Arkansas Catholic has raised $7,245 through Dec. 13 toward a first-year goal of $15,000 in its first Guardian Angels campaign.
A Mass was celebrated by Bishop Anthony B. Taylor Dec. 15 at St. John Center in Little Rock in honor of the “angels” and their intentions. With these donations, the redesign of the newspaper and website will be possible for the centennial year, and the newspaper will take the first steps to digitizing the first 91 years of archived issues. Arkansas Catholic’s new design will be revealed with the Feb. 5 issue.
The campaign, which was launched in October, was named in honor of the newspaper’s original name, The Southern Guardian, which was soon changed to The Guardian. In 1986, on the newspaper’s 75th anniversary, the name was changed to Arkansas Catholic.
In January the newspaper will begin its digital archives project and will make the issues from 1911 available online in March. As more funding is received, more archives will be posted.
It has long been a goal of the newspaper to make digital archives available, but research for the newspaper’s anniversary made clear the perilous condition of the history chronicled in earlier issues. Years of deterioration from the acids naturally present in newsprint have reduced many pages to fragments, too fragile to read or even touch. While issues from 2002 to the present are in searchable, digital format and accessible through the online edition on the newspaper’s website, www.arkansas-catholic.org, the first 91 years are available only in bound volumes.
It is estimated to cost at least $100,000 to undertake these projects over several years. Subscription fees cover only the cost of printing and mailing Arkansas Catholic, with a little leeway to cover increasing costs of paper and postage. Advertising and other projects cover part of the cost of news coverage, employee wages and equipment. The diocese provides a subsidy, but as the diocesan budget is tight, there is not enough for the costs of redesign and preservation.
The campaign continues until March 25, 2011, Arkansas Catholic’s 100th anniversary. Donors can send in their check or money order with their name and address to Arkansas Catholic Guardian Angels, P.O. Box 2536, Little Rock, AR 72203 or click here for a form.
Click here to see a list of donors through Dec. 13.
Readers donate $7,245 toward centennial projects
