Westlake Porter Public Library digitizes the Observer

If you’re a grandparent looking for the photo of your grandchild published in the Westlake | Bay Village Observer a few weeks ago, a student looking for information about what happened in Westlake or Bay Village in 2010, or want to learn more about the history of our cities dating back to the Dover Township days, you now have a quick, easy way to search back issues of that publication. Thanks to Westlake Porter Public Library’s Local History Librarian Dan Dmytrykiw, all issues from its start in 2009 through 2015 have been digitized and made available online.

The digitized issues can be found in the Local History Collection on the library’s website at history.westlakelibrary.org. From there just scroll down until you find the Westlake | Bay Village Observer collection and select the year you want to search. Issues are labeled by date for easy searching. Once you’ve found the issue you’re searching for, just click the image and it will open in an interface that allows users to zoom in and out, download and print. A window and scroll bar on the right lets you select specific pages to view.

The pages are presented exactly as they looked in print, including full color and photos.

“We are so proud to have our archived editions included in Porter’s comprehensive digital Local History Collection,” said Observer editor Tara Wendell. “Because residents write it, the Observer is a snapshot of what is on the minds, hearts and social calendars of Westlake and Bay Village. I know how hard our contributors work and how much they care about our community. I’m so pleased that their efforts are being recognized in this way. It really validates that together we are creating something unique and meaningful.”

Starting with 2016, the library will digitize the Observer annually. For example, you can expect to see this year’s issues on the site in early 2017.

“Since the Westlake | Bay Village Observer is a community newspaper written by, for and about the residents of Westlake and Bay Village, and since we have worked with them in many other ways, it only made sense, for us as a local public library, to partner with them to digitize the paper,” said Library Director Andrew Mangels. “I know it will be a valuable resource to the community.”

Elaine Willis

Elaine Willis is the Public Relations Associate at Westlake Porter Public Library.

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Volume 8, Issue 7, Posted 10:09 AM, 04.05.2016