Meaningful fund raiser suggestion for the Newseum

One of the first fund raisers the Newseum ought to consider holding, upon opening at their innovative location, is for upgrading some antiquated fire-suppression systems, which scarcely protect the ancient archives in many community newspaper basements and cubbyholes.

Nowadays, there is a full array of cutting-edge systems, which when activated, do not damage books or data systems, while promptly extinguishing fires. However, in today’s world, many newspapers have restricted budgets, which prevents timely archiving. Although many community libraries scan and mirror current papers, many of the older unduplicated issues, still rest unprotected upon creaky shelves in moldy basements. Too many newspapers still hold their communities’ irreplaceable institution memories in tenuous storage areas like these.

These priceless historical memories deserve the best preservation and protection methods available. If the Newseum’s board of directors deems this suggestion feasible, perhaps they could form a subcommittee to determine criteria for qualified newspapers. Through meaningful fundraisers like this, each year another handful of newspapers could gain better protection in high hopes of avoiding fates such as that of the Ancient Alexandria, Egypt library, where our priceless records of antiquity, succumbed to an unfortunate fire.

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