Community Corner

Valley Life Frozen in Old News Photos; You Can Help Preserve the Images

The old "Valley Times" operated out of North Hollywood from 1946 to 1970. It began as a semi-weekly newspaper in 1935 and became a daily in March 1946.

From Calabasas to Chatsworth, from  North Hollywood to Encino and Studio City and Van Nuys and Woodland Hills, photographers from what was once the Valley's own newspaper captured life in black and white.

Those imagers are being preserved by the Los Angeles Public Library, and a fundraising drive is in progress to digitize and archive the collection.

The old Valley Times operated out of North Hollywood from 1946 to 1970. It began as a semi-weekly newspaper in 1935 and became a daily in March 1946, according to a library history of the newspaper.

It passed through several hands including the Minneapolis Star and Tribune and the  Great Western Publishing Company where it was joined by the Hollywood Citizen News. But by 1970, those newspapers fell into bankruptcy  and folded.

The 50,000-image photo library was auctioned off and then sold to Security Pacific National Bank which donated the collection to the library in 1981.

Of that collection, only 3,000 photos have been digitized thus far, and are available for viewing worldwide on the internet.

Photo Friends, a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the library's photo collection is organizing the drive.

The group advises that "tax-deductible donations for the Valley Times digitizing and archiving project may be made in any amount to: LAPL Library Foundation. Donations of $500 and above include a Lifetime Membership in Photo Friends. Please specify that the donation is for the Valley Times project and include phone, e-mail, and mailing address so we can keep in touch. Donations may be made via PayPal at photofriends.org or by mail to: Photo Friends LAPL c/o Future Studio, PO Box 292000, Los Angeles, CA 90029."


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