ESTEVAN — The Souris Valley Museum is home to some new additions as part of its efforts to preserve the history of the Estevan area.
Director-curator Melanie Memory said the museum has all of the bound books for the Estevan Mercury newspaper, which was closed in January after serving the Estevan area since 1903. It also now has past editions for Estevan Lifestyles, the Southeast Trader Express and Pipeline News.
"There's 333 volumes of the bound books, plus the original pages," said Memory in an interview with SaskToday.
Some of the old papers are in frail condition, she said, and they will be the toughest to preserve because of their larger size.
"Our intent is to scan it all," said Memory. "We are wanting to get a big scanner, probably an overhead type scanner, and we will have to have a lot of volunteers to help us to scan everything so that we will have a digital copy.
"And then once we have all of that [work completed], it will be easier for us and for people in the community to come and do some research if they're looking for something … about a specific person, topic, whatever. And then we can look it up easier than going through all of the books."
The bound books have been sorted and are in order. They are hidden within exhibits of the museum. While the museum doesn't have much empty space, Memory knew she had to take them once the Mercury closed.
The museum also acquired old pictures that pre-date digital photography, discs with additional old photos, awards that were won by the paper and other memorabilia.
Items from the Mercury's former building at 68 Souris Avenue North filled two trucks and an SUV.
"With my summer staff, we sorted them, we did an inventory list, and then we got them all organized on the shelf units, put away and tucked within a couple of exhibits. They are there safe and put away."
Scanning the old editions will hopefully take place this fall or winter. The scanner will be quite costly, she said, and the museum isn't certain what it will need. A fundraising campaign might take place. Memory has been speaking with Rebecca Foord, the community development officer for the City of Estevan, about the project.
The museum isn't ready yet for people to come by and take a look at the books, but eventually she said they hope to create a space for what she called a "research corner".
"The books could be maybe even shelved, and then have a computer where they could access the scanned information, and have a desk and just have that area so that people can come in, and if they wanted to research a specific topic or people or whatever they're looking for … then they would have that accessibility. And we would be able to answer any questions or help them through that. It would be the ideal way to have that information ready."
The museum isn't the first in the province to have old editions of a newspaper. Memory noted the Humboldt Journal, which closed a few years ago, had its bound books relocated to a museum in that part of the province.
Memory said she is glad the museum was able to preserve the old papers and other items connected to the Mercury. It's part of Estevan's history and she believes it would have been a shame if the books were lost, destroyed or taken out of the community.
"We can all look back on that history. It's very sentimental and it's a big asset for us to have," said Memory.
