Plans to launch a site that will archive around half a billion pages of US newspaper images dating back to the 17th century have been delayed until next year.

America's Chronicles is one of the most ambitious web projects ever undertaken. It will cost in the region of US$100 million and take up to 10 years to complete.

Canadian company Cold North Wind, which specialises in creating internet databases for newspapers, is building the site for the National Newspaper Association.

A spokesman said: "The project could eventually result in more than 500,000,000 pages of original historical content dating back to the 1600s. Community newspapers capture the local and regional flavor of daily life with a level of detail unsurpassed by any other medium. Their coverage of births, deaths, and marriages of local residents, their reporting of the activities of agricultural, business, civic and religious societies, and of local institutions and industries provides unique snapshots of Americana. Until now, this information has been available only on microfilm or in paper collections in libraries and archives."

www.americaschronicles.com