InfoTech: Readex and CRL Digitizing World Newspaper Archive
Josh Hadro -- Library Journal, 7/15/2008 10:15:00 AM
- Will be “world’s largest, fully searchable digital archive of international newspapers”
- Initially will have 35 titles covering 19th/early 20th century Latin American newspapers
- Historical newspapers published in Africa, South Asia, and other areas will follow
In June, Readex announced a partnership with the Center for Research Libraries (CRL) to create the World Newspaper Archive, which they describe as “the world’s largest, fully searchable digital archive of international newspapers.” Wide-ranging digitization projects of primary sources like these are “highly valued by students and researchers in the humanities and social sciences,” said Glenda Pearson, human rights librarian and head of Newspaper Collections at the University of Washington, affording both a variety of first-hand historical perspectives while benefiting from the unified interface of a single information resource.
The first fruit of this collaboration between Readex (a division of Newsbank) and CRL will offer 35 titles covering 19th and early 20th century Latin American newspapers from countries including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Guatemala, Guyana, Mexico, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. Following this release, “further series will focus on historical newspapers published in Africa, South Asia, and other areas,” said the company.
The product will be integrated to work with the America’s Historical Newspapers collection, also from Readex, and will compete directly with more specialized historical newspaper services from companies like ProQuest, LexisNexis, H.W. Wilson, and EBSCOhost. CRL members will receive permanent access to the World Newspaper Archive while other institutions will be able to license access directly from Readex.
