Collaborative digitisation
Every year we invite community groups to collaborate with us in adding more newspapers to Papers Past.
You can apply to be part of this programme if you have a newspaper title you want to digitise and add to Papers Past. We’ll get it online and split the costs with you, 50/50.
The 2017/2018 programme
Applications for this year have now closed. Titles from the 2017/2018 programme are due to go online by July 2018.
If you wish to apply for next years’ programme, we will be putting out the call for applications in January 2018.
How does it work?
You can get into the programme three ways:
- Digitise in the first year: If your newspapers are already microfilmed, they can be included right away – we digitise microfilm because it’s cheaper and easier than doing the original papers
- Microfilm in the first year, digitise in the second year: If your papers need filming we’ll do that now, and digitise them in next year’s programme
- Letter of acceptance: If your submission is accepted but you need funding, we’ll supply a letter of acceptance you can use to help fundraise for next year’s programme
Successful applicants sign a digitisation agreement with us, laying out the work to be done, timeframes, and costs.
We then bring those microfilms and newspapers into our regular digitisation workflows. Your paper benefits from our economies of scale and over a decade of practice, keeping the costs down.
Once they’re ready, the files go up on Papers Past and into the National Digital Heritage Archive for long-term preservation.
Can I get my paper digitised?
To be accepted, your material will need to meet the Library of Congress definition of a newspaper. The paper also needs to be out of copyright, which is most likely if the date range ends before 1920.
We also prefer to start new titles at the beginning of their runs, and avoid gaps if possible. We’ll still consider all applications.
Download the full application guide (pdf, 219KB) to see the whole process and learn how to make your application.
Download the sample digitisation agreement (pdf, 146KB)
Need to tell someone about Papers Past? Download this handy factsheet (pdf, 100KB)
How far will my budget go?
You’ll pay about $0.80 for each frame of microfilm – usually a page. Below, you can work out a general estimate of the costs involved with various sizes of newspaper.
The actual costs will be worked out after your submission has been accepted, and you’ll be invoiced later.
Tell us a bit about your paper and your budget