by Linda Jesmok and Sue Ziemski
Recently, a Stanford student asked the Napa Public Library for help finding four articles from an 1872 Napa newspaper, which is not available online. The Napa Library has microfilm records of the Napa Weekly Journal, but no way to read the microfilm.
Fortunately, the Napa Library and the Napa Valley Genealogical Society have a strong partnership. Because the NVGS library happens to have a ScanPro machine, the only microfiche/microfilm reader in Napa County, Katie Olding contacted us to help find the elusive articles.
At the time, our resident ScanPro expert was on vacation, but how hard could running a microfilm reader be? ScanPro has an impressive array of bells and whistles, but it shares principles with both old microfilm and new internet technology. Katie and Linda Jesmok (NVGS Secretary) joined forces, captured three of the four articles, and revealed an interesting slice of Napa life. Two hours of fun. And, we hope, a happy Stanford student.
With our ScanPro machine, you can:
- View two sizes of microfilm, plus microfiche
- Read, magnify, print, and save documents on a flash drive
- Browse our collection of microfilm/microfiche, or bring your own
The ScanPro arrived at NVGS thanks to a 2023 grant from Community Projects. NVGS knew that, while microfilm was no longer considered state-of-the-art, many documents have not yet been digitized and are only available in other “old-fashioned” media. In addition, we had a cabinet of microfilm that could contain treasured information, if we could only read it.
Our volunteer Scan-Pro expert has found Napa County “Road Tax Assessments 1890-1932”, which can illuminate not only the development of Napa County roads, but also property ownership and detailed property descriptions during that period.
Other findings include 100 years of Baptist church records from Robertson County, Tennessee; New Orleans Notary Public records for the last half of 1837; and ship passengers arriving at Philadelphia in the year 1860.
We’re still discovering unique treasures in our microfilm cabinets. Plan your visit to see a demonstration of our wonderful machine, and to find out if we hold keys to YOUR family history.
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