Small Town, Big History
The Town of Yountville sits in California’s Napa Valley. This community needed to preserve and share decades of local journalism. Michelle Dahme, a former town clerk, had saved every issue of the Yountville Sun since 1998. Six banker’s boxes held 24 years of community stories. The challenge? Making this history accessible to residents.
Daily Detour: When History Lives in Boxes
The former town clerk stored two dozen years of newspapers in heavy cardboard boxes. Staff couldn’t quickly find specific stories or dates. Residents who wanted to research local history had no easy way to access past issues. The printed archives took up valuable storage space. Without digital access, important community records remained hidden from public view.
The Solution: From Weeks to Minutes of Magic
MCCi received the banker’s boxes and began systematic digitization. High-resolution scanners captured images of each page. Optical character recognition software converted printed words into electronic text. The Laserfiche Document Management system organized the complete archive. Users can now zoom in and out of pages. They can search by date or use keywords to find specific stories. The system works on computers and smartphones.
Residents now have 24/7 access to local history. Keyword searches return relevant stories in seconds. The Town plans to add newer issues twice per year. Storage space previously occupied by boxes is now available for current operations. Community members can research property history, local events, and civic decisions from any device.
About our Client
CLIENT NAME:
CHAMPION:
Michelle Dahme
POPULATION:
est. 3,280 residents