More on British Library newspapers

An article in yesterday's Guardian newspaper would seem to suggest that the British Library's new digitised newspaper collection project, aiming to digitise 40 million papers in the next ten years, will be presented in a standalone website, rather than through the FindmyPast website at www.findmypast.co.uk. According to the story the newspaper site "will be freely accessible for Colindale visitors, but charge a modest sum to online users".

A few days ago I blogged about a new British Library microsite at http://scottishancestry.blogspot.com/2011/05/new-british-library-newspapers-site.html - looks like this might be the eventual portal.

I'll try to get some clarification!

(With thanks to the EOGN newsletter)

UPDATE: Thanks to Laura Berry from Your Family History magazine for clarifying that the BL website quoted on my previous post will indeed be the main portal of access for the new newspaper project. At a press bash a couple of days ago it was also confirmed that the current British Library 19th Century Newspaper Collection, a project co-ordinated with Gale Learning, will not be integrated. (Thanks Laura!)

UPDATE: OK, so it seems some will be on the FMP site after all, though how much remains unclear. Here's a note from Amy Sell at FMP:

The British Library and brightsolid are working in partnership to digitise up to 40 million pages of newspapers over the course of 10 years. The first tranche of newspaper pages (upwards of 1.5 million pages) will be launched on a dedicated microsite this autumn. You can now register at www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk to be the first to know when the newspapers go online. After the launch, records will also be made available through brightsolid’s own family history websites, findmypast.co.uk and Genes Reunited.

I've asked further if any non-English material will be available at launch - the BL site only quotes English towns. Watch this space...! lol

Chris