Storing old newspapers

[peter nicholl]

I have just been given original VE Day newspapers. The Daily Express and Daily Mirror for Tuesday 8th, May 1945 and Wednesday 9th. Any advice on ways to store them? Also, would there be copyright issues if I put extracts on a website? Any help gratefully received.
Peter

[Procat]

Hi Peter,

From:

http://www.historybuff.com/primer.html

Q. What is the best way to store and preserve newspapers?
A. First off, store the newspapers in the "open" position. That is, opened all the way up so that one can see the entire front page at one time. For some strange reason, newspapers printed on wood pulp, when left folded in half, become brown and with enough time start to separate at this fold. Secondly, do not store them in a garage or barn unless they are heated and have air conditioning. Also, keep the newspapers in boxes with lids on them. (Make sure the box is large enough to store the papers in the open position.) For issues of higher value, protective folders and binders are made for this purpose.

Q. What about laminating the front page to preserve it?
A. If you care about collector value, DO NOT have it laminated! Doing so will destroy ALL collector value!

Regards,

[peter nicholl]

Hi Doug,
Thanks, I'll see what I can do with the box suggestion. Ermm:o , maybe I should have said "browned newspapers kept folded for 60 years". Would ironing "Jeeves" style work?
Peter

[johnpritt]

Regarding the copyright issue, given that both the Express and the Mirror still exist, you would do well to clarify the position first. It might depend on what you mean by "publishing extracts" and that a simple acknowledgement of the source would suffice.

However, rather than speculate, can I point you at a website where you might be able to get in touch with people doing something similar:

http://cultrans.com/cumberland/

This is a site that is publishing transcripts of newspapers from Cumberland: some going back to the 19th century, some from this century. I think, but I am not sure, that the current publishers were contacted and permission obtained beofre going ahead with the project.

[Colin Moretti]

Hi Doug,
... Would ironing "Jeeves" style work?
PeterIf you have a "behind the scenes" visit to the the British Library Newspaper Library at Collindale you will see the staff there doing exactly that, although I can't recall what temperature setting they were using.

Colin

[Procat]

Hi Doug,
Would ironing "Jeeves" style work?
Peter

Hi Peter,

Colin was spot on about the ironing.

A Google search (what would we do without it) came up with:

http://www.cslib.org/carticle.htm

and this one which includes comments about using deioninsed water

http://www.liswa.wa.gov.au/nprrep1.html

I'd suggest emailing one of the organisations for some tips before you end up with the infamous iron footprint on a page - or the fire brigade kicking down the door.

Regards,

[peter nicholl]

Thank you all for all your help.:)


Peter

[Jim Patterson]

Hi Peter,
Regarding copyright, You should do as johnpritt suggested and just acknowledge the source, as long as its for non-profit use you shouldn't have any problems, you could always ask permission first if your worried about it, but to be honest the worst that will happen is that you will be told to remove the page.

As far as the http://www.cultrans.com/cumberland site is concerned we are transcribing old newspapers, not copying original images, there is a difference as it becomes the transcribers interpretation of the article. also the papers are well out of copyright - the latest ones are from the 1930's

Jim

Quote from the British Library Newspaper Section
http://www.bl.uk/collections/copynews.html

Duration of Copyright

For an unsigned or anonymous article: copyright expires 70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the work was made, or made available to the public. For example, a newspaper published in 1930 is out of copyright in 2001.

For a signed article: copyright extends until 70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the author died.

The ownership of copyright will depend on whether the journalist was a staff reporter or a freelancer? whether the article was a syndicated article? and so forth. When an article is prepared as part of a journalist's permanent employment, the copyright belongs to the publisher; otherwise it probably still belongs to the author. Rules on commissioned articles are complex and advice should be sought.

[peter nicholl]

Thanks Jim,

That's been really helpful.

Peter