Congratulations to Information North and Newsplan for such speedy publication by June for a seminar which took place in March. However, the review copy was received in November. Not only is publication swift, but it is inexpensive, although the spiral binding and thin covers will probably not survive long on shelves. The lower price and speed is more important for this type of publication. The contents are broad and include not only the papers from the conference but summaries of discussion also. Unfortunately one paper, on the National Grid for Learning, is missing, or rather, was not available for publication. The appendices include the Newsplan regional map and publications list covering all plans currently in place and the revision level. There is also a list of delegates.
The wide range of the titles leads to some strange inclusions in a seminar mainly upon the co‐operative programme for newspaper presentation and access. However, as Newsplan approaches the millennium its development as a project is detailed by John Byford, Head of the British Newspaper Library which has keenly supported the project since its inception. The developments and work under the Heritage Lottery Fund then take the story further with, what are now essential, plans for re‐microfilming some titles. LOGOPLUS evaluates the impact of local government re‐organisation on public libraries in which John Dolan then explores the digital future from the example of Birmingham. All contributions to the digital future are brought together in Professor Andrew McDonald′s analysis of the new skills and challenges complemented by the new ways of exploiting the “wired future” in further and higher education (John Armsby). Naturally all this costs and this has not been forgotten as Sandy Buchanan points out, particularly relating to Scottish experience. Not only that but copyright has not been forgotten in this wide ranging exploration of the impact of technology, on libraries and information, although concentrating on newspapers.
The ideas and plans for the future in the newspaper world do not only concentrate on Newsplan but take in the newspapers database planning in Norfolk following the loss of many local copies in the Norwich library fire, and the digitisation of the Burney collection. The concept of the Newseum in Virginia is very briefly outlined. There has been considerable progress since the conference in 1987 on newspapers which was held before IFLA and published in two volumes the following year by KG Saur. The emphasis has changed: preservation has become digitisation. The advance of storage technology has made feasible what was then being hinted at and these papers work through the possible implementations as it becomes possible to present a digital archive. But it is obvious that microfilm remains a consideration, although archival properties are now becoming more of a concern.
This type of experience report is of great value not just to those involved with newspapers and their presentation but also to all those in other types of libraries who need to keep abreast of developments in handling various media and in the content being made available. It is a pity the Newseum was not reported in the same detail as the other papers. The concept and planning are sufficiently novel to be worthy of greater detail. Overall the timely and reasonably priced A4 publication presents a good overview of developments.
