Fifteen million digitized pages from 200 different Swiss newspaper titles are now freely accessible to the public via the online platform e-newspaperarchives.ch, the Swiss National Library announced today.
The archive, which began as Swiss Press Online in 2011 before transitioning to its current form in 2018, offers a searchable collection spanning from 1780 to the present day. The platform’s growth has been substantial; in 2021, it contained 6 million pages, nearly tripling in size within five years thanks to ongoing collaboration with Swiss newspaper publishers.
Researchers and the public alike can utilize full-text search capabilities to explore the historical record contained within these pages. The platform employs “article level segmentation,” a process that digitally breaks down newspaper pages into individual elements, allowing users to search for and locate specific articles and items within each publication.
E-newspaperarchives.ch is managed by the Swiss National Library and operates as an open access resource, requiring no registration for basic use. The digitization efforts are carried out in partnership with other libraries and institutions, with scanning processes handled by the company 4DigitalBooks. While the platform primarily focuses on historical newspapers, it as well incorporates current editions of participating titles on an annual basis, ensuring a continually expanding archive.
The University Library of Bern highlights the platform’s robust search functionality, noting that users should consult the e-newspaperarchives.ch website directly to determine the specific volumes and titles available. The Swiss National Library initially prioritized newspaper digitization as part of its broader strategy established in 2009, emphasizing copyright respect and inter-institutional partnerships.
