Contributed LOOKING AT HISTORY — Erika Grubbs and John Lash, staff members of the Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County, look at a digital copy of The Western Herald in the Ohio Room at the Schiappa Branch.

STEUBENVILLE — Steubenville Newspapers Digitized is a new e-resource at the Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County that gives easy access to local newspapers, beginning with The Western Herald, first published in 1806, which grew into the Herald-Star.

The library is in partnership with Advantage Archives and is digitizing the library’s microfilmed newspaper collection. To date, the years 1806-1888 are available on the database. Additional years can be found on microfilm at the Schiappa Branch’s Local History and Genealogy Room and on Newspaper Archive database.

“It’s exciting to have this project underway not just for the added layer of preservation, but also to make this content available for free to everyone. The ease of access is wonderful — users can browse our historical local newspapers from home and have the ability to limit searches by using specific names, keywords and date ranges,” said Erika Grubbs, who heads the department.

Steubenville Newspapers Digitized provides access to 16 local newspapers. The Philanthropist covers Mount Pleasant (1817-1818), while the remaining 15 newspapers focus on Steubenville-area newspapers. The Toronto Tribune (1971-1990) will be added at a later date.

Grubbs noted that the project is a long-term undertaking. The digitization process is expected to take several years, as the library’s collection includes more than 1,000 reels of microfilm.

Steubenville Newspapers Digitized database is available by visiting the library’s website, selecting “Find Information,” and scrolling to “Research Databases.”

The e-resource also offers some access to newspaper content that is not currently available through Newspaper Archive, providing researchers, historians, and community members with expanded opportunities to explore local history from home.

Explore the new e-resource at the Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County website at steubenvillelibrary.org.