This is a complicated subject with lots of analysis required to sift through access points and third party providers. If I have made a mistake, or left off a provider you think is especially important, please feel free to e-mail me via the Contact page, or just post a Comment (you must register, but it’s free).
This is just a portion of what I cover in my talk.
Major sections of this page:
What newspapers existed
- Before you start searching, it is helpful to know what you are looking for. Newspapers are notorious for changing their names, the places of publication, or just ceasing to exist (sometimes after only a few issues).
- The Library of Congress (LoC) Chronicling America web page provides a searchable/browseable directory of all known American papers (use the ‘Find’ box).
- Each state has a newspaper program, part of the National Newspaper Program. Content varies, but some states will not only provide their subset of the LoC database, but also say what libraries in the state have what newspaper titles for what years.
- Data Visualization: Journalism’s Voyage West
- Newspaper Map
Help finding online papers
These websites typically contain links to providers, libraries, and individual newspaper titles, as well as other useful information.
- ICON: International Coalition on Newspapers/ Newspaper Digitization Projects
- IFLA – USA Directory of Newspaper Collections
- (2 PDF files dated 2008 – “Repositories” is a listing of libraries with large collections, “Microfilmed” is a hodgepodge of various newspaper projects and online archives)
- Library of Congress/ Newspaper and Current Periodical Reading Room
- SLA News Archives
- Wikipedia – List of Online Newspaper Archives
- Cyndi’s List – Newspapers
- FamilySearch Wiki United States Newspapers
Some major online providers
Many of these license their content to other, secondary, providers. These licensing agreements are one reason there is a big difference between the newspapers accessible via Ancestry’s library edition versus their personal subscription. Each of these providers provides a title list on their website (although they’re not always easy to find or use). The handout for my talk includes links to the titles lists.
- Accessible Archives
- Ancestry
- Gale Group
- Google News
- LexisNexis
- Library of Congress
- Newsbank/Genealogybank
- Newspaper Archives
- ProQuest
- Readex
page last updated: 8 Jun 2012
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