Dave Obee is someone you want to listen to if you get the opportunity at a genealogy conference. I took the chance to do just that at the recent OGS conference in Oakville. He mentioned a new digitized newspaper web site from the Wainright, Alberta, Public Library for the Wainwright Star 1908-2006.
Wainwright has a population of a bit over 5,000. Isn't it amazing how a smallish community library can achieve things that much larger ones, like the Ottawa Public Library, serving a population more than two orders of magnitude greater, won't even attempt?
I've added a link to Dave Obee's CanGenealogy web site to the links. Here's a quick tip. If you've forgotten where it was you found that site when researching your Canadian family history chances are you'll find it, and more, on the clearly laid out pages at CanGenealogy. It's worth bookmarking.
This is a case of someone accomplishing something because they didn't know it was impossible!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations - yes, many much bigger cities could learn a thing or two.
There seems to be general agreement in the family history and genealogical community that newspapers are important. Perhaps our local societies (OGS Branches, local historical and family history societies, etc) could take up the challenge and invest in digitization. With little or no encouragement from larger bodies such as LAC and in the Ottawa, the public library, perhaps it is time for the real users to raise the funds and have these much desired newspapers online for research. Thank you Wainwright Public Library for showing us what can be done.
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