Digitization and Preservation of Periodicals: Expanded Access to Historic Publications

Der Zeitgeist (Milwaukee, Wis., Chicago, Ill., and Louisville, Ky. : 1880–1882) — *Der Zeitgeist* (1880–1882) was a German-language magazine published for American Jews by Reform rabbis Adolph Moses, Isaac Moses (his brother), and Emil G. Hirsch, all of whom were immigrants. LBI Library, B1035.

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Sport (Shanghai, 1942–1944?) — *Sport* (1942–1944?) was one of many publications for Jewish refugees who had fled to Shanghai during the Holocaust. LBI Library, B1144.

Das andere Deutschland (Buenos Aires, 1938–1949?), — *Das andere Deutschland* (1938–1949?), published by the political refugee and socialist August Siemsen, provided a forum to fight against Nazism in Germany and the spread of National Socialism in Latin America. LBI Library, B1069.

Gemeindezeitung für den Synagogenbezirk Düsseldorf (1930-1937) — The *Gemeindezeitung* ("congregational newsletter") for the Jewish community of Düsseldorf in Germany. LBI Library, B439.

Mitteilungen, Jüdischer Kulturbund Rhein-Ruhr (Cologne, 1933–1938?) — The *Mitteilungen* of Jüdischer Kulturbund Rhein-Ruhr (1933–1938?), recently digitized by the Leo Baeck Institute, show the perseverance of Jewish cultural life during the period of National Socialism. LBI Library, B1029.

In 2011, the Library began a project to digitize the Library's historical periodical collection. The goal of the project was to increase researchers' access to the Library's historical periodicals while at the same time preserving the original volumes, many of which had become too fragile and brittle for physical handling. With a grant from the Metropolitan New York Library Council, the Library created its Periodicals Portal on Internet Archive. The project began with 41 titles, most digitized in black and white using microfilm. Early digitized newspapers and journals included Aufbau (1934–2004), the most important news source for German-speaking refugees in the United States; community newsletters, such as the Israelitisches Gemeindeblatt for Mannheim and Ludwigshafen am Rhein (1922–1938); exile publications like Gelbe Post (1939–1940) put out by Jewish refugees in Shanghai; publications for Jewish professionals like Jüdische Beamten-Zeitung (1919–1920?); and more.

Gelbe Post (Shanghai, 1939–1940?) — The *Gelbe Post* (1939–1940?), published by German-speaking refugees in Shanghai, was one of many exile press publications digitized by the LBI Library. LBI Library, B858.

The Leo Baeck Institute Library's digitization project also provided standardized metadata and bibliographic description for each title to facilitate user identification and access. Additionally, fragile and brittle periodicals were stabilized with new enclosures for long-term preservation. With a small, dedicated team of two librarians and one microfilming expert, the Library added over 100 titles to its Portal.

Periodical preservation in action — As part of its digitization project, the LBI Library stabilized many of its fragile collections with new enclosures, many of which were handmade by the Werner J. and Gisella Levi Cahnman Preservation Laboratory. LBI Library.

In 2017, the Library's periodical digitization project began a new phase. In cooperation with the Center for Jewish History's Gruss Lipper Digital Laboratory, the Library began digitizing in full color. As part of the project, digitized periodicals were stabilized with new enclosures using the expertise of the Center's Werner J. and Gisella Levi Cahnman Preservation Laboratory. As with its early phase, the Library's digitization project continued to provide high-quality standardized metadata and bibliographic description to ensure user access. With the help of the Center, the Library has added over 100 digitized historical periodicals to its Periodicals Portal, many of which would be hard to find. Newly digitized titles include the Israelitisches Gemeindeblatt of Königsberg (Kaliningrad, Russia), the Führerblätter des Esra, and Die Jüdische Welt of Karlsbad ( Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic). In 2019, at the request of many users, the Library began the work of digitizing sections Aufbau in full color for an improved user experience.

Digitizing Aufbau — The Library, in partnership with The Gruss Lipper Digital Laboratory at the Center for Jewish History, has been working to improve its digital holdings of Aufbau with high quality full-color images. LBI Library, C14.

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