Digitization of Minnesota's Newspapers

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$329,196
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Minnesota Historical Society
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
In Progress
Start Date
July 2015
End Date
June 2016
Activity Type
Assessment/Evaluation
Digitization/Online Information Access
Preservation
Planning
Counties Affected
Statewide
Statewide
Project Overview
MNHS continues its focus on preserving and making accessible the newspapers published in the state. Last year, the staff concentrated on acquiring digital content from publishers and building the access hub, Minnesota Newspapers Online (MNO). Work on both of these activities will continue. MNHS expects to launch an improved version of MNO in 2016 and increase the total number of pages available to search. Over the next year, staff will turn their attention to the backlog of papers that have not yet been digitized as well as establishing infrastructure to keep up with the digitization of all papers currently being acquired. To better meet user demand and preservation requirements, staff will examine the potential of generating microfilm backups to the digital files that can be purchased by local historical societies.
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Session Law Reference: Laws of Minnesota 2015, 1st Special Session, chapter 2, article 4, section 2, subdivision 4 (b) (2) Programs
Appropriation Language

$5,525,000 the first year and $6,000,000 the second year are for programs and purposes related to the historical and cultural heritage of the state of Minnesota conducted by the Minnesota Historical Society.

2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$329,196
Direct expenses
$329,196
Administration costs
$16,123
Number of full time equivalents funded
1.50
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

Number of pages digitized. Cost analysis completed for various digital preservation scenarios to arrive at best practices. Number of hits and searches conducted on the Minnesota Newspaper Hub.

Recipient Board Members
Officers
Phyllis Rawls Goff, President
D. Stephen Elliott, Secretary
William R. Stoeri, Immediate Past President
William D. Green, Vice President
Kirby M. Law, Treasurer

Executive Council
Eric Ahlness
Kurt BlueDog
Grant Davis
Phyllis Rawls Goff
Martha Kaemmer
Kirby M. Law
Dean M. Nelson
William R. Stoeri
Ben Vander Kooi
Kathleen Blatz
Barbara Burwell
D. Stephen Elliott
William D. Green
Dennis L. Lamkin
Monica Little
Peter Reis
Bo Thao-Urabe
Eleanor Winston
Suzanne Blue
Brenda J. Child
Michael Farnell
David R. Hakensen
Jean M. Larson
Charles Mahar
Peter Reyes, Jr.
Karen Wilson Thissen
Warren Zaccaro

Ex-Officio
Mark Dayton, Governor
Steve Simon, Secretary of State
Rebecca Otto, State Auditor
Tina Smith, Lieutenant Governor
Lori Swanson, Attorney General
Project Manager
First Name
MNHS
Last Name
Legacy
Organization Name
Minnesota Historical Society
Street Address
345 Kellogg Blvd. W
City
Saint Paul
State
MN
Zip Code
55102
Phone
651-259-3105
Administered By
Administered by
Location

345 W. Kellogg Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155

Phone
651-259-3000