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The paper describes the newspapers preservation by reformatting, especially the role of microfilm in digital surroundings. Although digitization means faster and easier access to information for the library users, the authors' intent was to highlight the reasons for the use of microfilms in the process of protection and ensuring their availability. The historic newspapers have an exceptional value as a part of cultural heritage and serve as a source of various information, but their vulnerability and susceptibility to rapid decay should be kept in mind, too. Their other specific features should also be considered, such as format, variety of topics, a large number of authors, and a long period of publication. In this context, the favorability of microfilms as a medium for the long-term storage of organized intellectual content of newspapers, i.e. the possibility of using microfilms as a mediator in digitization, is emphasized, given the complete technical compatibility of these reformatting methods. Such specific microfilm features were also taken into account in some foreign digitization projects of the newspapers mentioned in this paper. The paper also provides an overview of the experience of the National and University Library in Zagreb in the protection of newspapers. In a historical review of the microfilming working process, the role of microfilms as a medium of permanent storage, as well as its functionality in mediating between the original and the digital version, is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main topic of this paper is the preservation of newspapers. Newspapers deteriorate rapidly, mainly because of the characteristics of the paper they are printed on. Approaches to newspaper preservation can be aimed to preserving just information or information carrier as well. The development of technology and the stronger influence of digitisation open new possibilities in newspapers preservation, primarily in the availability and use of information. The purpose of this paper is to present the existing approaches and methods in newspapers preservation, and to analyze the projects of newspapers preservation in the world. It will explore the organizational and practical aspects of the projects by showing examples of good practice in the field. Furthermore, the paper will analyze the preservation of the Croatian newspapers, giving an overview of the national and local/regional initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]