Rare ‘Blade Runner’ Book Scanned To Digital

Book Shows Concept Art Behind Film’s Influential Aesthetic

Digital Scans Available Free Online, 30 Years After Book’s Publication

Based on Philip K. Dick’s dystopian novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”, the seminal science fiction film “Blade Runner” forever changed the way we envision the future. Since its release in 1982, “Blade Runner” has helped define our goals and fears for a future society, and has lent a sense of concreteness to our conceptions of what the future may look like. In popular film, very few movies (1989’s Back to the Future Part II comes to mind) have made so lasting impression on our idea of what the future may hold in terms of technology and social constructs. Stars Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young were memorable in their portrayals of their characters, but it was the setting of a post-modern apocalyptic Los Angeles of 2019 that gave the film such staggering impact.

In the film, genetically engineered organic robots called replicants, which are sentient and look just like humans, serve various purposes on Earth’s off-world colonies but are banned on the planet itself. Replicants who ignore the ban are hunted and destroyed by “Blade Runners,” a team of special ops policemen. Expert Blade Runner Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is ready for retirement, but agrees to one final assignment in hunting down a brutal and cunning group of recently escaped replicants hiding out in Los Angeles.

The film’s visuals were created by a team of visionaries, including director Ridley Scott, designer Syd Mead, and effects specialist Douglas Trumbull. The influence of the aesthetic they created was so profound that many elements of the film’s visuals still pop up in movies, TV shows, comic books, video games, and more. This elaborate creation included cyberpunks, flying cars, and a crumbling urban backdrop that now has both retro and futuristic sensibilities. When the film was released, a limited edition Blade Runner Sketchbook was published to document the entire visual concept of the movie. This rare book can occasionally be found online, selling for hundreds or even thousands of dollars. But now the entire book has been scanned to digital and published online, allowing the whole world to see how the aesthetic of “Blade Runner” was created 30 years ago. Best of all, the digital scans of the book can be accessed for free, courtesy of a leading digital publishing platform called Issuu.

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Customer Testimonials: “Awesome customer service from start to finish.”

To assure we’re doing our job right, we follow up with every customer after their order is complete. If there’s ever any issue, we address it immediately. Most of the time however, we receive rave reports. On behalf of the ScanDigital team, I’d like to say “Thank You” to our amazing customers. We’re truly flattered to know you are happy and honored to have been trusted with your family’s precious memories. Please find a sampling of the testimonials below that we’ve recently received.

If you’d like to hear more from our customers, you are welcome to visit our Testimonial page. If you have any questions or would just like to chat, you can always find us here on Twitter and Facebook, by email at info@scandigital.com or by phone at 888.333.2808 if you have any questions or just want to chat!

“I had a great experience with Scan Digital and am VERY likely to use your services again.  My order was very complex and executed perfectly and was delivered by the promised date.” – Robbie, CA

“We were extremely pleased with your ScanDigital process and the wonderful outcome!!  The pictures were wonderful considering the age of the pictures and the wear and tear over the years.” – Paula, WA

“My pictures and VHS tape were returned to me in exactly the same condition they were sent. I feel like your employees took great care with my photos and VHS tape.” – Amy, IN

“Considering the care you take in processing and the fact that you accept photos in albums I think your prices are fair. The quality of your service matches the price and I feel that I got my money’s worth.” – Sami, British Columbia

“ScanDigital sends updates on arrival and progress and makes all information about my order available on my account information. Plus [they] put the photos online, send mailing labels and respond promptly! The updates reinforce [their] professionalism. Good job!” – Bo, FL

“I think your customer service has been phenomenal. You are like riding the Segway; you only have to “think” a question and the answer is almost immediately and warmly in your inbox. I am über satisfied with you!” – Diane, MO

“We have been pleased with the results each time [we’ve used ScanDigital’s services]. We appreciate your ability to follow special instructions such as only transferring a specific section of video. Shipping was simple and pricing is easy to figure out. I am sure we will use your service again!” – Lori, GA

“I was happy with the final product and think the restoration was really good.  I made calendars for holiday gifts with the images and everyone loved them.” – Shayna, OH

“I’m impressed with your interest and attention to making it all right. I really thank you for that, and I’ll be ScanDigital’s fan when it comes to recommending your service.” – Lorena, CA

“I would definitely use you guys again and have already recommended you to my friends. Your website and pricing are straightforward. When I called in with a question, I received a prompt callback. I like your online tracking system, which allows the customer to see the job in progress. And I like the packaging of the final delivery.” – Jaime, MD

“Awesome customer service from start to finish.” – Lisa, VA

“I am very satisfied with Scan Digital service.  I have used your service two times to convert some “priceless” family tapes and reels into DVDs.  Both times, I had excellent service and communication from your company.” – Carolyn, NJ

“I have used your services twice now and have been very satisfied both times. I have no complaints; you take care of everything and do a great job.  Each job, I put little notes in and your [technicians] follow them to a tee and then send everything back.” – Joyce, IL

“I am more than pleased with your service and your expertise. As you can imagine, I was reluctant to ship my negatives anywhere because after Katrina, they were all I had of my pictures. It has never been about just converting my negatives to digital. Your reps have always been good to keep informed every step of the way and I love how I can track my order through your website. I recommend you all of the time.” – Teresa, MS

“I was a little nervous about sending the only copies I had of the VHS tapes clear across the country. However, after one phone call about how to send the tapes, everything fell into place. (I was a little unsure about whether it was clear that I wanted one DVD per VHS tape.) I was kept informed by email that they had been received at your facility and was notified of how long it was expected to take, and also when the order was actually on it’s way back to me. Everything worked perfectly.” – Kathy, RI

“Your company was incredible! I wanted to have this particular photo printed on a canvas for my mom and I had a deadline. Your team was in touch with me every step of the way! They were able to expedite the entire process and the DVD they sent back was INCREDIBLE! I couldn’t believe how beautiful and vibrant our photo from at least 15 years ago was! I was able to print the picture for my mom and it proudly hangs in our family room – it would not have been possible without your company!” – Kelly, IL

“I would definitely recommend your service to my friends and family members.  I felt like the people working with my memories really cared.” – Della, IN

“I was so impressed with your service! I received an email immediately upon contacting you.  It explained your services in detail, what I needed to do to get my photos to you…everything I needed to know.  I heard from you when you received my photos, and how they would be handled.  As my project was finished, you let me know when I would receive it.  Your customer service and follow up was beyond expectations!” – Linda, IA

“I had a wonderful experience with Scan Digital!  I loved that they kept me up to date about how my order was coming along and I love the end product.  I like how the jackets were labeled with strips of the video so you could see what was on the tape.” – Sherri, NC

“The quality of your scans far exceeded my expectations.  Each and every scan had beautiful color and the resolution was great.  My family was very impressed with the quality of the family photo scans and enjoyed reliving some old times!  I cannot say enough how pleased I was with the scans” – Stephanie, CT

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Stop Online Piracy Act Has Strong Critics In Google, Facebook

Companies Fear SOPA Gives Government Power To Censor The Web

Bill Would Help Block Piracy, But At What Price?

The digital world has many benefits, and most of us couldn’t imagine life without its many treasures. Perhaps most significantly, the advent of the Internet has combined with the media digitization – from music to movies – to complete change the way we consumers get our hands on information and entertainment. But while music and film digitization has made it easier to consume content from sources like iTunes, Hulu, and Netflix, it has also opened up a new world of online piracy – a business of bootlegged content that hurts not just the film and record industries, but the entire economy.

And now, the  House of Representatives committee is preparing to debate a bill of great significance to many industries, including the movie business, the record industry, the television industry, content providers such as Netflix and cable/satellite providers, and internet services from Google to iTunes. The bill in question is called the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). Basically, the bill would empower the U.S. Attorney General to take action against websites (even those based outside of the United States) that host the illegal streaming and downloading of copyrighted intellectual property, such as music, movies, and TV shows. SOPA and a similar bill called Protect IP are being supported by the Motion Picture Association of America, the Recording Industry Association of America, Netflix, and many other movers and shakers in these industries.

But critics of the Stop Online Piracy Act, which include well-known web companies such as Facebook, Google, Ebay, PayPal, AOL, and Wikipedia, say that the bill gives law enforcement authorities the power to censor the World Wide Web to a startling degree, without a trial or proof of wrong-doing – thus threatening free speech and the rights of due process. Microsoft and Verizon have recently expressed their own concerns about the bill, though criticism from such major businesses has not prevented the development of considerable bipartisan support in the legislature.

In an open letter to Congress, these high-profile SOPA critics said that the proposed legislation would have a “chilling effect on innovation,” and went as far as to compare the bill to censorship techniques used in China, Iran, and other totalitarian governments. The technology community fears that, under the bill, the government would have the power to shut down websites like Google and Yahoo!, and payment processors like PayPal, simply because they may serve or link to sites that are in violation of the terms of the law. The threat of censorship is not to be taken lightly, but the supporters of SOPA aren’t concerned that such a legislation would lead to a “big-brother” society. First Amendment lawyer Floyd Abrams summed up his feelings on the subject in a column in the Washington Post, saying, “Chinese dissidents do not yearn for freedom in order to download pirated movies.”

As music and film digitization continues to push physical media into obsolescence, enforcing legal downloading will be crucial to our economy. It is clear to everyone that some measures must be taken to inhibit piracy, but it remains unclear how best to do so. At press time, SOPA had just been modified so that it no longer includes a provision that would require internet service providers to block access to overseas Web sites that have been accused of (though not convicted of) piracy.

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National Film Registry Aims To Digitize, Preserve Important Films

Library Of Congress Selects Films For Preservation

National Film Registry To Include “Bambi,” “Silence Of The Lambs,” “Forrest Gump”

In 1988, the National Film Preservation Act established a group called the United States National Film Preservation Board. Each December, the Board helps the Librarian of Congress choose 25 films to be included in the National Film Registry, a film digitization and preservation project conducted by the Library of Congress. So far, the National Film Registry contains 575 films that have been deemed significant “culturally, historically, or aesthetically.”

“These films are selected because of their enduring significance to American culture,” said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. “Our film heritage must be protected because these cinematic treasures document our history and culture and reflect our hopes and dreams.” Billington finalized this year’s selections to the registry after meeting with library film curators and members of the National Film Preservation Board to discuss the top contenders. Nominations come from the public, and this year saw 2,228 films nominated. Of these, Billington himself reviewed several hundred.

The chosen few will receive top preservation efforts from the Library of Congress Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation, which works to safeguard our film heritage. Film digitization is an important part of preservation, both because it protects the films against damage to physical media, and because it allows for practically infinite distribution of the films. Billington said that one of long-term goals of the project is to make all films in the registry available online. “Maximizing public access is one of the core concerns of the Library of Congress, because it’s the closest thing we have to a national patrimony of the creative arts,” he said.

This year’s selections included some relatively recent films such as Academy Award winners “Forrest Gump” (1994) and “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991). The oldest film to be included in this year’s batch was Charlie Chaplin’s first full-length feature, “The Kid” (1921). Also selected were “Norma Rae” (1979, starring Sally Field), George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess” (1959), and the Disney classic “Bambi” (1942).

For more information, and to see a complete list of this year’s selected films, go to 2011 National Film Registry More Than a Box of Chocolates.

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Customer Testimonials: “I would highly recommend your service. It was very efficient and you seem to really care about the experience.”

We follow up with every customer because we care. We truly want to hear about as many customer experiences as possible to assure we’re doing our job right. If there’s ever any issue, we address it immediately. Most of the time however, we hear from customers overjoyed to have their memories preserved and thankful the process was so easy. On behalf of the ScanDigital team, I’d like to say “Thank You” to our amazing customers. We’re truly flattered to know you are happy and honored to have been trusted with your family’s precious memories.

If you’d like to hear more from our customers, you are welcome to visit our Testimonial page. If you have any questions or would just like to chat, you can always find us here on Twitter and Facebook, by email at info@scandigital.com or by phone at 888.333.2808. Hope to hear from you soon!

“I was so nervous in sending you stuff that I only sent something I had another copy of at first but the service was so good I sent more. I am blown away by your service and price.” – Barbara, MI

“This was my first experience with ScanDigital and I would say that this has been one of the finest customer service/order fulfillment experiences I’ve had in my 36 years.” – Kristi, OH

“I am MORE than impressed with your company.  You gave me such a beautiful gift of PERMANENT memories that are in much better shape.  I look forward to getting back such an incredible product again!” – Linda, MD

“I am THRILLED with ScanDigital!  I am so impressed by your work, and by the frequent emails at every step of the process, so I knew I hadn’t been forgotten! Thank you, thank you, thank you for your excellent work!” – Pamela, AK

“The results of the digital photos from the slides I provided exceeded my expectations.

I was impressed by the great job they did of cleaning and digitizing some very old and dusty slides.” – Dave, MD

“WOW!!!!! we are so pleased. You have done a fantastic job of preserving B and W photos going back to the early 1950’s. We cannot give you enough praise, we are so thrilled.” – Peter, Canada

“Thank you for a wonderful service that proceeded smoothly and never gave me a moments pause that I might have sent my memories into a black hole somewhere.” – Eileen, WI

“I was impressed by the ability to track exactly where my pictures were in the process. I will definitely use your services again.” – Angela, CA

“I would highly recommend your service.  It was very efficient and you seem to really care about the experience.” – Rebecca, TN

“I am extremely pleased with the results of your work at ScanDigital. Thank you so much for having great customer service and talented technicians!!” – Angelina, LA

“Thank you for the wonderful product you sent to us. The quality was the best it could be, as the VHS tapes were quite old. I would DEFINITELY recommend your services to others” – Eileen, ME

“I believe that ScanDigital understands what they have in their hands:  families’ most precious assets — and treats them accordingly.  All with an accountable system, a great value (as compared with their competition), and a user-friendly interface.” – Erik, PA

“I was very pleased with ScanDigital. I was happy to see how easy it was to keep track of [my materials] once you received them. On their return, the order was organized, clearly marked and in great condition.  It was a great job and I’m sure I will use the service in the future.” – Kathleen, RI

“I was absoluetly delighted with ScanDigital! The entire process was easy and seamless, from figuring out what your company can do and whether it could meet my needs, to how to package and send my materials. The outcome was exactly what I had hoped.” – Susanne, VA

“Everything worked as per your description and the finished product was as described. So I would give ScanDigital an “A”.” – Philip, N3

“Overall, I am extremely pleased with the work ScanDigital did. I figured I would get close to the originals back once they were scanned.  What I got back, however, were pictures that were up to 48 years old that look like they were taken yesterday.” – Colin, WI

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Pioneering Photojournalist Eve Arnold Dies At 99

Photojournalist Eve Arnold Was Known For Candid Images Of People

Arnold Captured Celebrities And Unknowns All Over The World

Pioneering photojournalist Eve Arnold, renowned for her exceptional photographs of people both famous and unknown, has died at the age of 99. Perhaps best known for her candid shots of Hollywood celebrities in both formal and informal settings, Arnold was one of the first woman photojournalists to join the prestigious Magnum Photography Agency in the 1950s. Magnum announced that Arnold died Wednesday, January 4th, at a London nursing home. The photo above, which was scanned to digital by Magnum, shows Arnold at work in 1963.

Arnold began her long and celebrated career with Magnum on a freelance basis in 1951, when woman journalists were very uncommon. She later became a full member of the group in 1957. She traveled the world for her work, navigating distant countries and cultures from Dubai to Mongolia. She photographed horse trainers, factory workers, harem women – anyone and everyone became fascinating subjects through her lens. Arnold’s photo essays were compiled into many books, though most were first published in feature news magazines.

Los Angeles gallery owner Stephen White said that Eve was more than just “a very good photographer.” She was also “socially significant,” said White, “as one of a group of women photographers who emerged after World War II.” Arnold was one of only two female photographers to join the Magnum Photography Agency during that period; the other was Inge Morath, who joined Magnum as a full member in 1955. “Magnum was a macho culture when Eve started there,” said Mary Panzer, former curator of photographs at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. “She had the determination to stay.”

Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Capa, considered the greatest reportage photographers of the time, were two of the agency’s founding members. In her momoir, “Eve Arnold: In Retrospect” (1995), Arnold recalls studying Cartier-Bresson’s images to learn how to tell a story in a single photograph, and pouring over the work of others to learn how each photographer approached an assignment. “I began to haunt the files at Magnum,” she wrote.

In the mid 1950s, Arnold began to specialize in photographing Hollywood stars, such as Marilyn Monroe, using a raw photojournalistic approach rather than one of polished poses, fake settings, and fabricated moments. “Marilyn liked my photographs,” said Arnold in an interview for “Film Journal” magazine, “and was canny enough to realize that they were a fresh approach for presenting her – a looser, more intimate look than the posed studio portraits she was used to in Hollywood.” Arnold also photographed stars Joan Crawford and Elizabeth Taylor, as well as important historical figures such as Malcolm X.

Arnold is survived by her son Francis and three grandchildren.

To see a collection of Eve Arnold’s photos that have been scanned to digital by Magnum, visit Magnum Photos.

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NYU Graduate Student Awarded Kodak Fellowship in Film Preservation

2011 Kodak Fellowship in Film Preservation Awarded

To Benedict Salazar Olgado

Fellowship Includes Cash Scholarship And Internship

Kodak has awarded the 2011 Kodak Fellowship in Film Preservation to Benedict Salazar Olgado, a graduate student at NYU and an active member of both the Society of Filipino Archivists for Film (SOFIA) and the Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA). The award program was established 12 years ago to foster and support the next generation of preservationists and archivists in the film industry.  The 11 previous recipients of the fellowship are all professionals in the field, working at prestigious, industry-leading institutions such as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), and the Library of Congress.

As this year’s recipient of the fellowship, Olgado will attend a four-week summer internship next year, and receive a cash scholarship from Kodak. The internship will be organized by a Kodak company called PRO-TEK, which operates renowned film and video preservation vaults across the globe, and provides inspection and restoration management consultation services for some of the world’s largest film archives. The four-week program comprises training at PRO-TEK and Chace Audio by Deluxe, and a comprehensive course of hands-on digital film transfer work at FotoKem’s digital and photochemical lab. Olgado’s cash scholarship will be administered by the Association of Moving Image Archivists.

A native of the Philippines, Olgado earned his bachelor’s degree at Ateneo de Manila University where he studied communications and social sciences before pursuing his graduate degree at New York University. He will complete his master’s program in Moving Image Archiving and Preservation from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in May of 2012.  “I am extremely grateful for this award,” says Olgado. “This recognition affirms and strengthens my dedication as a budding audio-visual archivist.” Olgado’s long-term goal is to become an active part of the international preservation community, and to work to protect and maintain important works all over the world. “I’m looking forward to developing my skills this summer,” he says, “and am honored to belong to a roster of individuals who have gone on to become key players in the field.”

Olgado has already gained significant experience at the Southeast Asia Pacific Audiovisual Archive Association, where he works as a senior administrator. He simultaneously did film programming in Southeast Asia and worked on projects with UNESCO. Olgado has also done digital film transfer work in the mixed media collections of Appalshop, and worked on the Maya Deren collection at the Anthology Film Archives.

PRO-TEK’s Vice President Rick Utley says that the internship portion of the Kodak Fellowship in Film Preservation was designed “to augment the education that future preservationists and archivists receive.” Utley says that recipients of the fellowship “gain exposure to the industry, hands-on experience and the opportunity to meet many people in a thriving and passionate community.”

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USC Libraries Amass World’s Largest Collection Of Digital Images Documenting SoCal History

USC Digital Library Represents Collaboration Among Historical Societies,

Newspapers, And More

Organizations Work Together For Preservation And Accessibility

The photo seen here was taken at the 1951 tree lighting ceremony at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and scanned to digital for inclusion in the University of Southern California’s vast Digital Library. The USC library system has set out to “select, collect, preserve, and make accessible” an enormous collection of unique materials, including high resolution digital photographs, oral histories and sound recordings, moving images, maps, documents, physical objects, and more. This wealth of media is organized within the USC Digital Library, which includes metadata to support research. The digital collection helps fulfill the university’s mission to provide an online gateway to research resources about Los Angeles and Southern California.

Some of the high quality digital images accessible from the USC Digital Library website are “on loan” from collaborating institutions that have agreed to share their collections. Together these institutions have contributed to the creation of the largest and most valuable archival collection of digital media related to the history and culture of Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. The USC Digital Library provides a powerful infrastructure to create the host environment for these collaborators, all of which benefit from working toward the common goals of preservation and accessibility. The digital collections comprise a host of materials from the USC Libraries, as well as from various historical societies, other libraries, newspapers, and other organizations with rich collections of historical artifacts relating to the Southern California, the Western United States, and the Pacific Rim. Particular emphasis has been placed on artifacts from these regions, though the collections are by no means limited to this part of the country.

The USC Digital Library spans a wide range of media, including audio and video recordings, but visual media compose the bulk of the collection. The digital archive includes thousands of photographs, drawings, illuminated manuscripts, posters, prints, maps, rare illustrated books, and more – all scanned to digital at high resolution to capture every detail. The USC Digital Library continues to grow as navigation is enhanced and the collections evolve.

Visit the USC Digital Library to explore this amazing collection.

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Customer Testimonials: “I was very happy with my order.”

To assure we’re doing our job right, we follow up with every customer after their order is complete. If there’s ever any issue, we address it immediately. Most of the time however, we receive rave reports. On behalf of the ScanDigital team, I’d like to say “Thank You” to our amazing customers. We’re truly flattered to know you are happy and honored to have been trusted with your family’s precious memories. Please find a sampling of the testimonials below that we’ve recently received.

If you’d like to hear more from our customers, you are welcome to visit our Testimonial page. If you have any questions or would just like to chat, you can always find us here on Twitter and Facebook, by email at info@scandigital.com or by phone at 888.333.2808 if you have any questions or just want to chat!

“I have had a great experience with ScanDigital, receiving my first shipment of DVD’s several weeks ago.  Our family has enjoyed watching our old home movies of when the kids were babies/toddlers on the DVD player in our living room.  It had been quite a while since we had watched any since not using VHS anymore!” Sue – MN

“Overall, my experience with ScanDigital was excellent.  The online ordering process was simple.  The pricing options were simple and straight-forward.  The best part of the service was the acknowledgment emails, i.e. letting me know what phase of the process my order was in. Especially, notification that the tapes were received by ScanDigital which relieved my mind.” Sandy – OR

“Good service. Many thanks!” Dorothy – CA

“I am impressed with your service, and have already recommended it to others. I expect we’ll be using it again. In particular, I’m impressed with the amount and detail of information provided on your website, both in advance of using the service and the status reports that happened during processing. I think you guys are deserving of your success, and I wish you all the best.” David – CA

“Great experience and a great job!!! Thanks!” Molly – OR

“The final product is great.” Scott – SC

“I did have a very good experience with your service. Thanks again.” Gretchen – NY

“I found your customer service to be great and particularly appreciate your flexibility on timing.” Paula – NC

“I have nothing but wonderful things to say about your company. The customer service is superb. I have told several people about ScanDigital. Pricing is very easy to understand. I am very likely to use your service again. I have just a few more tapes that need to be converted. You have done all of mine so far and expect to use you to finish them.” Susan – FL

“Great customer service! I was very happy with our results since we had so many pictures of varying sizes, etc. I was very satisfied with the pricing options. They seem comparable to others. I like the website and how easy it was to use and see where my order was. Customer service once again has been above par. I’ve referred friends and family. Thanks so much!” Rebekah – TN

“The cards I received are lovely and yes, I would use and recommend your services again.” Ada – FL

“I am a multiple repeat customer of ScanDigital. I have consistently received very high-quality service from them and recommend their services. I have tried on my own to scan images (slides and photos) at home and found it was well worth the savings of time and money to have ScanDigital do it for me. The results have been excellent. My slides and photos were returned with my order exactly in the order I sent them.  Recommend ScanDigital! Keep up the good work!” Robert – VA

“All I can say is I was very happy with my order. I would definitely recommend your services. Your quality, service and efficiency are very good.” Mar – CA

“I was very satisfied with the service and quality.” Ed – MA

“I thought the quality of the DVDs of our films were great. Some of those home movies on the VHS tape were originally done in 8mm and 16mm and the earliest one was 73 years old!! I was truly amazed at how good they looked and I know my family will be very pleased to have them on DVD now.” Cindy – OH

“Your customer service and personalized contact and updates were the most appreciated!” Dotti – TN

“I loved getting my DVDs back and having usable media from my old photos and videos.
Thank you.” Keri – KY

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Manhattan Beach Historical Society Hopes To Digitize Historical Newspaper Archive

Local Historians Hope Digitization Will Make Newspaper Archive

Accessible To All

Archive Documents A Century Of Local History

Meet Gary McAulay. As a board member of the Manhattan Beach Historical Society, Gary is one of the lucky few who currently have access to the Society’s small storage space, which is nestled between the men and women’s restrooms at Polliwog Park and filled with a century’s worth of Manhattan Beach history. The newspapers are kept in bound archives on three small bookshelves, each one four rows tall. The old papers document Manhattan Beach history, starting with the city’s founding in the year 1912.

In the photo seen here, McAulay sifts through the papers, stopping at the headline “Rain storm of week un-paralleled in beach history,” on the front page of the March 1, 1913 publication of the Manhattan Beach News. Another day’s top story simple led with ““Popular girl will soon be married.” McAulay and his colleagues at the Manhattan Beach Historical Society hope that the collection of historical newspapers will soon find a new home, as plans for the new Manhattan Beach library continue to develop. Local historians recently met with representatives from the Los Angeles County library to discuss the feasibility of bringing the collection to the new library, and digitizing it via a type of photo scanning technology.

The collection was moved about two years ago from its former home in the Historical Society’s cottage museum to its current, less prestigious and less accessible spot in the park bathroom storage space. This move was decided upon by the members of the society, who feared that a fire or other natural disaster affecting the cottage museum might destroy these precious articles of history. The papers have been “sadly inaccessible for some time,” said McAulay. “We have a history in this town. When you put it out there, people say, ‘Hey, that’s pretty cool,’ and become more interested.” Even when the papers were in the Historical Society’s museum, they were only accessible to regular folks during the museum’s six hours of public access each week.

Ultimately, the Historical Society would like to use digital photo scanning technology to preserve the papers and make them available to the public on a website, but the funding just isn’t there, McAulay said. Each of the historical society’s 150 members pays $20 each year in dues. Scholars at Cal State Dominguez Hills have expressed interest in obtaining the archives to keep in the university’s regional history collection. But local historians are hesitant to let go of the collection, fearing that that they would be too far away for Manhattan Beach citizens to see and enjoy. “I’m concerned that once it goes away from town, the only people who would ever go out there are the most dedicated of historians,” said McAulay.

Some have suggested that the collection could be housed in a glass case in the new Manhattan Beach library. Visitors could sift through photocopies, or view the actual collection with assistance from a librarian. County librarian Margaret Todd said she’d ask her staff to look into grant opportunities to fund digitization of the archives. “I’d rather digitize them and have them available that way,” said Todd. “Newspaper is fragile, once it’s gone, it’s gone.”

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