In the summer of 1997, Northwestern University Library embarked on a pilot study to digitize three years of a West African weekly newspaper from microfilm.
Newspapers are a growing category of material preserved on microfilm.
The high acid content of newsprint leads to embrittlement in a matter of months or years, plus their large size creates storage issues for libraries. However, newspapers contain a wealth of current and cultural information. High quality microfilming retains the significant information in a low cost preservation format. Digital files of newspapers may reach a broader audience, but pose unique problems. These include illustrations, low quality printing, varying type sizes and styles, stories that continue on multiple pages and layout that may cross gutters.