April 14, 2011, Greencastle, Ind. — The DePauw University libraries, the Putnam County Public Library and Greencastle's local newspaper, the Banner Graphic, are the recipients of a $20,000 grant through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). The funds will allow the libraries to create a searchable, digital database of back issues of the Banner Graphic and other Greencastle newspapers dating from 1837 forward. The digital newspapers will be accessible from computers and other devices worldwide.
This project is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the Indiana State Library.
The DePauw and Putnam County 
libraries will provide 316 reels (approximately 201,000 frames) of 35mm camera negative microfilm of several Greencastle newspapers to a vendor, which will scan them as TIFF files. The digital files will be grouped by title and issue and added to the DePauw Digital Library, where they will be available as searchable PDF files. The Putnam County Public Library will provide partial funding for the project, as well as newspaper microfilm as needed and staff to assist with the creation of the digital records. (image: the front page of the April 8, 1992 edition of the Banner Graphic, a day after former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher visited DePauw)
The work will also become part of the Indiana Memory project -- a collaborative effort to provide access to the wealth of primary sources in Indiana libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions.
"The finished product will become a valuable resource to the residents of Greencastle, Putnam County and beyond, and a wonderful tool for those interested in history," says Rick Provine, director of libraries at DePauw.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. Its mission is to grow and sustain a nation of learners. Through its grant making, convenings, research and publications, the Institute empowers museums and libraries nationwide to provide leadership and services to enhance learning in families and communities, sustain cultural heritage, build twenty-first-century skills, and increase civic participation.
To learn more about the Institute, click here.