Frequently Asked Questions

Can I purchase photocopies of newspaper pages from the microfilm?

No, but you can create a PDF from the microfilm in our collection.  To do so, visit the basement of the UGA main campus library where our holdings can be accessed.  We recommend bringing a USB-compatible storage device with you, otherwise your only option will be to receive any PDFs via email.  

Public patrons (individuals without UGA affiliation) may only visit the library during public hours and will need to register as a visitor at the Security desk by presenting a government issued photo ID (driver’s license, passport, etc.).  

View all library hours here.  Click here for more information for visitors to the UGA Libraries.

 

Can I purchase a photograph or a scan of a certain page or picture from a roll of microfilm?

No.  If you are UGA affiliated and would like someone at the library to take an image of our microfilm for you, you can request a PDF here.

Public patrons will have to come to the library in person to access film.  If you are unable to come to the library, we recommend requesting film reels via your local library or home institution's Interlibrary Loan department.  We cannot make the request for you. 

 

Can I purchase copies of a roll of microfilm?

Yes.  Contact us via e-mail to place an order.  

 

What methods of payment are accepted? Can I be billed for orders or do I need to pay in advance?

Cash, checks, and money orders are accepted. Credit cards are preferred and can be accepted over the phone. We use a vendor for duplication services, so customers are invoiced upfront. Please contact us for more information.

 

To what address can I send my order/check for microfilm copies?

Georgia Newspaper Project
UGA Main Library
320 S Jackson St
Athens, GA 30602

 

What newspapers are included in the Georgia Newspaper Project?

The Georgia Newspaper Project attempts to locate, catalog, and film every newspaper issue printed in Georgia from the eighteenth century to the present. For historical newspapers there are many gaps in our holdings because there is no surviving print copy of the newspaper available to microfilm, but we are always looking for old newspapers that have not already been microfilmed. Some current newspapers, such as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Augusta Chronicle, are filmed by commercial microfilming agencies and are not available through the Georgia Newspaper Project.

 

What steps are involved in microfilming newspapers?

Microfilming newspapers is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. For current titles, subscriptions are established and maintained to ensure that every issue of the paper is available for filming. Older titles are sought out from collectors, libraries, local governments, or wherever else they can be found. Once acquired, the newspapers are prepared for filming by sorting them into chronological order, noting missing issues, cutting them out of bindings, repairing paper tears and other damage, and ironing them flat. For ongoing titles, issues are accumulated to fill up an entire roll of microfilm before being prepared and filmed. The filming itself is done page by page, followed by developing, quality control checks, and duplicating. The Georgia Newspaper Project adheres to all ANSI/AIIM standards to produce film with an LE500 rating (life expectancy of 500 years).

 

If I have a copy of an old Georgia newspaper, can I donate it to the Georgia Newspaper Project?

We welcome donations to make our holdings more complete. You should contact us first to make sure we have not already filmed issue(s) you have.

 

How can I find out which newspaper titles have been filmed by the Georgia Newspaper Project?

View our Microfilm Holdings list to see what we have filmed. Please note that this list does not include complete issue-specific information. 

 

How are the reels of microfilm divided, i.e. by month, year, etc.?

This varies from paper to paper. For example, some weeklies have a years' entirety on a reel, and some dailies have only a half-month on a reel.  You can find out the date ranges on all of our reels by referring to our Microfilm Holdings list, or by finding it's record in the library's catalog.

 

I want to do research on my family history, but I don't know which newspapers might have information. What should I do?

The Georgia Newspaper Project does not perform research for patrons.  You will have to examine the microfilm yourself or hire a researcher.  For most Georgia newspapers, there are no indexes to tell you which issues contain articles about specific names, topics, etc.  Researchers must find this information by going through each issue of the relevant papers.  Please view our list of researchers who have indicated a willingness to do research for a fee.

Many historic and current Georgia newspapers have been digitized and are available for viewing and download at our online archive, Georgia Historic Newspapers.  See if what you're looking for is there first.

 

Do the University of Georgia Libraries microfilm anything besides Georgia newspapers?

Filming the newspapers is the main priority; however, we do occasionally take on non-newspaper projects for preservation purposes. Recent projects include local church records, documents from the collections of Richard B. Russell and Lamartine G. Hardman (originals housed in UGA's Russell Library), and the diaries of the founders of Spelman College (originals housed at Spelman College).