South Dakota Newspaper Project

The Friends of the Huron Public Library received grants from DAR and the SD Community Foundation to create a plan for digitizing SD newspapers and to create a TEST database using a sample of SD newspapers. Liz Bishoff and Tom Clareson from OCLC were hired to help create the digitization plan. They facilitated a DDN meeting and an in-person meeting with SD librarians and Cultural Heritage Center employees to provide information about the digitization process, to provide information about digitization projects in-process, and to assist in developing a digitization plan for SD.

Since those meetings, a Steering Committee has been formed. The current members are Chelle Somsen and Marvene Riis (Cultural Heritage Center), Lola Harens (Yankton Community Library), Jane Larson (Vermillion Public Library), Gayla Koerting (USD - Library), Robert Russell (NSU - Library), Greta Chapman and Renee Ponzio (Rapid City Public Library), LaVera Rose and Dorothy Liegl (SD State Library), Beverly Lewis (Pierre Public Library), Colleen Smith (Huron Public Library) and Barbara Goodfellow (Brookings, SD High School Library). The Steering Committee held one meeting in May and a 2nd meeting is scheduled for August.

Some discussion was held concerning a partnership with the State Archives at the Cultural Heritage Center. The State Archives expressed their concern over an expected loss of income they receive from copies of microfilm and/or paper copies made from microfilmed newspapers. They rely on this income as part of their operating budget. The OCLC facilitators said other states have had that same concern, and they have seen an increase in income since more people are aware of the location for newspapers and their availability. The State Archives has agreed to participate on the Steering Committee and to support the project.

The Steering Committee is considering dividing the project into 3 phases -
Grant funding may be available for part of the project. The LC/NEH (Library of Congress/National Endowment for the Humanities) Grant will be available for application in 2006. Matching funds will need to be raised. Other grant and/or funding sources will need to be found. The SD Steering Committee has begun consideration of possible funding partners. Other in-process newspaper projects have given cost estimates of approximately $2.00/newspaper page.

The Steering Committee also discussed public relations - telling the SD Newspaper Project story - considering a website, brochures, press releases, personal contacts, introducing the project to groups and/or associations at their meetings, etc.

The State Archives holds the master copies of the microfilm for SD newspapers. They have done a preliminary inventory of the microfilm. They have these holdings.

An RFI has been developed and sent to prospective vendors. RFI responses will be compiled and evaluated by the Steering Committee. For more information, contact Colleen Smith at csmith@sdln.net