North Scott Press

Search the North Scott Press

The North Scott Press weekly newspaper is now available online. Issues starting in 1968 with the founding of the paper are searchable by keyword, name and date. The papers were microfilmed and digitized by Advantage Companies in Cedar Rapids.

Bound copies of the paper can be accessed at the Scott County Library System Eldridge branch during regular business hours. The microfilm can be viewed at the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center at the downtown branch of the Davenport Public Library.

This project was made possible by support and funding from the following:

Copyright protected. Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce is required.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Why digitize the North Scott Press?
The full run of hardbound copies are only available at the North Scott Press office, which does not have a space for browsing, and the Eldridge branch of the Scott County Library System. The library system’s copies are brittle and water damaged and receive steady use by the public. Our goal with this project was to preserve and provide access to this prestigious paper.
The North Scott Press has been the paper of record for the rural and small town areas of Scott County for close to 50 years. The rural and small town perspective is vital to students and researchers trying to understand Iowa’s history and their own place in the world. Issues specific to towns such as Blue Grass, Eldridge, Maysville and Princeton may only have been covered in-depth in the Press. Currently, folks have to come into the library and know on what date an event was covered or exactly when an obituary was published.

Why use microfilm to create digital copies?
The current standard for preserving history is still microfilm, as it is guaranteed to last hundreds of years if stored properly. The HRDP grant focuses on historic preservation and we added a digital access component to the grant. This was the most efficient and cost effective way to do the project.

Why is the library involved in this project?
The library is in a unique position to facilitate this grant. We have completed two successful digital projects, the Scott County cemetery index and the North Scott Yearbooks. The library has always collected town histories and other local history information, but now we also have a dedicated special collections section where local works are set apart, clearly cataloged and kept for the future. Our staff have expertise in the collection and organization of information, community collaboration, national standards, and digitization technology to make sure the project is completed successfully. The library is transforming from a book warehouse to a community organization in many ways through programming, redesigned spaces, and different types of collections. For the last several years we have committed to doing our part to preserve, interpret and provide access to our history.

Why choose Advantage Companies?
The HRDP grant, which provided half of the funding for this project, stipulated that we use an approved Iowa vendor if possible. Advantage out of Cedar Rapids is the only approved Iowa microfilm vendor in the state. They store the State Historical Society’s copies of microfilm from many state newspapers at their secure facility. They also have experience creating digital copies from the website and will host the website on their servers. Representatives of the company picked up physical copies of the paper from the North Scott Press office in Eldridge, microfilmed and digitized them, and then returned the copies.

Will years after 2016 become available?
The grant was written and received in 2016 and the funding only covers through June of that year. However, Bill Tubbs, owner of the North Scott Press, is excited about and committed to the project and the paper may wish to continue preservation and access efforts in future years.