Historic Newspaper Archives Restored Following Abrupt Hosting Shutdown

October 9, 2024 8:00 am EDT

Shelton, WA - The digital archives of numerous newspapers disappeared from online access recently when archive service provider Olive Software informed library customers it would discontinue online hosting services.

See local NPR coverage of the library hosting shutdown.

Libraries which subscribed to the services were required to find other ways to make their large newspaper archives accessible and searchable. This proved technically and financially challenging because of the specialized knowledge and technical infrastructure needed.

The Sturgis Library on Cape Cod, Massachusetts was among those affected, hosting multiple archives including the historically significant Barnstable Patriot newspaper which dates back to the 1830s. The shutdown of online access left only traditional microfilm reels for researchers.

After learning of the online archive loss, Shelton, WA-based SmallTownPapers, Inc. contacted the Sturgis library with an offer to republish the works on their platforms which would once again provide public access to the archive materials online.

“After our historic newspaper archive was dropped by our hosting service, it was a great relief when SmallTownPapers contacted us and let us know that they could provide a solution,” explains Sturgis Library Executive Director Lucy Loomis.

The company downloaded some 300,000 digital newspaper pages from Olive Software which were migrated to the SmallTownPapers archive platform where the entire archive is now online accessible and searchable.

“Within days, they were downloading our files, and within weeks we were up and running with a searchable newspaper archive,” added Loomis. “We are so pleased with their exemplary customer service, the low cost, and their responsiveness. They have kept us in the loop every step of the way, and our researchers are beyond thrilled to be able to search the nearly 200 years of these historic newspapers once again.”

About SmallTownPapers, Inc.

SmallTownPapers, Inc. is a niche publisher focused on digitization of historic documents and artifacts typically held by organizations within the newspaper and historical stakeholder trades.

For more information contact:

Karen Tarica

SmallTownPapers, Inc.

karen@smalltownpapers.com

www.smalltownpapers.com

OR 

Sturgis Library | Lucy Loomis

3090 Main St, Barnstable, MA 02630

www.sturgislibrary.org

(508) 362-6636