INDEXERS AND NEWS LIBRARIANS RESPONDING TO GFH LIBRARY
News librarians and indexers have responded to the news that the Grand
Forks Herald Library suffered a total loss of its facility and its
collections. Newspaper clippings, photos, microfilm, books, reference
materials, background files, furnishings, equipment were lost to the
flooding of the Red River (and subsequent fire) in Grand Forks, ND during
the Spring of 1997.
Jenelle Stadstad is the Grand Forks Herald library director. With
other news staff, she is continuing to work publishing the paper with the
support of St. Paul, MN Pioneer-Press. The email message below was
the first one to alert the 700+ subscribers to NewsLib (an electronic
mailing list on the Internet) of the disastrous effects of fire and
flood.
From: newslib
To: newslib
Subject: Grand Forks Library
Date: Monday, April 21, 1997 9:22AM
An AP story this morning notes that one of the buildings destroyed by fire
in Grand Forks was the newspaper. It quotes the news librarian, Jenelle
Stadstad, as saying "it makes me feel like I want to cry. I feel helpless.''
According to the story, "brittle clippings'' and "yellowed photos were
lost.'' Sounds like most of the archive is gone. But the paper published a
Sunday edition through St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Thought everyone would like to know and how we all shudder to think of going
through the same thing.
-----------------
Bridget Janus
lib@fyiowa.infi.net
The Cedar Rapids Gazette Library
The challenge of trying to recreate what is lost is recognized by news
librarians and indexers from all over the country. What follows on this
web page is a group of professionals responding with their knowledge and
expertise to help Jenelle Statstad and the Grand Forks Herald
recover the library's history and uncover its future.
A summary of suggestions from indexers and news librarians posted to
NewsLib is included here.
From semonch@gibbs.oit.unc.eduWed May 7 16:05:40 1997
Date: Fri, 25 Apr 1997 17:31:14 -0400
From: Barbara Semonche
To: maryann.corbett@revisor.leg.state.mn.us
Cc: dluxner@ma.ultranet.com, tahudoba@aol.com, osgood@darkwing.uoregon.edu,
lowNo@foster.com, ppresley@truman.edu, csc6@lehigh.edu, njsmith@bga.com,
pplib@pioneerplanet.infi.net, mwhitman@rigel.krmediastream.com,
Subject: Re: Grand Forks Herald (fwd)
Dear colleagues:
I thought the enclosed message about electronic full-text archives
of the GFH (going back to December 1994) would interest all of you.
Obviously it would have impact on your indexing plans.
And Maryann, I've just mailed the chapter in my book covering
newspaper indexing history, policies and procedures to you. I hope it
will be helpful.
I, too, have not spoken directly with Jenelle Stadstad. But
perhaps a brief summary of what ideas NewsLib subscribers have come up
with might be helpful. We really do need to consult with her about what
are her library's priorities. For now I've itemized the following:
1. Request for support in getting Jenelle to our News Division
conference scheduled for Seattle June 7-12.
2. Help in locating and resupplying lost photos for the GFH library.
3. Create an index to GFH microfilm (with aid from skilled volunteer
indexers) to replace access to missing clip files. Grant funds will be
necessary to underwrite extensive indexing.
4. Reinstate access to electronic backfile (via Knight-Ridder's
MediaStream system) from December 1994 to the present. (Contact is Mary
Lou Whitman )
5. Volunteer support from St. Paul Pioneer-Press (which is
publishing GFH temporarialy) library staff to create current electronic
data files.
6. Microfilm of GFH is available at several sites, but a complete
list is not yet known to me.
7. Several previously published index(es?) seem to exist, but not
a complete list of coverage has yet appeared.
8. If there are other sources of funds to help fill in for lost
reference materials and equipment, I don't know about them as yet.
9. Disseminating disaster preparedness and recovery information
to all newspaper librarians via the NewsLib list and the WWW.
10 Other suggestions?
For the time being, I'm saving all messages appearing on NewsLib
about the GFH newspaper library. As new information appears, I'll keep
this group posted.
Barbara P. Semonche, Library Director (Listowner: NewsLib, NCSLA)
UNC-CH School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Howell Hall, CB# 3365 Phone: 919/962-1204, Fax: 962-0620
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3365
Semonche's URL
http://sunsite.unc.edu/journalism/
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This page was created by Barbara P.
Semonche and Kathy Graham. It was
last updated March 2006.
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