You may have tried Paper of Record, the web site of Ottawa-based Cold North Wind Inc. A breaking news item at the Global Gazette reports that this online collection of digitized newspaper pages, completely searchable by any word, can now be accessed free of charge. To access the database you have to register on the site so they can mail a password to you.
I like the service, particularly at the price. In fact I was happy to have it included as part of my subscription to the Godfrey Library. However, considering some of the limitations, most notably the way in which pages were OCRd, I didn't find it worth a stand alone subscription. How long will it will last as a freebee?
Thanks for the Post. Free is free and Paper of Record will be free forever. As for the OCR statement. All companies use the same basic OCR technology. As the tech improves so does the OCR rate. The "fault dear Brutus" lies in the condition of the microfilm. If the microfilm is firstly negative and secondly in good condition, OCR rates will average 98% plus--Best--Bob Huggins President & CEO
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