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  How to Locate Newspapers, News Articles  and other News Sources

Locating a Newspaper in the Western Library

The Library subscribes to numerous local, national, international and foreign language newspapers.  A selection of current newspapers are on display in the Current Periodical Room, Wilson 2 East. Newspapers for the current month, in addition to titles held until the microfilm arrives, are located on Wilson 2 West. 

Newspapers to which the library currently subscribes to are:
 
Bellingham Herald (1904- )  AN2.B44  Times (London) (1785- )  AN4.T54 
Christian Science Monitor (1983- ) AP2.C45 Wall Street Journal (1968- )  HG1.W34 
Globe and Mail (1965- )  AP2.A4991  Los Angeles Times (1994- ) microfilm only  AN2.L6
New York Times (1857- )  AN2.N44  Washington Post (1979- )  microfilm only  AN2.W37
Seattle Times (1927-49; 1980- )  AN2.S45 

Newspapers on Microfilm

A permanent microfilm backfile of selected newspapers, along with the newspapers for which the film has not yet arrived, are located on Wilson 2 West, shelved by call numbers. To locate our holdings for other newspaper titles,  search "Journal" for the title in the Library Catalog, or ask for assistance at the Reference Desk. 

Historical Newspapers
Early American Newspapers Before 1900  (an online list of our microform holdings) 
American Newspapers After 1900 (an online list of our microform holdings) 
Guides to Newspaper Microform Collections  

Locating Articles in Newspapers and News Sources  

Use an index to locate specific articles within newspapers. Some newspapers publish their own print index.   We also subscribe to some databases which provide full text articles.

Wilson 2W Microform Index Section:
New York Times (1851-)AI21.N48  (see also: "New York Times Index"  which is an online guide to using the print index)
Times (London) (1785- ) AI21.T35
Wall Street Journal (1968- ) HG1.B3

Ethnic NewsWatch is an online, full-text collection of the newspapers, magazines and journals of the ethnic, minority and native press. A rich collection of articles, editorials, columns, reviews, etc. provide a broad diversity of perspectives and viewpoints.

Global NewsBank (1996 to current) International news articles covering politics, economics, culture, business, science, technology, and the environment from Africa, Asia, Europe, the former Soviet Union, the Pacific Rim, Central and South America, and the Middle East. All articles are in English and are from over 1000 translated broadcasts, news agency transmissions, wire services, newspapers, magazines and government documents.

ProQuest Newspapers provides full text coverage for the Atlanta Chronicle, the Atlanta Journal, the Boston Globe, the Christian Science Monitor, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, New York Times Book Review, New York Times Magazine, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post.

Proquest Newspapers also includes full text for selected Washington State newspapers: the Puget Sound Business Journal, Seattle PI, Seattle Times, Spokane's Spokesman Review, Tacoma News Tribune, the Vancouver (WA) Columbian, and selective business coverage in the Longview Daily News, the Eastside Journal, Journal of Business (Spokane), Mercer Island Reporter, Peninsula Daily News, South County Journal, Bremerton Sun, Tri City Herald, Valley Daily News, Wenatchee World, and the Yakima Herald Republic.

How to get articles from newspapers we do not have (via Interlibrary Loan - - ILLIAD)

ILL can retrieve newspapers on microfilm for users. Often researchers need a broader overview of an ongoing story or event - -requiring one to request a broader date range. When that is the case, specific information  (author, specific date, article title) is not required for ILL.

What is required is the title of the paper, publication location (if possible) and the range of dates needed. This information should be submitted using the ILLiad Microform request form since the film is something we will borrow. The information should be presented like this: Chicago Daily News (May 1 – June 17, 1963). Any further information the user wishes to supply should be put in the Notes field.

A few things to remember about newspapers on microfilm:

  • Not every newspaper is microfilmed. If the paper is not on microfilm there is very little chance we will be able to borrow it through interlibrary loan. Travel may be in the requestor’s future if they simply must see the paper.
     
  • With the exception of “big city dailies” those that are filmed often may not be filmed through their complete run. The dates needed may not be available.
     
  • It is often very difficult to borrow newspapers from the city or region in which they originate because of high local demand. For example it’s nearly impossible for us to borrow the film for the Seattle P-I from a library in the Puget Sound area. So there is a better chance of being able to borrow if the title is held widely.
     
  • Give yourself lots of lead time.  Most libraries limit the number of film reels they will supply at one time to 6 or less. Requesting long date ranges often requires repeated requesting – submitting a new request for the remaining dates when the loaned reels are returned.  There can be anywhere from a couple of weeks to years on a reel depending on the size of the paper and where it was microfilmed,  it is always advisable to provide the complete date range in the request – you never know.
    •

    Good resources which help locate holdings in other libraries include:

    Other News Sources
    News Digests     and Editorial Services are useful when collecting background information on a particular subject, or when you need information for debates or speeches.

    Contemporary Women's Issues provides full-text access to global, interdisciplinary information on women, located within journals, newsletters, and research reports from non-profit, governmental, and international agencies.

    CQ Researcher Online    Published by Congressional Quarterly, each issue provides a brief overview and chronology, with discussion of  currently debated issues and provides references to sources for additional information.

    Editorials on File reprints over 50 pages of editorials from prominent U.S. and Canadian Newspapers. The current two years of Editorials on File are located in Reference D 839.E3. Subsequent years, from 1970, are located in the general collection-oversize, by the same call number.

    NewsBank Microfiche Collection Provides retrospective coverage of full text articles, 1970 - 1997, from over 500 daily and weekly newspapers of small and medium sized cities. Coverage is primarily the U.S. media, but includes major news services such as Reuters International, Associated Press and United Press International. A print index accesses the NewsBank Microfiche Collection, located in the Wilson 2W Microform Index Section  HT151.N4.

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    Page created by Robyn Adcox
    Last update: Sept. 2007