1. Introduction
This guide is intended to help Harvard students and faculty find newspapers and newspaper articles. Recent articles (post-1980) are most easily accessible via online sources which offer full text of hundreds of newspapers.
Other full-text sources, collective indexes and indexes of individual papers are listed in Parts 2-5 of this guide. Some indexes of limited chronological and/or geographical extent are not included. In the HOLLIS Catalog, search Subject keywords: "Newspapers indexes" to find many of these, e.g., <newspapers indexes Manitoba>. Some indexes may have been overlooked; search the HOLLIS Catalog for particular indexes.
"INDEX Film" indicates a printed index to a microfilm.
Newspaper indexes that are not listed in this guide, including many not held by Harvard, are listed in:
Newspaper Indexes/Archives/Morgues for online archives and indexes.U.S. Newspaper Indexes at the Library of Congress for printed indexes by state.
Web sites of hundreds of newspapers are accessible through NewsLink. The British Library maintains a list of newspaper-related research guides. Newspapers on the Web sometimes offer only articles from one or two day's issues; others have archives extending back several years.
ICON: International Coalition on Newspapers - Newspaper digitization projects.
List of online newspaper archives.
Other Harvard University Library research guides include AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES: Newspaper Research - Strategies & Sources and the Kennedy School Library's News Sources Online.
Finding Newspapers at Harvard
Most of Harvard's newspaper collection is on microfilm housed in the Newspaper Microfilm Reading Room (Widener 1st floor behind main stairs). A particular paper, or papers available for a particular city and time, are most expeditiously found via the Widener Collection of Newspapers on Microfilm Search. Some newspapers, largely with call numbers beginning Film S or Microfiche W, are housed in the Government Documents/Microforms Collection on the first floor of Lamont; find these in the HOLLIS Catalog.
Although the microfilm search gives most of Harvard's holdings, some newspapers are held in paper format. They can be found with a HOLLIS search using the Journal Titles option. Keyword title searches are useful, as newspapers frequently change their name, adding or dropping "daily," etc. Each record for a newspaper normally includes notes on prior and succeeding names. One may also perform a Place of Publication search (Expanded Search only) or a Subject keyword search, e.g., <Seattle newspapers>. HOLLIS searches using the Journal Titles option can be limited to Format: Newspapers. In the Command Search you may search for newspaper format by city or country with searches of the form:
by city
wil=boston and wqs=nby country, e.g., using the country code for Russia
wlo=ru and wqs=n
Typically the Country Code is the first two letters of the country name, but there are exceptions. See Country Codes: Part III: Regional Sequence.
For an exhaustive search, try all the above methods.
Many current newspapers are received by various Harvard libraries, especially Widener's Periodicals Reading Room. Widener's newspapers are kept for a month or two only, after which they are replaced by microfilm in the Newspaper Microfilm Reading Room (Widener 1st floor behind main stairs).
The Boston Public Library Newspaper Room receives many titles not held by Harvard. The Boston Public Library Microtext Department has an extensive collection of Massachusetts and other newspapers on microfilm.
Basic Full-text Sources
LexisNexis Academic (1980s- ) is the usual first choice for finding newspaper articles, with full text (pictures omitted) coverage of numerous U.S. and overseas newspapers. The Los Angeles Times, Baltimore Sun, Newsday, Hartford Courant, and Morning Call have been removed from LexisNexis except for a six month rolling backfile, accessible through the Guided News search. New York Times is available from 1980; other newspapers were added gradually thereafter.
Factiva (1980s- ) offers full text (pictures omitted) of over 6,000 newspapers, magazines, wire services and trade journals. Use Internet Explorer. For details on the publications included, open Support? (upper right), select Content Watch, select Source Search. To limit to a particular newspaper enter, e.g., sn=wall street journal and "search term". Articles for which the copyright resides with the author rather than the newspaper which are not available in LexisNexis sometimes have a citation without full text in Factiva. Includes the Wall Street Journal full text, 1984- (abstracts, 6/13/1979-1983). Search Guide: Searching for News in Factiva.com (formerly Dow Jones Interactive)
Articles for which the copyright resides with the author rather than the newspaper will not generally be available in LexisNexis or Factiva, although Factiva sometimes provides citations. Use newspaper indexes to find articles omitted from the full text sources.
ProQuest Historical Newspapers include illustrations, editorials, and advertising. Available papers are listed below.
General Newspapers
- Atlanta Constitution (1868-1939)
- Chicago Tribune (1849-1986)
- Los Angeles Times (1881-1986)
- New York Times (1851-2004)
- New York Tribune (1841-1922)
- San Francisco Chronicle (1865-1922)
- Wall Street Journal (1889-1990)
- Washington Post (1877-1991)
African-American Newspapers
All of the ProQuest Historical Newspapers can be searched at once from the ProQuest Databases page. Choose "Select Multiple Databases. On the resulting screen, scroll down to "Historical Databases".
The Boston Public Library has the ProQuest Historical Newspapers Boston Globe (1872-1925). BPL card number required for offsite use.
Times Digital Archive (1785-1985) offers the London Times full text, including news, editorials, advertising, pictures. Sunday Times is not included.
America’s Historical Newspapers (1690-1922) offers full text of over a thousand U.S. newspapers.
19th Century U.S. Newspapers offers full text of about 500 newspapers.
Periodical Directories with Subject Access and/or Circulation Statistics
- United States
- Major Lists
- Other General Lists, chronologically arranged
- Specialized Lists
- United Kingdom and Ireland
- Bibliography of Directories
World almanac from 1949-date has circulation figures for major US newspapers.
LOCATION: Widener: Reference Services Room - Across from Reference Desk.Periodicals directory, 1932-38.
Ulrich's periodicals directory, 1943-63.
Ulrich's international periodicals directory, 1965-2000.
LOCATION: Widener: Harvard DepositoryCurrent edition:
Ulrich's periodicals directory, 2001- .
LOCATION: Widener: RR651.2 LatestPeriodicals grouped by subject. Editions from 11th (1965-66) to present have circulation figures for many non-newspaper periodicals. 9th ed. (1959) has "A Selected List of Current Newspapers United States and Foreign" which includes circulation statistics.
N.W. Ayer & Son's directory of newspapers and periodicals [title varies], 1880-1982.
LOCATION: Widener: AL 6.3 (1880-1881, 1903, 1905, 1907, 1910, 1912, 1914, 1917, 1919-1923, 1926-1929, 1931-1932, 1934-1935, 1938-1969, 1970-1982))Includes circulation statistics. In a section (usually called Lists, Classifications or Subject Indexes) after the main geographical sequence are lists of agricultural, college, foreign language, Black (early called colored, then Negro), religious, fraternal (early called secret societies), trade and technical (including scientific and medical), and labor publications which carry advertising. The foregoing categories may have their own headings or may be included, with many others, within the Trade, Technical and Class section.
Continued by:
Gale directory of publications [title varies], 1983- .
LOCATION: Widener: Harvard Depository WID-LC PN4855.Z99 I47x (1983-85, 1987-89)Other General Lists, chronologically arranged
Catalogue of the newspapers and periodicals published in the United States, showing the town and county in which the same are published, how often issued, their character, and circulation, by J. C. G. Kennedy. In: Livingston's law register for 1852. New -York, J. Livingston, 1852.
LOCATION: Law School: Unclassed
LOCATION: Widener: AL 6.235Subject access. Includes circulation statistics
American newspaper directory and record of the press containing an accurate list of all the newspapers, magazines, reviews, periodicals, etc. in the United States & British provinces of North America: also, a concise general view of the origin, rise and progress of newspapers, by Daniel J. Kenny. New York: Watson, 1861.
LOCATION: Widener: Al 6.205 Photocopy.Subject access.
Pettengill's newspaper directory and advertisers' handbook for ... : comprising a complete list of the newspapers and other periodicals published in the United States and British America.
LOCATION: Widener | AL 6.14 (1870, 1877)Lists of daily, religious, agricultural, educational, medical and surgical, and other periodicals, pp. 169-201.
American newspaper directory, 1869-1904? NY: G.P. Rowell.
LOCATION: Widener: AL6.5 (1870, 1873, 1882, 1891)Subject access. Includes circulation statistics.
Dauchy & Company's newspaper catalogue.
Widener | AL 6.9 (1891, 1894-95, 1897-98)Indexed by language and subject. Includes circulation statistics.
History and present condition of the newspaper and periodical press of the United States: with a catalogue of the publications of the census year, by S. N. D. North. [Buffalo, N.Y.: W. S. Hein, 1884].
LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC PN4855.N6x 1977 FSubject access. Includes circulation statistics.
Edwin Alden co's American newspaper catalogue, including lists of all newspapers and magazines published in the United States and the Canadas; together with the population of the cities and towns in which they are published; their politics, class or denomination, size, and claimed circulation. The whole being specially arranged for the convenience of advertisers. Cincinnati, E. Alden & co's advertising agency, 1885-1886.
LOCATION: Widener | AL 6.4 Library has: 1885-1886Includes circulation statistics.
Lord & Thomas' pocket directory.
Widener | AL 6.15 (1892-1893)Includes circulation statistics.
National newspaper directory and gazetteer.
Widener | AL 6.11 (1892, 1899-1901)Indexed by subject. Includes circulation statistics. 1892 ed. called Business-Man's Hand-Book.
Magazines for libraries, 1969- .
Gutman Education | Ref. | Z6941 .M33 Latest edition only
Kennedy Sch of Gov | Ref | PN4699 .M42 Library has: Latest only
Lamont | REFERENCE | Z6941 .M23 Latest edition only
Widener | RR 651.77.2 Latest
Widener | Harvard Depository | PN4832.Z99 K37x EarlierChapters list major magazines on numerous topics. Subject index
Women's periodicals and newspapers from the 18th century to 1981: a union list of the holdings of Madison, Wisconsin, libraries, by Maureen E. Hady. Boston: G.K. Hall, c1982.
LOCATION: Andover-Harv. Theol: Ref. Z7965.H3 1982 Consult Braun Room.
LOCATION: Schlesinger: Ref. 050 D18w
LOCATION: Widener: RR 4761. 11.20White, Cynthia Leslie. Women's magazines, 1693-1968. London, Joseph, 1970, 348 pp.
LOCATION: Widener: 10467.88Danky, James Philip. Undergrounds; a union list of alternative periodicals in libraries of the United States and Canada. Madison, State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1974.
LOCATION: Andover-Harv. Theol: Ref. Z6944.U5 D3
LOCATION: Widener: Harvard Depository Consult circ. desk for HNB6F4Riley, S. G. and G. W. Selnow. 1989. Index to city and regional magazines of the United States. NY: Greenwood Press, 130 pp.
LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC PN4877.Z99 R55 1989xTitle, geographical, and chronological lists (1950-1988), selected list by title only (1743-1949).
Ethnic serials at selected University of California libraries: a union list. 1977.
LOCATION: Harvard-Yenching: (W) E184.A1 Z993 x
LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC E184.A1 Z993 xSections on Chicano, Asian-American, Afro-American, American Indian Studies. Title, geographic, subject index. Mixed primary and secondary.
Immigration History Research Center (University of Minnesota). IHRC Periodicals. Browse the IHRC collections of periodicals by ethnic group.
Divided into sections by ethnic groups. Within each section newspapers and serials are separated.
Asian-American periodicals and newspapers : a union list of holdings in the Library of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin and the Libraries of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 1979.
Location : Fung Library Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies Harvard Depository E184.O6 Z993 x
Location : Widener WID-LC E184.O6 Z993 xList arranged by title with indexes by state and by name (editor, organization).
Native American periodicals and newspapers, 1828-1982: bibliography, publishing record, and holdings. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1984.
LOCATION: Tozzer: REF E 77.Z99 D3 1984
LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC E77.Z99 D36 x, 1984Encyclopedic directory of ethnic newspapers and periodicals in the United States. 2d ed.
LOCATION: Widener: Harvard Depository PN4882.Z99 W96 1976xDirectory information for circa. 1976. Gives dates of inception.
The ethnic press in the United States: lists of foreign language, nationality and ethnic newspapers and periodicals in the U.S. 1974.
LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC PN4884.Z99 A43 x, 1974Ethnic periodicals in contemporary America: an annotated guide, by Sandra L. Jones Ireland. NY: Greenwood Press, 1990, 222 p.
LOCATION: Widener: Harvard Depository PN4882.Z99 I74 1990xThe immigrant labor press in North America, 1840s-1970s: an annotated bibliography.
LOCATION: Widener: PN4884.Z99 H64 x, 1987Divided into sections by ethnic group, each section with title and place indexes.
Arndt, Karl John Richard. The German language press of the Americas, 1732-1968: history and bibliography. Volume 2: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, USA (Addenda), Uruguay, Venezuela. Pullach/Munchen: Verlag Dokumentation, 1973.
LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC PN4885.G3 Z9924x 1973Potter, V. R. A reference guide to Afro-American publications and editors, 1827-1946. Ames: Iowa State University Press, 1993.
LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC PN4882.5.Z99 P68 1993xBrown, Warren. Check list of Negro newspapers in the United States (1827-1946). Lincoln University journalism series; no. 2. Jefferson City, Mo.: School of Journalism, Lincoln University, 1946.
LOCATION: Widener: AL 6.210La Brie, Henry G. The Black press in America; a guide. 2d ed. [Coralville, Iowa, Mercer House Press] c1972.
LOCATION: Widener: AL 305.9.25.2La Brie, Henry G. The Black newspaper in America; a guide. [Iowa City] Institute for Communication Studies, University of Iowa, c1970.
LOCATION: Widener: AL 305.9.25Willing's press guide [title varies], 1890- .
LOCATION: Countway Medicine: 1.Ba.186.
LOCATION: Widener: RR 681.312 Latest Harvard Depository B 2083.3 Earlier (1895-97)Continues:
May's British & Irish press guide, 1874 - l889
LOCATION: Microforms (Lamont): Film S 1339 (5th ed. (1878); 8th ed. (1881))
LOCATION: Widener: Harvard Depository B 2083.3 (12th ed. (1885))Mitchell's Newspaper Press Directory and Advertisers' Guide. First published l846, and then intermittently l847, l851, and l854; from l856 regular annual issues appeared.
Gliserman, S. Mitchell's Newspaper Directory, l846 - l907. Victorian Periodicals Newsletter, 4, April, l969.
Linton, D. "Mitchell's, May's and Sell's: Newspaper Directories of the Victorian Era." Journal of Newspaper and Periodical History, lll, no. 2, l987;
Linton, D. Mr. Mitchell's 'National Work.' Journal of Advertising History, 2, l979
(See also Deacon's, Everett's, and Sell's directories of the press.)
Periodical directories and bibliographies: an annotated guide to approximately 350 directories, bibliographies, and other sources of information about English-language periodicals, from 1850 to the present, including newspapers, journals, magazines, newsletters, yearbooks, and other serial publications / Gary C. Tarbert, editor. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Co., 1987, 195 pp.
LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC PN4832.Z99 P47 x, 1987With subject index.
Page Last Reviewed: October 1, 2009