Minonk Digitizing Historic Newspapers Microfilm Project Completed

• Funded by the Minonk City Council, with a generous grant of $10,000
• Project helps preserve these resources as well as give access to the public online from anywhere in the world
• Unique collection, microfilm of Minonk newspapers, starting in 1873 to 2015. These are only held at the Illinois State Library in Springfield, and not easily available to the public there.
• There still are original microfilm reels and a microfilm reading machine available to patrons. But these digitized copies are now searchable by words and names, and can be printed wherever individuals have a computer and printer.
• Filger plans a training day for patrons on August 30 from 4-7 pm, but anyone is welcome at any time if they need a little extra help with the digital site, available as a link on the Filger Library website, https://minonklibrary.wordpress.com.
• Other area libraries have similar projects. Chatsworth, Dominy Memorial (Fairbury), El Paso, Eureka, and Martin Township (Colfax) have their local newspapers digitized. Contact the individual library for information on how to access their collections. It may be necessary to go to the library or to get an access password.
• The digitized microfilm is a boon for genealogists, making it much faster to locate particular names and events, rather than reading through issue after issue of old newspapers, which could take hours, or even days and weeks
• "Digitizing our newspaper microfilm is another way Filger Library is sharing its collection with other libraries and citizens throughout Illinois, and even throughout the world. People who once lived in Minonk or have ancestors and relatives from the area can now connect to whatever was in the local paper over the past 145 years"  said Debra Blunier, current library director.
• Dave Uphoff and Colleen Weber donated actual copies of many of the historic newspapers, actually dating back to 1870. Many are in very fragile and crumbling condition, though they can be viewed with care at the library. Some of these are not microfilmed anywhere.
  

City of Minonk Mayor Bill Koos, City Administrator Bill Moline, Library Director Debra Blunier

Karen Podzamsky, president of the Library Board and past Library Director

Bill Stewart, BMI and Digital Reel representative

Jack Marcoline, City Council Representative

Dave Uphoff, in charge of Minonktalk.com

Jari Lynn Oncken, local genealogy expert

Nancy Williams, Susan Ryan, Pat Putnam, Filger staff members with digital online training

Above management consultant Bill Stewart instructs Jari Lynn Oncken on how to access the digitized newspaper articles while Bill Moline does his own research on the news articles.