The Maine State Library in Augusta recently received a $275,000 federal grant to digitize more than 100,000 pages of historical Maine newspapers, according to a news release from the library.

The two-year project, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, will involve creating digital files available to the public that can be searched.

The Maine State Library in Augusta recently received a grant that will enable the library to digitize more than 100,000 pages of historical Maine newspapers. Staff file photo by Andy Molloy

“Digitization of these historic newspapers will greatly enhance access to first-hand accounts of Maine history as it unfolded,” Maine State Librarian James Ritter said in the release. “Anyone with an Internet connection will be able to browse the papers or perform a quick keyword search to look for stories about specific people, places or events from the past.”

The project will focus on papers printed prior to 1923 if microfilm is available for imaging. Newspapers printed between 1923 and 1962 might be able to be digitized if the publisher is willing to provide a copyright waiver, according to the library.

The list of papers that could be digitized include the Christian Intelligencer, which was published in Gardiner from 1827 to 1934; the Hallowell Gazette, 1814-1827 and 1853-1871; the Somerset Reporter, published in Skowhegan from 1885 to 1909; the Wilton Record, 1881-1891; and dozens of others. For a full list of state library newspaper master microfilm holdings, go to www.maine.gov/msl/newspapers/master_microfilm_list.shtml.

The Maine State Library is asking institutions and individuals who have master microfilm copies of historical Maine newspapers to contact the library if they are interested in having their collections considered for inclusion under this project. Priority will be assessed on a number of factors including historical value and geographic coverage.

Visit www.maine.gov/msl/newspapers for more details and contact information.

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