Old newspapers.

[MarieC]

Grrr - why are they making it so difficult for people to access it, even through Universities?? 

MarieC

[LizzieW]

why are they making it so difficult for people to access it, even through Universities?

It's stupid, what is the point of digitising all the old newspapers and then not letting anyone see them? 

Lizzie

[jc26red]

I think its on beta testing through them, Gale released it in Dec 07 but as some of "us" have found there is a random problem when opening an image... the search name isn't highlighted and you need to either reopen or select a bigger image size.
As we are likely to be their biggest customers from whom they need to recoup the cost of digitizing they were obviously going to shut the door on us asap.  We must have caught them by surprise 

I for one, would happily pay an annual/monthly subscription (not pay per view - too expensive**) to this wondeful database and can't wait till the opportunity arises.  I  am also very glad we were made aware of it and given the opportunity to view it - even if it was only for a short while . So thanks to the person who shall remain nameless 

Anyone who lives close enough can go to the BL and access it in their reading rooms.

Jenny

Unfortunately most of use just trawled and found our best bits in unexpected papers,  I don't think the BL would like us to decend and hog their computers while we read through thousands of search returns.

[behindthefrogs]

Has anyone received a reply from Gale which indicates that they are likely to open the database up to individuals even on a subscription basis.  I believe that they digitised the Times and that is only available through libraries. 

This surely comes down to who owns the British Library and surely the answer is the British public.  While I would not suggest that the general taxpayer should pay for our access surely we have the right to see these newspapers without travelling to central London.  There should be access to everyone for a fee which covers the costs and is not aimed at making huge profits.

There are enough companies already making money from data which should be ours anyway.  Why does it cost nearly a week's pension to gain access to basic census information?

David

[Boongie Pam]

Even though I agree with much of the sentiment, sometimes we have to be pragmatic.

If anyone remembers the 1901 census when that was released, it broke within an hour.  The IT infrastructure is expensive and the organisations bringing these great resources to us aren't well funded.

The prospect of £x of revenue is not always enough to warrant the large scale server upgrades etc.  So they have to limit access somehow.  What's the best answer?  Make it very expenses for everyone or make it free in limited locations?

These companies try to do both to attempt at being fair.  Corporate and public subscription giving me and you access for free.  Sadly that will always seem unfair to those of us who don't live local.

[josenrab]

Andrew
M daughter is also at Uni, and we/ve also tried to log in using Athens, 1st time we did it brought up user name and ID code, but for some reason wont allow us to type her full user name in.  We then tried again and was left with a blank page, like yourself.  We checked to see if her Uni was registerd to use this site, and she is,  But still cant get in.

Jo

[Siamese Girl]

Well, I'd subscribe, but I was quite busy while I could (32 images stored on my pooter). I would never have dreamed in a million years of looking in Jackson's Oxford Journal for the death of a Suffolk woman (it wasn't in the Ipswich Journal)  She died at Brighton, which was totally unexpected too.

I noticed problems with the non-highlighting  of the search word as well, but I'm hugely grateful for the opportunity I got to search, so thank you to whoever let the cat out of the bag 

Carole

[LizzieW]

Has anyone received a reply from Gale

In a word No. 

I believe that they digitised the Times and that is only available through libraries.

Yes, but I can look at it on line at home by logging on to my library website and putting in my password etc.

I thought I'd read somewhere that The 19th Century Newspapers collection will be too expensive for ordinary libraries to make available to the public.  I think I'll give it a miss.  Although I'm only about less than an hour  from London and The British Library, it's not very practicable to try to search for ancestors at random as you can at home.

Lizzie

[MarieC]

Yes indeed!  Problems everywhere!

Most of us would happily use it through libraries, if this were possible, or even pay a sub on an individual basis.  I know I would!  I've used the Times Digital Archive very happily through my State Library.  I think Boongie Pam is being a little too charitable to the companies.  If it is too expensive for libraries to buy it, and they won't let individuals take out subs, then why on earth have they digitised these newspapers in the first place, if nobody can see them? 

MarieC