The Newsplan 2000 project has helped save four Ayrshire newspapers for posterity on microfilm.

The Mulkirk Advertiser from January 1924 to December 1950 and the Cumnock Express and Mauchline and Catrine Advertiser from June 1889 to February 1909 have been microfilmed at Cumnock’s Baird Institute.

Also preserved is the Irvine Valley News and the Weekly Supplement and Advertiser for Galston, Newmilns, Darvel and Hulford, which are available at the Dick Institute in Kilmarnock.

They have been microfilmed from January 1909 to December 1950 and July 1898 to April 1945 respectively.

The Newsplan 2000 Project is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the UK Newspaper Industry, and aims to preserve unique and fragile collections of local newspapers held in libraries throughout the UK.

It hopes to save 1,700 local rare or fragile newspaper titles held in libraries and archives, universities and publishers’ offices throughout the country, create 30,000 archival microfilms to preservation standards and to provide one copy of each film to the appropriate local library, without cost.

Its work is enabling readers in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland to have access to historic files of local newspapers, often for the first time.

Do you have a story about the regional press? Ring 0116 227 3122/3121, or
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