The NEWSPLAN in Ireland project was initiated by COLICO in 1986 in order to list newspaper holdings in libraries and other repositories, and to identify priorities for their preservation through a microfilming programme.
The project, which is part of the wider NEWSPLAN initiative covering the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, is conducted by two implementation committees, one for Northern Ireland and one for the Republic of Ireland.
A Joint Liaison Committee maintains liaison between the two implementation committees, and co-ordinates the work of NEWSPLAN in Ireland with the British Library Newspaper Library and with NEWSPLAN activities in the United Kingdom.
The Joint Liaison Committee operates under the auspices of COLICO, with a secretariat and support provided by An Chomhairle Leabharlanna.
COLICO was pleased to note that developments during the year in Northern Ireland included the completion of filming of the Irish Daily Telegraph from the 1910s. The re-filming of the 18th century editions of the Belfast Newsletter was been agreed and the issues will be added to the British Library’s 18th century digital collection.
In the Republic of Ireland, the National Library of Ireland continued its ongoing microfilming programme. Eleven newspaper titles were filmed in 2008, all of which were listed as priority 1 or 2 by NEWSPLAN. The National Library also started work on a new integrated newspaper database which will allow readers to search the National Library and Newsplan holdings separately. The database will be launched in 2009.
During 2008 the National Library of Ireland undertook a review to quantify the number of its own priority holdings which remain to be filmed. 148 priority one titles have been filmed, of which 39 have been partially filmed. 132 titles remain to be filmed.
The NEWSPLAN Joint Liaison Committee agreed to hold a seminar on the future of NEWSPLAN in libraries and other repositories in the island of Ireland for 2009.