Nghia Ha,left, and Jan Irish at the computer at the Rumford Historical Society where people can research newspapers locally and all over the world. Bruce Farrin/Rumford Falls Times
RUMFORD — Thanks to new equipment and getting their Rumford Falls Times digitized, the Rumford Historical Society can now offer the public a modern way to do their geneology and other research, right at their location.
Member Jan Irish said they’ve always had the microfiche of the local Rumford Falls Times. But then, after a video conference with Matthew Cook, Content Partnership Associate Manager at Newspapers.com at Ancestry, that microfiche was shipped out and issues going back to 1889 have been digitized.
The local paper now joins other newspapers all over the world that can now be accessed at Newspapers.com.
Member Nghia Ha said the historical society, through a Poland Spring Grant in Rumford they received, they were able to purchase a new computer with a touch screen and a printer. Irish said Historical Society board member Allan Gallant helped write the Poland Spring grant.
Irish said members of Rumford Historical Society have free use of Newspapers.com and if they want to print, the first five copies are free, but after that, it is 50 cents per printed copy.
Non-members are welcome to use the machine but the cost will be $5 an hour and 50 cents per printed copy.
Ha said that they are getting in touch with the Canton Historical Society for more papers connected to the paper’s history earlier, including Canton Telephone and Dixfield Telegraph, and later with the merger of the Dixfield Citizen, the Canton Telephone and the Rumford Falls Echo.
The historical society is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursdays near the Rumford Falls Auditorium, upstairs at the Rumford Town Hall.
If you wish to use the computer, call ahead on Thursday or leave a message at 364-2540 to make sure it is available. Can also email them at rhs@gwi.net.
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