public use, service tal preservation.46 This requirement so that a keyword can be highlighted microfilm is naturally subjected to puts the charge on NDNP state proj- on the page. The quality of image conditions that are unfavorable for ects to locate preservation microfilm scans directly impacts the accuracy preservation. A large percentage of negatives. Unlike public-use films, or of OCR interpretation, and therefore film still in use is acetate.52 Acetate service copies, of which there may has a direct effect on the usability is an early generation plastic used be many, there is generally only one of the resource. A common problem into the 1980s, when polyester-based master negative, that is, the film that with OCR interpretation of poorly film stock came into widespread use. went through the camera at the time scanned pages is letter “blocking.” A Acetate microfilm is best stored in of filming. Subsequent generations of newspaper page that has shortcomings constant temperatures, ideally around film of a given reel are derived from in the scan may cause certain letters 35 degrees Fahrenheit, with relative the negative. Availability and condition to “block.” This is similar to when too humidity below 30 percent.53 Acetate of master negatives for newspapers much ink is applied on a hand pressed film stored in ideal conditions from is often contingent on preservation page, and all of the white space inside the onset can go decades with little archiving policies in a given state, and the formation of letters is filled in. In or no degradation.54 Polyester film is may vary. poor scans, the characters on a page more resistant to unfavorable storage Newspaper pages are to be may be eye-readable, but the OCR conditions, and its life is extended scanned in 8-bit grayscale, as opposed interpreter may not be able to discern from proper storage as well. Properly to bi-tonal pure black or white, at 300– the difference between an “a,” “c,” “e,” stored polyester film has an estimated 400 dpi.47 This 300–400 dpi is relative or “o,” for example. A human read- lifespan of more than 500 years.55 to the original page, meaning that the ing a page that has a relatively poor Ideal storage conditions are plain- scan, enlarged to the size of the origi- scan of the words “Ethan Allen” may ly impossible to achieve for film in nal newspaper would contain 300–400 be able to easily tell the letters, but public use areas. Increases in either dots per inch. For each newspaper a computer may very easily read the temperature or relative humidity can page, the NDNP requires delivery words as “Ethon Allon,” or a similar dramatically shorten the life of ace- of an uncompressed TIFF 6.0, and a variant. A researcher looking for Ethan tate microfilm by bringing on vinegar JPEG2000 and PDF derived from the Allen would not receive a “hit” for this syndrome. Fluctuations in these stor- original TIFF. Also required is “struc- occurrence of the search terms. This is age factors can also accelerate vinegar tural metadata to relate pages to title, a primary factor in why it is important syndrome.56 Vinegar syndrome is so date, and edition, to sequence pages to use master negatives when scanning named for the strong vinegar odor that within issue or section and to identify newspapers: the closer one can get to the chemical breakdown of acetate associated image and OCR files.”48 the original, the higher fidelity one will film base produces as it ages. This Submitted XML files at the reel, achieve in scanned images. smell intensifies as vinegar syndrome issue, and page level fit a delineated LC recognizes that many non- progresses. Beyond the smell, the sep- hierarchical structure that enables NDNP digitization projects will not aration of the film layer base with the users to access newspapers by title, fully implement the NDNP specifica- gelatin is where the real problem lies. date, issue, and page. Attention to tions,51 but it is fundamental to image As vinegar syndrome advances and this detail in the gathering of this data quality to use master negatives for separation intensifies, it can make film leads to accurate results for those scanning. Some newspaper digitization reels unreadable. searching newspapers. projects, in both commercial and pub- For a relatively small number of OCR files with word-bounding lic sectors, do not always use master reels, it would make sense to simply boxes and columns at the page level negatives, instead using at-hand posi- duplicate these reels on modern poly- are required for NDNP work.49 OCR tive service copies as the source mate- ester stock to create a duplicate master files are XML-encoded representa- rial. Scanning from public-use positive negative, but the scope of microfilm- tions of the text as interpreted by reels yields mixed results. Such film ing preservation efforts in the mid- to OCR software, such as ABBYY Fine- often has scratch marks, tape repairs, late twentieth century is staggering. Reader.50 This software interprets the and other kinds of damage from public Millions of pages of newspapers were scanned TIFF images to generate files use that decreases the quality of scans microfilmed from the 1950s to the of text. OCR text is the basis of key- made from those reels. Any damage 1990s in the US. The vast majority word searching. When a user enters to the film will naturally be visible in of these film masters are acetate, but a keyword into a Chronicling America the scans. duplicating such large collections on 156 McMurdo and MacLennan LRTS 57(3)

new polyester negatives is cost pro- generated by the Vermont Public of course, overall cost. After close eval- hibitive. Today, there is little room Records Division microfilm program uation of each bid, iArchives of Lin- in most library budgets for such an in the vault of the VSARA. Through don, Utah was selected as VTDNP’s undertaking. Indeed, in the last ten this cooperative arrangement, Archi- digitization vendor. to fifteen years many public micro- vist Scott Reilly provided the VTDNP iArchives is an experienced news- filming operations have closed, and with a list, a 400-plus page document, paper digitization partner, evidenced the master negatives dispersed, often which provides a reel-by-reel inven- by their work with several other ending up in the hands of commercial tory of the master negatives held in NDNP state projects. A list of iAr- companies.57 the vault. Comparing this list of avail- chives NDNP partners is included Most of this twentieth century able masters with title lists generated on their website (www.iarchives.com/ film is commonly referred to as “pres- during the VTDNP planning phase demo-loc.shtml). Shortly after the tandards” film. That is, the film was showed all of the titles that fit in the digitization contract was signed, two produced according to local practic- grant period of 1836–1922. Synthesiz- representatives from iArchives came es, and not with an overarching set ing the available reels with the title to Vermont for a series of meetings of standards in mind.58 Without such lists yielded an inventory of approxi- that established procedural workflows, standards, the organization and quality mately 850,000 estimated pages of production timetables, and schedul- of this film can vary widely. Neverthe- newspapers in significant runs. This ing for ongoing communication. Their less, the vast majority of such films can abundance of film ensured that the familiarity with NDNP specifications be used to successfully create images VTDNP would have an ample supply enabled production to begin imme- that meet NDNP specifications. Much of titles from which to select for the diately. However, VTDNP personnel of this prestandards film has not been grant period. had to provide them with content to stored under ideal conditions and has get underway. varying degrees of vinegar syndrome. Execution NDNP metadata, that is, data This aging resource is ripe for digital about the newspaper pages, issues, preservation. In January 2011, the project director and reels of film, must be generated The Vermont Digital Newspaper issued an RFP to solicit bids for NDNP from a thorough review of each reel of Project Planning Group initially pro- compliant digitization services, includ- film. Since archival masters and print- jected the use of master negatives ing OCR creation, and provision of ing masters should not be fed through produced under the USNP Preserva- related metadata. The RFP stipulated a microfilm viewer, it is necessary to tion Microfilming Guidelines for the that vendors convert a sample test reel match a positive, public-use set to Vermont Newspaper Project.59 These according to NDNP specifications. A the masters for the purpose of review. master negative microfilms are on sample reel of the Vermont Farmer “Thorough review” for the NDNP polyester stock and stored in archival was duplicated and distributed to ven- involves inspecting every frame on conditions, so there was an expecta- dors who expressed interest in offering every reel to create an exact metadata tion that high-quality, easy to use film proposals. The VTDNP received four record of what is on each reel. Due to would be readily available. competitive proposals, with complete the high volume of pages, or frames, As the VTDNP prepared to move digital conversions. The digital con- to be scanned, thousands of pages per forward with title selection, it became versions enabled us to evaluate the monthly batch of deliverables, this clear that the longest runs for the quality of each vendor’s work by com- process is very labor-intensive and most historically significant titles were paring sample output for page images, requires a great deal of lead time and filmed in Vermont before the USNP XML and OCR files side by side. planning. effort on “prestandards” microfilm. Vendor selection criteria outlined in The initial selection of three titles Through the VTDNP partnership with the RFP was used to evaluate propos- enabled the VTDNP to launch digiti- the Vermont Department of Libraries als. Evaluative areas included: experi- zation workflows with iArchives with (VTLIB), notably through Paul Dono- ence with similar digitization projects; little delay. Master negatives were sent van, Law and Documents Librarian at quality and completeness of the pro- to a film duplication vendor, Archival VTLIB, an agreement was arranged posal and sample conversion images Microfilming Services of Connecticut, between the Vermont State Archives and metadata; organizational capacity to create duplicate negatives for digiti- and Records Administration (VSARA) and commitment to serve a long-term, zation. Upon completion of the dupli- and the VTDNP, to permit borrowing high-volume, deadline-driven digitiza- cation, production began. The frame master negatives on an as-needed basis tion project; availability of skilled and by frame review for the first 10,000 for the duration of the project. reliable project personnel to carry out page batch was completed single- VTLIB stores the master negatives work and communicate progress; and, handedly by the project librarian and LRTS 57(3) Notes on Operations: The Vermont Digital Newspaper Project 157

shipped to iArchives on May 17, 2011. issues of completely unrelated titles level file. Within each batch file, there It became quickly apparent that filmed with another title, partially are reel files. Within each reel file, frame by frame inventory of film for a filmed issues, or damaged issues. Each there are issue files, and in each issue production schedule of 8,000 to 10,000 person completing the frame-by- file, there are page files. For each of pages per month conducted by one frame film inventory must make case these levels, there are corresponding person, as it was for the first batch, by case decisions about these frames XML “pointer” files to the appropriate would not be sustainable. The grant on the film. image or group of images. proposal’s staffing plan provided for These inventory files are the basis iArchives also generates OCR files a half-time, NEH-funded digital sup- of the XML files that are associated for each page. These OCR files corre- port specialist. While a search effort to with the scanned newspaper images. spond to zones on a page image, with fill that position was in progress, it had To understand their function in file a computer-generated set of words not been completed as production was structure and information retrieval, that match the page. The OCR files starting. To bolster production start- it is helpful to think of XML files as are the basis for keyword searches of up, the project director allocated three pointing toward a given title, issue, or the newspapers on Chronicling Amer- cataloging/metadata specialists (com- page in an issue. If mistakes are made ica. A keyword search of Chronicling bined 0.3 FTE) from UVM’s Resource in the frame by frame inventory, the America yields pages with the search Description and Analysis Services XML files generated from that data term(s) highlighted. Terms are derived unit to contribute to frame by frame will not point to the correct titles, from the OCR files which match the inspection and metadata collation. issues, or pages. This frame by frame terms to the page images and the loca- This support was vital to launching inventory has a critical role in the use- tion of the words on the pages. OCR production. The hiring of the digital fulness of the images created. output is continually improving with support specialist (0.5 FTE) in July The VTDNP delivers raw metada- successive generations of software, but 2011 brought the project to a full ta to iArchives along with a duplicate still has its limits. Nineteenth cen- staffing complement, well-positioned negative for each reel. iArchives scans tury, hand-pressed, small-type news- to meet production goals of approxi- the duplicate negative reels to gener- papers, sometimes with damage from mately 10,000 pages per month over ate TIFFs. From those TIFFs, they a hundred-plus years of storage, filmed the remaining year of the grant. create a PDF and a JPEG2000 file. without clear standards on degrading Nineteenth century newspapers, These PDF and JPEG2000 derivative acetate film, and then finally digitized, with all of their oddities, mixed with files are compressed versions of the are often a challenge for human eyes, the sometimes idiosyncratic nature TIFF. Since they are compressed, they as well as for OCR. Still, OCR pro- of prestandards microfilm, make for are much easier to deliver to online vides a powerful window into the vast many diverse and unusual reels of users. TIFFs are simply too large and newspaper collections on Chronicling microfilm. The frame by frame inven- resource-intensive to be delivered in America. tory of these reels demands atten- a timely manner. The functionality of The project librarian ships reels, tion to detail and requires a learning JPEG2000 is excellent. While they are raw metadata, and a 1 TB drive in a curve to understand what information compressed files, they are “lossless,” protective case to iArchives. iArchives is important to record, and what is of and the clarity they deliver to end loads the images and data files on the lesser importance. The decisions made users is adequate.60 The PDF files give drive in a single batch, and returns the during the inventory can profoundly end users a choice of formats in which drive to Vermont. The project librar- affect the end user experience. In this to view or save an image. ian employs a quality-review process process, information about each reel is iArchives also generates the XML to ensure that NDNP specifications recorded, including reel dates, titles on data associated with the image files are met by checking for image quality, a reel and their corresponding LCCN using the raw metadata generated by irregularities, and correct bibliograph- (Library of Congress Control Number, the VTDNP production team. The ic data. Software tools used for quality or field 010 in catalog records), issue Metadata Object Description schema, assurance include the Oxygen XML dates, supplements, pages in each or MODS, is used as the NDNP editor, ThumbsPlus, and the NDNP’s issue, duplicate images or issues, the standard for descriptive metadata. iAr- Digital Validation View (DVV). Each number of targets, incorrect dates, chives converts the raw VTDNP meta- of these tools is described below. other printing errors, and volume and data into MODS, inside the Metadata The Oxygen XML editor (www issue numbers for each issue. Many Encoding and Transmission Standard, .oxygenxml.com/) is used to check the irregularities exist, such as undated or METS, wrapper. The newspaper XML files. Oxygen displays the XML supplements filmed in sequence with metadata files and the images are files in a color coded, line by line dated issues, temporary title changes, hierarchically indexed in this highest format. The color-coding serves as a 158 McMurdo and MacLennan LRTS 57(3)

Figure 1. Library of Congress Digital Viewer and Validator (DVV), Graphical User Interface (GUI). visual marker for different elements spot problem pages, which can then be signatures are then written into the within the XML files. When changes enlarged in the software for full sized batch. The presence of these digital to the XML data are needed, this viewing and closer inspection. signature files provides a ready way color-coding makes it significantly eas- LC provides the most essential to quickly see that a batch has been ier than with a black and white XML tool, the NDNP or DVV,61 which is validated. Verification is a similar pro- viewer. used to examine the OCR files and cess that checks the data structures, ThumbsPlus imaging software to check that the image headers are but it does not write files to the batch. (www.cerious.com/thumbnails.shtml) correct. The DVV orders the infor- Whenever data are moved, either vir- is used to examine the images. This mation in a manner that allows one tually or physically, verification is used software can process an entire batch to check OCR zoning and for correct to ensure that no damage or errors and load all of the images on the bibliographic information. The criti- occurred in transfer. batch into the viewer. Every TIFF cal function of the DVV is to validate Following validation, the batch is and JPEG2000 image in the batch is and verify the digital signatures of the shipped to LC on the 1 TB hard drive. examined as part of the VTDNP qual- files in a batch. Validation checks to LC verifies the batch and performs ity assurance. In the thumbs preview, ensure that the batch data meets the their quality control processes before one can easily scroll through issues structure of NDNP technical specifi- ingesting the batch into Chronicling and see each image. Typically, images cations, though not the specific infor- America. The process is not always in the preview are large enough to mation within that structure. Digital straightforward. There are sometimes LRTS 57(3) Notes on Operations: The Vermont Digital Newspaper Project 159

problems with batches that require communication and coordination Table 2. Chronicling America Report from the Library of Congress: State-Specific Statistics for Vermont between the project librarian, the ven- Vermont Usage dor, and LC so that adjustments can be Total Newspaper Uvm Newspaper made. Once the batch is ingested, LC Month Pages Served Pages Serves Page Views Visits notifies the VTDNP that its newspaper Jul 2011 855,701 2,254 4,926 662 contents are available in Chronicling Aug 2011 884,767 6,093 5,757 578 America. Sep 2011 1,010,576 8,024 11,074 939 Oct 2011 1,014,350 6,115 6,682 819 Outreach + Promotion = Nov 2011 1,086,050 12,453 8,996 746 User Communities Dec 2011 957,618 14,771 12,517 867 Jan 2012 1,186,596 15,047 15,973 1,050 By engaging partners and advisors Feb 2012 1,212,515 19,656 20.581 1,286 from a variety of organizations, with Mar 2012 1,241,476 21,707 22,928 1,323 representatives acting in distinct roles, the VTDNP simultaneously draws on Apr 2012 1,145,272 21,354 28,073 1,469 input from stakeholders from a wide May 2012 881,118 12,553 17,522 1,047 community and expands the connec- Jun 2012 1,085,718 12,312 16,691 1,018 tion that member organizations have to TOTAL 12,561,757 152,339 171,720 11,804 the project. Collaboration and cooper- ation foster responsibility, investment, and ownership by these organizations study of American history and culture, As the volume of content continues to in the success of the VTDNP. Ongo- these outreach initiatives spark discus- grow, it will be interesting to see how ing communication through the use of sion and exchange of ideas that chan- this is reflected in usage patterns. Basecamp project management soft- nel broader public perspectives and ware, an email discussion list, and end user concerns into the VTDNP, regular in-person meetings or confer- which then feed into project develop- Outcomes ence calls keeps partner interactions ment. alive and vital, with involved groups Public awareness of the VTDNP The VTDNP received NEH and of individuals in disparate locations has grown parallel with the increase LC authorization to produce nearly throughout Vermont. in Vermont titles available online at 130,000 unique pages of digital news- The project also includes a vigor- Chronicling America. Usage statistics paper content during its first two- ous outreach and educational com- from July 2011 to June 2012 show year grant. This 30 percent production ponent. In addition to developing a an increase in the number of visits increase was accorded without addi- project website (http://library.uvm. and page views over the period. In tional funding due to a no-cost two- edu/vtnp), and implementing social July 2011, there were 9,217 pages of month extension to the grant based on media applications in the VTDNP Vermont newspapers available, which changes in the NEH calendar cycle, blog (http://vtdnp.wordpress.com) and received 662 online visits and 4,926 and the fact that our digitization ven- Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/ page views that month. The number of dor, iArchives, was delivering qual- Vermont-Digital-Newspaper-Project- visits and page views show a relatively ity work at a significantly lower price VTDNP/169536416425273) project steady increase to April 2012, when (0.51/page) than was provided in our partners have given presentations there were 72,428 pages of Vermont initial budget (0.95/page). Salary sav- and educational workshops at local, newspapers available, which received ings also factored in since the lengthy state, regional, and national venues.62 1,469 visits and 28,073 page views. period that passed before hiring the The outreach component provides an These numbers tapered off slightly project librarian (six months) and the ongoing avenue of communication in May and June, part of a pattern digital support specialist (one year) between project partners, communi- that may reflect lower usage after the gave us a slow start to production, ty members, and the general public. conclusion of the school year. The but also permitted us to re-assess and Besides raising awareness of the proj- total for July 2011 to June 2012 for streamline workflows to maximize pro- ect and promoting the value and use of Vermont titles on Chronicling America duction. digitized newspapers on Chronicling is 11,804 visits, 171,720 page views, The decision to target monthly America as primary resources for the and 152,339 newspaper pages served. goals at 10,000 pages deviated from our 160 McMurdo and MacLennan LRTS 57(3)

original work plan to produce smaller LC for Chronicling America. The les- us-newspaper-program. monthly batches spread over a longer sons learned from Phase 1 will surely 10. John J. Connell Jr., “USNP Bibliogra- period. With a project librarian, a half- inform our progress and outcomes for phy: Newspaper and Periodical Arti- time digital support specialist, and Phase 2. cles, 1983–1998,” accessed August three cataloging/metadata specialists 6, 2012, www.loc.gov/rr/news/usnp/ contributing a combined ten- to twelve References and Notes newsbibliop.html. hours per week to frame by frame 11. Robert Harriman, “Coordination of inspection and metadata collation, 1. Bruce Cole, “The National Digital Cataloging Practices in the United production advanced at an efficient, Newspaper Program, from the Chair- States Newspaper Program,” Cata- high-volume rate. As the production man of the NEH,” OAH Newslet- loging & Classification Quarterly 6, team became familiar with the work, ter (May 2004): 11, accessed July 2, no. 4 (Summer 1986): 15–29. capacity for output was increased to 2012, www.oah.org/pubs/nl/2004may/ 12. Robert Harriman, “The News in levels that met, or exceeded, produc- cole.html. For additional details, see Review: The United States Newspa- tion goals each month. the National Digital Newspaper per Program,” Cataloging & Classifi- With collaboration and encour- Program webpages at the Nation- cation Quarterly 17, nos. 3/4 (1993): agement from an engaged group of al Endowment for the Humanities 93–94. partner institutions, a committed Proj- (NEH), www.neh.gov/divisions/pres- 13. Ibid., 95. ect Management Group, a dedicated ervation/national-digital-newspaper- 14. Ibid., 95–96. production team, and knowledgeable program, and at the Library of Con- 15. Harriman, “Coordination of Catalog- advisers making informed selection gress, www.loc.gov/ndnp. ing Practices,” 27. decisions based on available titles and 2. Cole, “The National Digital Newspa- 16. Mark Sweeney, “The National Digital the historical value of those titles, the per Program,” 11. Newspaper Program: Building on a VTDNP produced just under 130,000 3. Ibid. Firm Foundation,” Serials Review 33, pages of digitized newspaper content 4. Award Recipients—National Digital no. 3 (September 2007): 188. for Chronicling America at the close Newspaper Program, accessed May 17. Ibid., 188–89. of its Phase 1 grant in August 2012. 17, 2012, www.loc.gov/ndnp/awards. 18. “About the Utah Digital Newspapers The project has received positive com- 5. “National Digital Newspaper Pro- Program,” accessed August 21, 2012, munity feedback while the fruits of its gram,” National Endowment for the http://digitalnewspapers.org/about/. labor, Vermont historical newspapers Humanities, accessed September 3, 19. Kenning Arlistsch, L. Yapp, and Kar- on Chronicling America, have seen 2012, www.neh.gov/grants/preserva- en Edge, “The Utah Digital News- steady rise in use as content contrib- tion/national-digital-newspaper-pro- papers Project,” D-Lib Magazine 9, uted by the VTDNP in its first year gram. no. 3 (Mar. 2003), accessed August has grown.63 6. The VTDNP was originally award- 21, 2012, www.dlib.org/dlib/march03/ The University of Vermont was ed funding from NEH for a two- arlitsch/03arlitsch.html. recently awarded an NEH continua- year grant cycle, from July 1, 2010 to 20. Kenning Arlitsch and John Herbert, tion grant to re-embark with its state June 30, 2012. Due to changes in the “Microfilm, Paper, and OCR: Issues partners on Phase 2 of the VTDNP. NEH calendar, the project was noti- in Newspaper Digitization: The In addition to digitizing newspapers fied in February 2011 of a no-cost, Utah Digital Newspapers Program,” in geographical areas of Vermont that two-month extension for the project Microform & Imaging Review 33, we were not able to include in this through August 31, 2012. no. 2 (June 2004): 59–67, accessed first phase, Phase 2 proposes to digi- 7. Cole, “The National Digital Newspa- August 21, 2012, http://content.lib. tize important historical newspapers per Program,” 11. utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/uspace/ in French and Italian, from Vermont’s 8. National Endowment for the Human- id/714. immigrant population communities, ities, “U.S. Newspaper Program,” 21. John Herbert and Karen Estlund, as well as some significant abolition- accessed August 4, 2012, www.neh.gov/ “Bringing the Past to the Present,” ist and anti-slavery newspapers that us-newspaper-program, and Library Online Magazine 32, no. 4 (July/ were published in Vermont before the of Congress, “United States News- August 2008): 32–27, accessed outbreak of the Civil War.64 We look paper Program,” accessed August August 26, 2012, http://hdl.handle forward to a new round of title selec- 6, 2012, www.loc.gov/rr/news/usnp/ .net/1794/9914, and John Herbert tions, to learning more about Vermont usnpp.html. and Karen Estlund, “Creating Citi- history and culture through our strong, 9. “U.S. Newspaper Program,” Nation- zen Historians,” Western Historical historical newspaper collections, and al Endowment for the Humanities, Quarterly 39, no. 3 (Aug. 2008): 333– to delivering more great content to the accessed Aug. 4, 2012, www.neh.gov/ 41, accessed August 26, 2012, http:// LRTS 57(3) Notes on Operations: The Vermont Digital Newspaper Project 161

hdl.handle.net/1794/9915. Historic Newspapers on Microfilm: selection process. 22. “First Grants Awarded in National The Kentucky Experience,” Micro- 39. “National Digital Newspaper Pro- Digital Newspaper Program,” Nation- form & Imaging Review 38, no. 2 gram: Content Selection,” Library al Endowment for the Humanities, (Spring 2009): 54–63. of Congress, accessed September 3, March 28, 2005, accessed August 30. “Welcome to Meta | Morphosis: 2012, www.loc.gov/ndnp/guidelines/ 25, 2012, www.neh.gov/news/press- Microfilm-to-Digital Lecture Series,” selection.html. release/2005-03-28. University of Kentucky Libraries, 40. “State Advisory Committee,” Ver- 23. Herbert and Estlund, “Creating Citi- accessed November 26, 2012, www. mont Digital Newspaper Project, zen Historians,” 336. uky.edu/Libraries/NDNP/metamor- accessed September 3, 2012, http:// 24. Hartmut Walravens ed., Newspapers phosis/index.html. library.uvm.edu/vtnp/advisors.html. of the World Online: U.S. and Inter- 31. University of Kentucky Libraries 41. “Advisory Committee Briefing Book: national Perspectives: Proceedings of Preservation & Digital Programs, July 1, 2010–August 31, 2012,” Ver- Conferences in Salt Lake City and NDNP: The Kentucky Edition [video], mont Digital Newspaper Project, Seoul, 2006, IFLA Publications 122 accessed August 29, 2012, www.you- accessed September 3, 2012, http:// (Munich: Sauer, 2006). The table of tube.com/watch?v=5WjJLEhC4KQ. library.uvm.edu/vtnp/VTDNP-Brief- contents can be viewed at www.ifla. 32. Laura Robinson, “The Evolution of ingBookRev20110426.pdf; the brief- org/files/hq/publications/122.pdf. Newspaper Digitization at the Wash- ing book was revised in the fall of 25. Helen Aguëra et al., “The U.S. ington State Library,” Microform 2012 as part of the VTDNP Phase National Digital Newspaper Pro- & Imaging Review 39, no. 1 (Mar. 2 planning and preparation for title gram—Thinking Ahead, Designing 2010): 24–27. selection, accessed November 27, Now,” in Newspapers of the World 33. Alyce L. Scott, “The Illinois Digi- 2012, http://library.uvm.edu/vtnp/ Online: U.S. and International Per- tal Newspaper Project,” Microform VTDNP-BriefingBookRev20121121. spectives: Proceedings of Conferenc- & Imaging Review 37, no. 4 (Dec. pdf. es in Salt Lake City and Seoul, 2006, 2008): 163–69. 42. “Vermont History Timeline,” Ver- ed. Harmut Walravens. IFLA Publi- 34. “National Digital Newspaper Pro- mont Division for Historic Preser- cations 122 (München: Sauer, 2006): gram: Guidelines & Resources,” vation, accessed September 4, 2012, 79–95. Presentation slides available Library of Congress, accessed August www.historicsites.vermont.gov/html/ at www.loc.gov/ndnp/guidelines/docs/ 28, 2012, www.loc.gov/ndnp/guide- timeline.html. IFLA_NEHLC.pdf. lines. 43. “National Digital Newspaper Pro- 26. Kenning Arlitsch, “Utah Digital 35. “National Digital Newspaper Pro- gram: Content Selection,” Library Newspapers and Mountain West gram Technical Guidelines for of Congress, accessed September 3, Digital Library”; John Herbert, Applicants,” Library of Congress, 2012, www.loc.gov/ndnp/guidelines/ “Utah Digital Newspapers”; Andrea accessed August 28, 2012, www. selection.html. Vanek, “The California Newspa- loc.gov/ndnp/guidelines/archive/ 44. The Pennsylvania Digital Newspa- per Project”; and J. Wendel Cox, NDNP_201214TechNotes.pdf. per Project, https://secureapps.librar- “The U.S. National Digital News- 36. “About VSARA,” Vermont State ies.psu.edu/content/PaNP/PaD- paper Program: University of Ken- Archives and Records Administra- NP/about_padnp.html; the VTDNP tucky Libraries,” in Newspapers of tion, accessed July 12, 2012, http:// adapted a ranking form found on the World Online: U.S. and Interna- vermont-archives.org/about. the PaSNP blog, accessed Septem- tional Perspectives: Proceedings of 37. A Union List of Vermont Newspa- ber 3, 2012, www.personal.psu.edu/ Conferences in Salt Lake City and pers (Burlington, VT: University of kkm111/blogs/pa_digital_newspa- Seoul, 2006, ed. Harmut Walravens, Vermont Libraries; Montpelier, VT: per_project/2008/11/scranton-titles- IFLA Publications 122 (München: Vermont Department of Libraries, my-recommendation.html. Sauer, 2006): 97–134. 2000). 45. Chronicling America, “About the 27. “Publications and Presentations— 38. National Endowment for the Vermont Farmer,” accessed Septem- National Digital Newspaper Pro- Humanities, Division of Preservation ber 5, 2012, http://chroniclingameri- gram,” Library of Congress, accessed and Access, National Digital Newspa- ca.loc.gov/lccn/sn84023255. August 27, 2012, www.loc.gov/ndnp/ per Program, 6–7, accessed Novem- 46. Library of Congress, National Digital guidelines/pubs.html. ber 27, 2012, www.neh.gov/files/ Newspaper Program Technical Guide- 28. “NDNP Extras,” Library of Con- grants/ndnp-jan-17-2013.pdf. Appli- lines for Applicants, 3, accessed July gress, accessed September 30, 2012, cation guidelines for 2010 and 2012 10, 2012, www.loc.gov/ndnp/guide- www.loc.gov/ndnp/extras. awards include similar instructions lines/NDNP_201214TechNotes.pdf. 29. Kopana Terry, “The Digitization of for involving an advisory board in the 47. Ibid. 162 McMurdo and MacLennan LRTS 57(3)

48. Ibid, 4. www.nedcc.org/free-resources/pres- dlib/july08/buonora/07buonora.html. 49. Ibid, 3. ervation-leaflets/6.-reformatting/6.1- 61. NDNP Technical Guidelines for 50. ABBYY FineReader OCR Software, microfilm-and-microfiche. Applicants, “Technical Validation of accessed September 30, 2012, http:// 56. Reilly, “IPI Storage Guide,” 4. Digital Objects,” 12, accessed Septem- finereader.abbyy.com. 57. ProQuest holds many microfilm reels ber 5, 2012, www.loc.gov/ndnp/guide- 51. Library of Congress, National Dig- acquired in this manner, accessed lines/NDNP_201214TechNotes.pdf. ital Newspaper Program Technical July 12, 2012, www.proquest.com/en- 62. “VTDNP Presentations and Tuto- Guidelines for Applicants, 3. US/products/brands/pl_umi.shtml. rials,” Vermont Digital Newspa- 52. Tyler Selle, “Acetate Microfilm,” 58. See “USNP Preservation Microfilm- per Project, accessed July 11, 2012, New York State Archives Publication ing Guidelines” for discussion of http://library.uvm.edu/vtnp/presenta- No. 15, revised (2003): 1, accessed newspaper preservation microfilming tions.html. July 12, 2012, www.archives.nysed. standards, accessed September 30, 63. “VTDNP in the News,” Vermont gov/a/records/mr_pub15.pdf. 2012, www.loc.gov/rr/news/usnp/usn- Digital Newspaper Project, accessed 53. James M. Reilly, “IPI Storage Guide pguidelinesp.html. September 7, 2012, http://library. for Acetate Film,” Image Perma- 59. Ibid. uvm.edu/vtnp/news.html. nence Institute, 1993, accessed 60. For a discussion of JPEG2000 image 64. Vermont has the distinction of being March 5, 2012, www.imageperma- quality, see Paolo Buonora and Fran- among the first states to outlaw slav- nenceinstitute.org/webfm_send/299. co Liberati, “A Format for Preser- ery in its state constitution in 1791. A 54. Selle, “Acetate Microfilm,” 4. vation of Images: A Study on JPEG strong abolitionist movement was in 55. Steve Dalton, “Microfilm and Micro- 2000 File Robustness,” D-Lib Mag- place well before the outbreak of the fiche,” NEDCC Preservation Leaf- azine 14, no. 7/8 (July/Aug. 2008), Civil War. let, 2007, accessed July 12, 2012, accessed July 13, 2012, www.dlib.org/ LRTS 57(3) Notes on Operations: The Vermont Digital Newspaper Project 163

Appendix. Vermont Digital Newspaper Project

Phase 1. Title List (2010–2012)

Title Publisher Location Reel Count Years Digitized Vermont farmer (Newport, Vt.) Newport, Vt. 2 870–1877 Rutland herald (Rutland, Vt. : 1823) Rutland, Vt. 4 1836–47 Rutland County herald (Rutland, Vt. : 1848) Rutland, Vt. 1 1848–50 Rutland herald (Rutland, Vt. : 1850) Rutland, Vt. 1 1850–52 Rutland County herald (Rutland, Vt. : 1852) Rutland, Vt. 1 1852–54 Burlington free press (Burlington, Vt. : 1827) Burlington, Vt. 8 1836–65 Burlington weekly free press Burlington, Vt. 30 1866–1920

The Rutland daily globe Rutland, Vt. 4 1873–77 The Rutland weekly globe Rutland, Vt. 1 1873–76 Windham County Democrat Brattleboro, Vt. 1 1837–53 The Vermont transcript St. Albans, Vt. 1 1864–68 Vermont daily transcript St. Albans, Vt. 1 1868–69 Vermont phoenix (Brattleboro, Vt. : 1834) Brattleboro, Vt. 3 1836–49 Vermont phoenix (Brattleboro, Vt. : 1855) Brattleboro, Vt. 18 1855–22 State journal (Montpelier, Vt. : Oct. 1831) Montpelier, Vt. 1 1836 Vermont watchman & State journal Montpelier, Vt. 10 1836–83 Vermont watchman (Montpelier, Vt. : 1883) Montpelier, Vt. 8 1883–1910 The People’s press, and anti-masonic Democrat Middlebury, Vt. 1 1837–38 The People’s press, and Addison County Democrat Middlebury, Vt. 0 1838–41 The Middlebury people’s press Middlebury, Vt. 0 1841–43 The Northern galaxy, and Middlebury people’s press Middlebury, Vt. 0 1843–44 The Northern galaxy Middlebury, Vt. 1 1844–48 The Middlebury galaxy Middlebury, Vt. 1 1848–50 Middlebury register (Middlebury, Vt. : 1850) Middlebury, Vt. 5 1850–82 Middlebury register and Addison County journal (Middlebury, Vt. : 1883) Middlebury, Vt. 1 1883–85 Middlebury register (Middlebury, Vt. : 1886) Middlebury, Vt. 14 1886–1922 Spirit of the age (Woodstock, Vt. : 1840) Woodstock, Vt. 2 1840–44 The Woodstock age Woodstock, Vt. 1 1844–45 Spirit of the age (Woodstock, Vt. : 1845) Woodstock, Vt. 7 1845–1913 Bennington banner (Bennington, Vt. : 1858) Bennington, Vt. 3 1888–94 Bennington semi-weekly banner Bennington, Vt. 0 1896, 1897, 1899 he Bennington daily banner Bennington, Vt. 1 1877 Daily banner (Bennington, Vt.) Bennington, Vt. 0 1891 Bennington banner and reformer Bennington, Vt. 1 1903 The Bennington evening banner Bennington, Vt. 8 1903–4 Caledonian (Saint Johnsbury, Vt.) St. Johnsbury, Vt. 8 1837–67 St. Johnsbury caledonian (Saint Johnsbury, Vt. : 1867) St. Johnsbury, Vt. 5 1867–84