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Denní Hlasatel

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The Denní Hlasatel was a Chicago Czech-language daily newspaper founded in 1891 and published through 2006, making it the longest-running Czech serial in the world. In September of 2023 CGSI acquired digitization and publication rights to use, copy, distribute, publish and present all issues of the Denní Hlasatel.

Sections

Project Status: Check back here for progress updates and calls for specific volunteer tasks when needed. If you are interested in being a part of this project, please email Jerry Martinek.

(April 13, 2024): The second 100 rolls of microfilm have arrived and have been delivered to the vendor to create the TIFF images for archiving and future use. Pete Landry has accepted the role of Project Manager for the endeavor. We are exploring the use of the open source platform used by the Kramerius digital library for potential application in this project.

(March 15, 2024): The CGSI executive committee authorized the purchase of more microfilms and and on 3/19 an order was placed to purchase the second 100 rolls covering the timeframe of roughly 1911 through 1924. Those films are estimated to be shipped by the end of April. Carol Smetana is working on two approaches to gain additional funding to support the project, one being through grants and the other being an internal fund raising campaign. More details will be available in April.

(March 1, 2024): The test of the digitization process was successfully completed in February whereby we created TIFF images of each of the images in the 100 microfilms purchased. Once we got the TIFF images from the vendor, they had to be renamed and uploaded to our shared drive as archive images. Then a second set of the images was created to act as our "working set". We are still exploring how we can best post each issue to the website. We know we want to provide searchable (OCR) images. We believe we will need to at least initially post each issue as a pdf, but we are exploring software that may allow us to post the issues as ebooks to allow our members to read the issues and capture select information, but not have to download large pdf files. We are now also exploring the purchase of the next set of films to take us through the early 1920's.

(January 2024): The first 100 microfilms (1891-mid 1911) are in our hands and next week we will be testing the quality of the digital images. If the resolution is acceptable, we will be immediately digitizing all 100 roles. Stay tuned!

(November 2023): Plans for the digitization of individual issues are being organized.

The Denní Hlasatel began in a small office at the corner of Racine Avenue and 19th Street, and it was not until 1895 that they established their own press. Around 1899, they moved to a new building designed by Frank Randak, noted Czech-Chicago architect. This would be the company's home for most of the century. The paper continued to grow, reaching its peak during the two World Wars.

During WWII, circulation of the Denní Hlasatel topped 100,000; the paper even ran its own radio station. After the wars, as Czech immigration to Chicago declined and the existing populace moved outside the city, the Hlasatel relocated as well, migrating offices to nearby Cicero in 1979. In 1982, the company moved to its final home in the Czech haven of Berwyn.