NewspaperSG: National Library Singapore's experience in the provision of an Online Singapore News Archive

Abstract

The National Library Singapore (NLS) has a collection of over 200 current and historical Singapore and Malaya newspapers. This collection resides at the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library and serves as an invaluable resource for many users - from students to Individuals doing research on Singapore history. These newspapers are accessible through the microfilm collection that numbers around 20,000 reels. In search for a more effective and efficient way of accessing and researching with newspapers. 2S we!! 2S to extend to a wider user base, NLB began exploring newspaper digitization in 2005, and the development of a news portal in 2007. This eventually led to the official launch of the NewspaperSG service in 2010. In 2007, NLS sealed a landmark agreement with the local newspaper publisher, the Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) on the digitisation of copyrighted local English paper, The Straits Times (ST). The agreement allows NLS to digitise the ST, from the first issue of the paper in 1845 to issues in 2006. For issues after 2007, the digital (electronic) edition of the printed ST is deposited with the National Library. In 2009, a second agreement was signed with SPH to allow NLS to digitise as other publications including the Chinese, Malay and Tamil newspapers. Another agreement was also signed with Mediacorp Press Ltd to allow access to the digital copies of the TODAY newspaper. Digitisation of the ST for the period 1845 - 2006 has been completed and is now accessible through the NewspaperSG portal, (http://newspapers.nl.sq), together with 20 other newspaper titles. NLS is now working on the digitisation of the Chinese and Malay newspapers which are scheduled for release in the second quarter of 2011 . This paper will share NLS's experience in developing the NewspaperSG service, particularly in the following areas: • Public-private partnership between the National Library Singapore, a public institution and commercial entities to deliver copyrighted content for both onsite and home library users. • The innovation to bring about greater access and discovery of the newspaper content. • Latest updates on the project, including the digitisation of the non-English newspapers.