Workshop presentation to (public) librarians. Hosted by the Vermont Department of Library. Presented on April 17 at Midstate Regional Library in Berlin, VT.

1. Chronicling America
for librarians
Vermont Digital Newspaper Project.
Erenst Anip, Project Librarian
Karyn Norwood, Digital Support Specialist

2. ➢ Name
➢ Library Type
➢ Experience with Chronicling America
➢ What brought you here today?
Introduction

3. Vermont Digital Newspaper Project
Part of the National Digital Newspaper Program,
digitizing historic Vermont newspapers
between 1836-1922
Vermont Content Online:
59 Vermont titles
260,000 pages
Every county represented (except Grand Isle)

4. BREAKING: Vermont to add 100k
more pages before 2016 ends
•Orleans County Monitor (1913-1922)
•Rutland Herald (1855-1873)
•Brattleboro Reformer family (1879-1922)
•Londonderry Sifter (1884-1921)
•Manchester Journal (1861-1922)
•Herald and News (1888-1910) (West Randolph, Orange County)
•Barre Daily Times (1903-1922)
•Bellows Falls Times (1855-1903)

5. Online tool to search
historic newspapers
from across the
country.
9 million pages from
1836-1922 available to
search by text.
You can search, save,
download, print, and
clip articles for free.
Chronicling America:
What is it?

6. How do we do this?
duplicate these

7. inspect working copies of the microfilm

8. ship it off to be digitized
inspect the digitized newspaper pages
send files to the Library of Congress

9. digitized newspaper pages are uploaded
onto Chronicling America

10. So, let’s dive right into it!

11. Type into your browser:
library.uvm.edu/vtnp
or search:
VTDNP
or
Vermont Digital
Newspaper Project

12. Explore our website:
Google map
Titles digitized
Resources
Blog

13. Explore our other online tools :
flickr.com/vtndp
pinterest.com/vtdnp
library.uvm.edu/vtnp
facebook.com/vtdnp
slideshare.net/vtdnp

14. Explore
Chronicling America!
Type into your browser:
chroniclingamerica.loc.gov
chroniclingamerica.com
or search: Chronicling America

15. the basics of Chronicling America

16. How to search?
● Simple search
● Advanced search
We have downloadable
PowerPoints and how-tos on our
website!

17. Search Pages Tab
Pick a state or
search all states
Pick a year range or
specific year.
Remember, years are
between
1836-1922.
Enter a search word(s) here.
Remember historical
language!

18. Try a simple search!
Pick a state or
search all states
Pick a year range or
specific year.
Remember, years are
between
1836-1922.
Enter a search word(s) here

19. The search tool searches the text to find the word/phrase you
entered. Your keywords show up highlighted red.

20. Once you click on a page,
the task bar above
provides a lot viewing options

21. Capturing images/text options
➔ View the text from the page
➔ Download as a PDF
➔ Download as a JP2
➔ Use the clipping tool to save a section of a page

22. Bibliographic Citations:
MLA:
Author's Last Name, First Name Middle Initial. "Article Title."
Newspaper Title Date of Publication: Pages. Name of
Database. Web. Date of access.
Example:
"The Pioneer Shops." Burlington Weekly Free Press 9 April 1869: 1.
Chronicling America. Web. 20 November 2014.
At the bottom of every newspaper page (great for keeping track of pages!):

23. Hold down Ctrl to select multiple states or newspapers!
Advanced Search Tab

24. advanced search example

25. Church burned down, Dec. 1917
Church completed &
dedicated in April 1861
Church rebuilt & rededicated in Dec. 1918
My advanced
search
results:
The church today

26. Tips & Tricks
● Do a basic search first; use a name & limit by state
● If you get no results:
★ abbreviate first name or just use last name
★ use only a word or two of a phrase
○ then, try out the advanced search
● If you get thousands of results, try:
★ limit the years
○ then, try out the advanced search

27. Technology then & now:
not perfect!
❏ Typos or errors
❏ Microfilm quality
❏ OCR rarely 100% accurate

28. Diversify your search terms!
● Name variations
● Affiliated organizations, businesses, or schools
● Historical vocabulary
● For events, include terms such as: marriage,
nuptial, obituary, death, fair, anniversary,
commemoration, etc.

29. Narrow/Expand
Search Parameters
➔ Limit location by state(s)
➔ Narrow search by years
or specific dates
➔ Narrow search by newspapers(s)
➔ Limit using the search text options

30. Let’s take a break!

31. Recommended
Topics

32. Each topics
page includes:
➔ important
dates
➔ suggested
search
terms
➔ sample
articles

33. 100 Years Ago Today:

34. Ideas for Libraries

35. Inform Patrons
❏ Link to Chronicling America/VTDNP site
❏ Have bookmarks available
❏ Host a workshop
❏ Inform reference staff
❏ Use Chronicling America newspaper clippings on
social media or outreach materials
❏ Make a guide-on-the-side or LibGuide page

36. Try a 100, 125,
150 Years Ago
Today
post to your FB,
website,
Twitter, or blog

37. Or post
something
odd…
Maybe have a
contest for the
strangest
clipping.

38. Or make an
online album
for your library’
s FB, Pinterest,
or Flickr pages.
Invite your
community to
share images.

39. Create an exhibit or display

40. Extra Inspiration:
www.loc.gov/ndnp

41. Break-out session:
Your task: come up with a reuse of
Chronicling America content for your
library and/or community and patrons.
What might be a good activity for
younger patrons? Older?
We’ll share ideas with the group after.

42. Thanks for coming!
Contact us:
library.uvm.edu/vtnp
Erenst Anip, Project Librarian: eanip@uvm.edu
Karyn Norwood, Digital Support: knorwood@uvm.edu
Phone: 802-656-0819