An interesting angle on newspaper archive accessibility. This company is digitizing newspapers from American small towns for free, and the searchable archive is available for free online. Background and the link are provided below.

A Seattle-based company is, for the first time, making it possible to explore the local history of small town America with the convenience of an Internet search. SmallTownPapers, Inc. provides cutting-edge, digital archive technology used by major corporations, universities and the government to the country’s smallest newspapers in an effort to preserve and make accessible the rich history contained in their archived editions.

SmallTownPapers works with publishers to create high-quality, searchable, online versions of newspaper archives providing quick and easy access to the unique historical information they hold. The digital imaging preserves what are often the only remaining copies of delicate or damaged newspapers, opening the door to historical information that has been virtually unavailable.